KEY POINTS:
Rugby World Cup packages have almost completely sold out, less than two months out from the first All Blacks pool match against Italy, tour operators say.
Three of the licensed tour operators contacted by the Herald said that nearly all their tickets had gone.
Sporting Tours manager Steve Kirwan said the company had sold about 4000 tickets and had less than 20 left.
Most tickets went on sale at the beginning of last year. Williment Sports Travel sold out of quarters, semis and finals packages two months ago.
Company director Duncan Garvie said there were about 20 tickets left for the All Blacks' pool games but that was it.
He said the company had sold 2500 tickets to the semis and final at a cost of over $16,000.
"We still have the odd call but with the numbers we've got, we're always going to have attrition and as people have pulled out we've been able to replace them," Mr Garvie said.
He said the packages had been expensive with the Rugby World Cup tariffs added and the French equivalent of GST running at 19.6 per cent.
Young and Lee manager Mike Owens said his company had about seven packaged tour tickets left.
But he said the World Cup tour was not just about rugby.
"You might be watching four or five games of 80 minutes but you're away for three weeks," Mr Owens said.
Visits to World War II historic places like the D-Day landing site and Normandy had been organised, he said.
The group would also be present for the 90th commemoration of the battle of Passchendaele where 840 New Zealanders were killed in the mud outside the village.
"The calls to our office haven't dried up yet," Mr Owen said.
The Herald has not been able to contact a fourth licensed tour operator, Stars Sports.
