"When will we common people be able to visit the 2008 Olympic venues?" a Beijinger surnamed Zhang asked.

 

Most Beijingers like Zhang have been eagerly waiting for a tour since the first day of construction. Zhang's dream will soon come true.

 

The main Olympic venues, including the The National Olympic main venue, dubbed with "Bird's Nest" and the National Aquatic Center, or the "Water Cube" will be open to the public for tours, the First reported yesterday.

 

As all competition venues for the Games will be completed by the end of this year as planned, tours of the Olympic venues will be launched, Yu Debin, Beijing Tourism Bureau vice president, told the First.

 

Yu also said more than 20 international sports tournaments and Olympic test events will provide a good opportunity for Beijing sports tourism, especially those events linked with the Olympics.

 

According to Yu, a special Olympic zone of 100 sq. m will be set up at the upcoming 2007 Beijing International Traveling Exposition, aimed at promoting Olympic venue tourism and sports events tours.

 

(China Daily January 24, 2007)