While Chinese travelers usually can't get a tourist visa to visit Greece, they will be able to tour Athens during the upcoming Olympic Games, provided they are willing to pay big money for the opportunity.

SAL Tours is currently offering several different European travel packages, each of which consists of at least two European destinations, such as Germany, Italy and Greece, according to General Manager Wang Yan.

All of the tours last about 10 days and cost over 20,000 yuan (US$2,410), he said.

"Though not specially designed for the Olympics, these routes ensure a chance for local travelers to witness the grandeur of the games with their own eyes," he said.

Wang said China Sports Bureau has granted some special visas to Greece, and his company has been selected as one of the local agents arranging the Olympics tours.

Huang Guanrong of the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission, said the national sports bureau normally grants a certain number of such licenses for Chinese to view top international sporting events.

"Major international sporting events have never been regarded as a business opportunity with fat profits, because Chinese are seldom willing to spend so much money on something they can watch at home on TV," said Zhang Wen of Spring International.

(Shanghai Daily June 14, 2004)