By Jacqueline Grima
With Chinese New Year falling on 8th Feb this year, the team at the Etihad Stadium, home to Manchester City Football Club, are busy making plans to incorporate the local Chinese community into their celebrations. This year, in an effort to acknowledge the loyalty of the team’s many Mandarin-speaking followers, the club will be launching a brand new stadium tour conducted in Mandarin.
The award-winning MCFC club tour is already one of the most popular tourist attractions in Manchester. From February onwards, however, the city’s native Mandarin speakers will also be able to access the tour with the help of a trained Mandarin-speaking guide. During the tour, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the team’s dressing rooms as well as having the chance to sit in Manuel Pellegrini’s official press conference seat, often seen on TV. They will also get to spend time on the pitch and in the dugout.
The first Mandarin-speaking tour will take place on 4th February 2016 at 3pm to coincide with the Chinese New Year weekend celebrations and will be offered free of charge to the first customers who book. Afterwards tickets will cost between £15 and £20. Further tours will run on 5th, 7th and 8th Feb with the club intending to launch the tour as a permanent attraction from April 2016 onwards. The tour is open to both adults and children and anyone who visits during the Chinese New Year period will be in with a chance of winning a signed Sun Jihai MCFC shirt.
For more information and to book, visit mcfc.co.uk/tours.aspx
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