Zhong Yanqun, full-time deputy director of the Executive Committee of Shanghai World Expo.
Dear friends in the press,
Good morning!
Thank you very much for attending today’s press conference. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to media friends for their long-term concern and extensive coverage of the preparations for the Shanghai World Expo.
Today, I want to introduce two aspects: one is the latest progress in the preparations for the Shanghai World Expo, and the other is the main content of the overall ticketing plan for the Shanghai World Expo.
I. Latest progress in the preparations for the Shanghai World Expo
This year is a crucial year for the preparation of the Shanghai World Expo, and it is necessary to make comprehensive preparations for the operation of the Expo. At present, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, the Organizing Committee and the Executive Committee of the Shanghai World Expo, the preparations for the Shanghai World Expo are progressing in an orderly and vigorous manner.
First, the exhibition work progressed smoothly. By February 23rd, a total of 231 countries and international organizations (185 countries and 46 international organizations) had confirmed their participation, and 184 countries and international organizations had signed contracts. Of the planned 16 enterprise pavilions, 12 have signed contracts. Domestic provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, Hong Kong and Macao have also signed contracts.
In addition, the Shanghai World Expo has two innovative highlights, namely, the urban best practice area and online exhibition. In order to highlight the theme of the city, we set up the "Urban Best Practice Zone" at the Shanghai World Expo for the first time. This is a comprehensive block that simulates several functions such as urban life, work, leisure and transportation, and shows successful cases that have been implemented and can play a leading role in future urban life. There are about 14 physical cases and 36 exhibition hall cases. At present, 40 cases have been signed.
Online exhibition presents the most exciting contents of the physical Expo on the Internet, and promotes the Shanghai Expo in an accessible and vivid way to attract more audiences to visit the physical Expo. Online exhibition has 153 countries and international organizations, and 12 cities have confirmed their participation in online exhibition.
Second, the project construction has been comprehensively promoted. China National Pavilion, Theme Pavilion, Expo Center, Expo Performing Arts Center and other permanent venues and municipal supporting facilities in the park are being promoted according to the construction nodes. Foreign pavilions are also being built or started one after another. The construction of municipal supporting projects in Shanghai and the environmental improvement in the surrounding areas of the Expo Park are being vigorously promoted.
Third, the exhibition design continues to deepen. The exhibition design scheme of China Pavilion and National Pavilion was initially formed. After international solicitation and comparison, the planning and production teams of five theme branches have been determined. At present, the exhibition design scheme is being deepened and the production of exhibition items will be started soon.
Fourth, the planning of activities and forums is progressing smoothly. In terms of activities, during the 184-day session, it is estimated that more than 100 cultural performances will be held in the park every day, with a total of more than 20,000 performances. At present, preliminary plans have been made for the opening (closing) ceremony and the cultural activities during the session. More than 160 countries and international organizations have submitted applications for library day activities, and more than 1,100 literary and artistic activities have been submitted. All provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China have put forward the preliminary plan of "Activity Week".
As for the forum, a summit forum will be held during the Shanghai World Expo, and the Shanghai Declaration will be jointly signed and published on the basis of the consensus of the participants on the sustainable development of the city. Six theme forums will be jointly hosted with relevant international organizations and relevant state ministries and commissions in cities in the Yangtze River Delta region. Starting from May 1, 2009, several public forums will be held jointly with various provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). The work programme of the forum has been initially prepared.
Fifth, publicity and promotion were effectively carried out. The publicity week of Shanghai World Expo and the exhibition "Entering the World Expo" were held successively in 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Province, and various activities such as "Successful Olympics, Wonderful World Expo" theme publicity, Expo campus trip, Expo entering the community and Expo series lectures were widely carried out. We will continue to make use of the opportunities of state leaders’ visits and China’s overseas activities to carry out promotion activities in more than ten countries, including South Korea, Britain, Germany, Japan, Spain and the United States.
Sixth, the operational preparations are carried out in an orderly manner. Security, traffic organization, business services, health protection, food safety, special equipment safety, volunteer organization, logistics management and other work have all been initially completed. In the next step, we will fully learn from the operating experience of the Beijing Olympic Games and previous World Expo, and continue to refine and improve the operating plan. Basically set up an operational organizational structure and basically complete all the preparatory work.
II. Main contents of the overall ticketing scheme for Shanghai World Expo
Recently, the State Council officially approved the "Overall Ticket Scheme for Shanghai World Expo". Next, I would like to introduce the main contents of the overall ticketing scheme.
1. Types of tickets
There are nine kinds of tickets for the Shanghai World Expo, including individual tickets and team tickets. Individual tickets are divided into designated day tickets and flat day tickets, among which designated day tickets are divided into designated day ordinary tickets and designated day discount tickets; Weekday tickets are divided into five types: ordinary tickets, discount tickets, three tickets, seven tickets and night tickets. Team tickets are divided into ordinary team tickets and student team tickets.
There are no complimentary tickets for the Shanghai World Expo. Except for children under 1.2 meters (including 1.2 meters), all visitors must buy tickets to enter the park.
2. Ticket price
The principles of Expo ticket pricing are as follows: the benchmark ticket price should be affordable for most visitors; Appropriate preferential treatment for special groups; Encourage purchase in advance, encourage organized visits, and encourage group purchases; Balance the tourist flow with different prices, and play the role of cutting peaks and filling valleys.
On the basis of the above principles, the ticket price system for the Shanghai World Expo is as follows: the ordinary ticket price on weekdays is 160 yuan RMB; The discount ticket price on weekdays is 100 yuan; The ordinary ticket price on the designated day is 200 yuan RMB; The discount ticket price for the designated day is 120 yuan RMB; The price of the night ticket is 90 yuan RMB; Tickets for the third time and the seventh time are RMB in 400 yuan and 900 yuan respectively, and the average single visit price is about 20% of the ordinary ticket price on weekdays.
3. Ticket sales stage
Shanghai World Expo ticket sales are divided into pre-sale and in-session sales. Pre-sale is divided into three periods, and tickets purchased in different pre-sale periods can enjoy corresponding price concessions.
Pre-sale Phase I: March 27th, 2009 to June 30th, 2009. Sell ordinary tickets for designated days and ordinary tickets for weekdays to organizations such as organs, enterprises, institutions and social organizations.
Pre-sale Phase II: July 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009. Sell ordinary tickets for designated days and ordinary tickets for weekdays to groups and individuals.
Pre-sale Phase III: January 1, 2010 to April 30, 2010. Sell ordinary tickets, discount tickets, ordinary tickets, discount tickets, 3 tickets and 7 tickets for designated days to groups and individuals.
Duration: May 1, 2010 to October 31, 2010. Sell ordinary tickets for designated days, discount tickets for designated days, ordinary tickets for weekdays, discount tickets for weekdays, 3 tickets, 7 tickets and night tickets to groups and individuals.
In addition, ordinary team tickets are sold in the form of Expo tourism products through designated travel agencies. Student team tickets are sold in the form of student tourism products through designated travel agencies or through educational institutions.
4. Ticket sales channels
Tickets for the Shanghai World Expo will be sold through self-operated, designated agents and designated travel agencies for Expo tours. Overseas ticket buyers can purchase tickets through the sales channels of designated agents for Shanghai World Expo ticket sales in their countries or regions.
From the opening day of the Shanghai World Expo on May 1, 2010, ticket buyers can also purchase tickets through on-site ticket outlets, self-service ticket vending machines and other ways.
Today’s press conference marks the official start of ticket sales for the Shanghai World Expo. On March 2nd, we will hold the signing ceremony of the first batch of designated agents for domestic and overseas ticket sales. On March 27th, group ticket purchase was officially accepted.
That’s all for my introduction. Thank you.
Editor: Xiao Jinping