China will next year begin selling the more than seven million tickets available for the 2008 Summer Olympics, with at least half to go to local fans at affordable prices, organisers said today.

Prices for sports sessions will range between 30 yuan ($A4.86) and 1,000 yuan ($A162.29), the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games said on its website.

It said 58 per cent of all the tickets on sale would be priced at 100 yuan ($A16.22) or lower in an effort to make the Games accessible to as many people as possible.

"Throughout the process, the Organising Committee was guided by its commitment to ensure the greatest number of people would be able to experience the Olympic values and spirit and the national drive to develop a harmonious society," it said.

At least half the tickets will be made available to domestic spectators with a significant percentage made available to Chinese students, it added.

"(The) domestic public will have access to at least 50 per cent of the tickets available, which is higher than recent Games," the organising committee said.

Sales will begin in the first half of 2007, it said, with full details on sales arrangements to be announced by then. Preliminary session tickets for sports events will sell for between 30 yuan and 300 yuan, while for the finals, the range will be between 60 yuan and 1,000 yuan, it added.

Tickets for the opening ceremony on August 8 will range from 200 yuan ($A32.44) to 5,000 yuan ($A811.45). For the closing ceremony, tickets will cost between 150 yuan and 3,000 yuan.

"The IOC is very pleased that BOCOG has found an affordable ticketing program which will maximise the opportunity for the Chinese public to enjoy the Games, whilst balancing with interest from the international community," the statement said, citing the International Olympic Committee.

AFP