(ATR) International Paralympic Committee President Phil Craven tells Around the Rings six months is more than enough time to engage the Brazilian public and breed excitement for the 2016 Paralympics.
Ticket sales for the 2016 Games have lagged with media reports saying just over 10 percent of the 3.2 million tickets have been sold. Craven called the figures "somewhat of a disappointment," on the eve of six months to go to the Paralympics, but said a new, aggressive communications strategy has been adopted with urgency.
The IPC recently visited Rio de Janeiro for a project review, where the sagging ticket sales, transportation, and the Paralympic closing ceremony were on the agenda. Mar.7 will mark six months until the Paralympic Games open.
"The message of the price of Paralympic tickets has not got out there and it has to change and change rapidly," Craven said to ATR.
"I think we’re aware of the different ticket buying public in Rio and in Brazil. It was decided that a comprehensive plan of engagement and communication had to be done rather rapidly to get the message out what great value for money tickets for the Paralympic games are."
According to the IPC, 61 percent of Rio citizens say they think Paralympic tickets are too costly, but 2 million Paralympic tickets are available for $2.63 (R$10). That disconnect along with a late ticket buying public have led to the slow ticket sales, a reality the IPC is used to seeing.
Craven said that the 2016 ticket program cannot be judged until the final tickets have been sold, and that observers "will be amazed" when they see the final tallies.
"Traditionally ticket sales for the Paralympics are slow to begin with and they accelerate rapidly," Craven added. "That was the case in Sydney, and it was the case in Athens. We have a history of budgets for ticket sales being breached or being doubled, and that was the case in Beijing as well."
Regarding transportation, Craven says that the IPC and the Rio city government are continually working to ensure efficient and speedy transport of athletes from where they will be staying to the four venue clusters around the city.
"A lot of work has been done on that to bring down times, and we were very pleased with what was put to us," Craven said.
Dedicated lanes of Bus Rapid Transit will be used to carry athletes, officials, and spectators during the Games. They will travel along new highways, which are wrapping up construction, connecting Barra and Deodoro to the Copacabana and Maracana zones of the city.
Rio 2016 and the IPC confirmed at the project review that the Paralympic closing ceremony will take place at the Maracana stadium on Sept. 18.
"We realized that things haven’t been easy, but we are satisfied." Craven said of the overall landscape in Rio.
"For the organizing committee it has been a difficult financial environment, but we are generally very satisfied with where we are at.
"The Paralympic Games will be an unmissable games. They are the family’s games, the people’s games, and great sport. You will be amazed, you will be surprised, and you will be inspired."
Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Utah’s Olympic venues an integral part of the equation as Salt Lake City seeks a Winter Games encore
IOC president tells Olympic Movement “we will again have safe and secure Olympic Games” in Beijing
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
IOC president details Olympic community efforts to get Afghans out of danger after Taliban return to power
North Korea suspended by IOC for failing to participate in Tokyo though its athletes could still take part in Beijing 2022
