Special FIFA World Cup tour packages being sold by local travel agencies for the soccer tournament in South Africa next month have failed to find support among Chinese fans due to high costs and safety concerns.

"We were preparing to sell 50 to 100 World Cup packages, but so far no more than 20 tourists have booked," Cao Xu, the manager of the Middle East and Africa department of Spring International Travel Service, told the Global Times Wednesday. "We dealt with around 100 South Africa-bound tourists over the May Day holiday, and expected the World Cup to further boost numbers."

A World Cup package, including the round-trip airfare, 3-star-or-above hotel room and a ticket for the match between Brazil and Portugal, costs around 25,000 yuan ($3,660). A tour including a ticket to the tournament's final costs over 38,000 yuan ($5,563).

"I know that the few other China travel agencies offering World Cup packages are doing no better than us," said Cao.

Ctrip, another major local travel agency offering World Cup packages, declined to reveal the number of bookings it had received.

Cao said price, distance and safety were three concerns that had adversely impacted bookings.

"Passionate young soccer fans can not afford the packages, while better-off fans feel it is too far to travel, and are worried about their safety in South Africa," Cao said.

Shanghai China International Travel Service and Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours Company, both of which are subsidiaries of Jin Jiang Travel, said they have decided not to offer World Cup travel packages as they were unwilling to bear the risk of paying in advance for the non-refundable match tickets.

Both agencies also said they are suspending their regular tours to South Africa during the tournament, which takes place between June 11 and July 11.

"Accommodation and transport prices will surge during the World Cup. We suggest that tourists choose other countries as substitutes or wait until the tournament has finished before visiting South Africa," said an employee of Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours Company surnamed Liang, who is in charge of Middle East and Africa tours for the company.

A soccer fan surnamed Xu told the Global Times that although he went to South Korea to watch the World Cup in 2002, he has no plans to go to South Africa. "I went to Korea because China was participating. I don't want to spend such a large amount of money to watch a tournament in which the Chinese team will not be competing."

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