Travel agents gear up for SH World Expo

It's a big year for Shanghai, with the World Expo opening in just a matter of months. Travel agencies are wasting no time in drawing up routes and packages to attract tourists who are looking for different things from the same event.

More than 30 routes are on offer, including standard and more specialized package tours, as well as individual tours. They cater to every taste, with deals for those who would like to do their own driving and others for those keen on taking photographs of the Expo highlights. But all routes cover sightseeing in the nearby cities of Hangzhou and Suzhou.

Zhang Lingjie, GM of Domestic Tour Department, China Int. Travel Services said "It is a good opportunity to boost travel routes in eastern areas."

The travel agency says tourists will have one to two days to visit the expo. Expo tour packages come at different prices, costing between one thousand and four thousand yuan.

Zhang Lingjie said "We expect about 200 thousand travellers for the expo tours. Preparations include mapping out travel routes, booking expo tickets, hotel rooms and air tickets."

The travel agency says more details about specific travel routes will be provided in February and March. Organizers of the Shanghai Expo have designated 38 travel agencies nationwide to conduct expo tour packages. The third and final round of ticket pre-sales started on January,1st.