News

Those fancying a trip to Beijing for this year's Olympic Games will find themselves having to save an average of £1,074 in spending money.

At least that is the claim of Sainsbury's Travel Money which estimates that 90% of this will be spent on hotel rooms as prices have been pushed up by around 452% as a result of the event.

'Beijing is only the 20th most expensive city in the world and much cheaper than London for example, but tourists should be aware that an event of this kind can dictate some price inflation, affecting retailers, taxis, bars and restaurants as well as hotels,' warned Steve Johnson of Sainsbury's Finance.

He recommended that Games enthusiasts should shop around for their currency, as the 17% of adults who admit always leaving it until the airport may find they do not get the best deal.

Overall Beijing prices will be low in comparison to the UK, the firm states, as two bus trips a day can cost just £1.54, while restaurants are dramatically cheaper.

The Games officially opened at 08:08:08 local time today (August 8th).

Opodo cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!