The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) yesterday revealed details of the most affordable ticketing program in recent Olympic history.

Fifty-eight percent of the tickets for sale will be priced at or lower than RMB 100 yuans (about 13 US dollars). Among them, a significant portion will be available to students at less than RMB 10 (about one dollar and 30 cents).

In mapping out the program, BOCOG has evaluated the ticketing policies of previous Olympic Games and other major international meets, conducted consultations with experts in the field and made thorough marketing research.

Throughout the process, the Organizing Committee has carried out its commitment to ensure the greatest number of people to enjoy the Olympic enthusiasm and to devote themselves to the national drive for a harmonious society.

Therefore, the ticketing program reflects both the spirit of the Olympic Games and the hope of the host country, said BOCOG officials.

Under the ticketing policy, prices for preliminaries range from RMB 30 (about four US dollars) to RMB 300 (about 40 dollars), while the finals will be priced at RMB 60 (about eight dollars) to RMB 1,000 (about 130 dollars).

The lowest tickets for the opening ceremony will be priced at RMB 200 (about 26 dollars), with the highest at RMB 5,000 (about 650 dollars), and the cheapest for the closing ceremony will be at RMB 150 (about 20 dollars), with the highest at RMB 3,000 (about 400 dollars).

In line with the Olympic Education Program, BOCOG has also allocated a number of special tickets to encourage attendance from among China's youth. Those tickets for preliminaries will be available for students at RMB 5 (less than one US dollar) and for finals at RMB 10 (about one dollar and 30 cents).

About 14 percent of the tickets available will be reserved for the Chinese students.

Tickets will become available in China in the first half of 2007.