scene of the ceremony which marks the launching of ticket sales in Taiwan

China Travel Services (Taiwan) becomes the Expo 2010 ticket agent in Taiwan

Tickets of the 2010 World Expo went on sale in Taiwan yesterday, marking the 390-day countdown to the event, organizers said yesterday.

China Travel Services (Taiwan) has been appointed the ticket agent, officials said. It plans to cooperate with airlines to provide various Expo packages, the company said.

Regular tickets will cost 160 yuan (US$23.4) during the May 1 to October 31 event next year, while those on holidays and other peak periods will be 200 yuan.

Wu Ching-chi, vice mayor of Taipei, delivers a speech.

Chen Xianjin, deputy director general of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, delivers a speech.

Chou Ching-shyong, chairman of China Travel Services (Taiwan), delivers a speech at the ceremony.

Early birds who buy regular tickets between April and the end of June this year can get discounts of 30 yuan, said Huang Te-chen, general manager of the travel company.

Taipei City will put on two exhibitions -- about its wireless city and how it manages recycling -- in the Urban Best Practices Area, Huang said.

Cameramen shoot Expo 2010 tickets at the ceremony.

The Aurora Group, a Taiwanese manufacturer of office equipment, is building a corporate pavilion while Taiwan's Mio Technology Co is exclusive GPS (global positioning system) sponsor for Shanghai Expo.