With fewer than six months remaining until the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, organizers find themselves confronting a significant hurdle: ticket sales. Amid aspirations to surpass previous records, the latest figures reveal a daunting reality.
Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet disclosed that a mere fraction of the envisioned three million tickets have been sold, amounting to just 900,000 tickets thus far. This falls considerably short of the target set by organizers, signaling a potential struggle in achieving the goal of hosting the best-selling Paralympics in history.
The sluggish pace of ticket sales is evident from the increase of just 70,000 tickets since the last update in November 2023, when sales stood at 830,000. While such patterns may draw concerns, Michaël Aloïsio, deputy general director of Paris 2024, cited London 2012, where a substantial portion of Paralympic tickets were sold during the Olympic Games – indicating a potential surge in sales as the event draws closer.
In a bid to enhance accessibility, organizers devised a pricing strategy aimed at making tickets affordable. Half of the tickets were made available for €25 or less, with over 500,000 tickets offered at a fee of €15. Additionally, special sessions and premium seats were made accessible at €100.
Expressing optimism despite the challenge, Estanguet urged prospective attendees not to miss out on the games, “Don’t hesitate to come! These are the best athletes.”
