$9000 for sit in RWC box seats in Christchurch

Businesses wanting to reward employees with corporate-box seats at next year's Rugby World Cup face a bill of up to $9095 a person.

Prices for the World Cup packages start at just under $3000. A 16-seat corporate box for the five pool games and two quarterfinals at AMI Stadium in Christchurch will cost $9095 a person – an overall cost of $145,520.

The packages include food, beverages and entertainment.

"They make you sit back on your heels a bit. They clearly are world prices for a world event," Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce chief executive Peter Townsend said.

"I can see some businesses getting on board simply because it is a one-off event."

Rugby Travel & Hospitality, the wholesaler for the corporate hospitality packages, said there was "huge interest" in the packages.

Operations director David White said most of the demand was from New Zealand, with some inquiries from Australia.

He said the corporate boxes were likely to go quickly once they went on sale next week.

White said he was satisfied that the tickets were reasonably priced. "We've done a lot of research, looking at global events and at those in New Zealand and Australia, and we're confident that the prices are right."

The corporate hospitality packages go on sale from Monday.

- © Fairfax NZ News