Olympic travel conditions

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 24

Olympic travel conditions

t Intourist, the Soviet organisation which is coordinating travel arrangements for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, has advised that admission tickets and accommodation must be purchased together. Intourist will also specify a choice of several touring arrangements which must be taken in their entirety.

At this stage Intourist cannot indicate whether this would encompass a full “stay-put” period in Moscow or compulsory touring beyond the Games city. New Zealand’s allocation of tickets is expected to be small, in spite of the fact that the Lenin Stadium will have a capacity for 110.000 spectators, 38,000 more than could be

seated in the Montreal Olympic Stadium. However, the Gymnastics Sports Palace, in Moscow, will house only 14,000 spectators, the swimming complex 10,000, and the weightlifting venue 5000. Because of the small allocation of tickets to this country, priority deposits are currently being accept-

ed by several travel agencies. A spokesman for Thomas Cook, one of the official Intourist representatives in New Zealand, said it was likely that Intourist will more readily accommodate the mass movement of groups, rather than individuals. The agency has already planned three escorted tours to the Games.