Beijing is moving ahead with the Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2022, but banning foreign fans and opening tickets exclusively to Chinese fans who meet "specific requirements".
According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which held an executive board meet with the Beijing 2022 team on 29 September, these requirements refer to Covid-19 countermeasures for local spectators.
Details of ticketing arrangements are under discussion and development, and will be released to the public once they are finalised. A first version of Games guidelines is expected to be released in late October, and a second version in December.
In addition, all international athletes, delegation officials and Games workforce will stay in contracted hotels only, compliant with Covid-19 measures for the major sporting event.
Everyone attending the Beijing Olympics will have to be vaccinated, a rule that was made voluntary for Tokyo's Summer Olympics.
Games participants who are not fully vaccinated will have to serve a 21-day quarantine upon arrival in Beijing.
The ban on foreign fans is hardly surprising, since Japan had earlier this year implemented a full spectator ban in host city Tokyo for the Summer Olympics, amid spiking Covid-19 infections.
While China has mostly returned to pre-pandemic patterns domestically and kept a stable control over Covid-19, China's borders remain shut to international tourists, with Beijing only granting visas for work.
The Winter OIympics will be spread across three distinct host cities: Beijing's city centre, Yanqing district, and Zhangjiakou city — all connected by the Jing-Zhang high-speed railway which can reach speeds of up to 350kmh.
Of worthy mention as well are plans to add tourism infrastructure to the new developments built for 2022, following the success from the 2008 Games which converted post-Olympics venues into tourism sites.
The Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 will take place between 4-20 February, while the Paralympic Winter Games will be held from 4-13 March.