The marketing program for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics was released two years later than its counterpart for the 2008 Games. Despite this, more sponsors will cbe keen to support the Paralympics this year as they learn the special value of the event, said Yuan Bin, director of the marketing department at the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

"It's going smoothly, but there are some differences between the Olympic Games and the Paralympics," she said.

"The marketing program for the Paralympics is heating up this year."

The program will sponsor the Paralympics, Chinese Paralympic Committee and the Chinese Paralympic delegation.

In April 2006, BOCOG started its Paralympics sponsorship program. To date, the organizer has signed 12 BOCOG partners and nine sponsors.

"In the past, the Olympics and Paralympics were organized by different committees. But in 2008, BOCOG will host the two events and the marketing department will take care of the two different markets," Yuan said.

"In line with the whole organizing program, the marketing plan for the Paralympis started later than that of the Olympic Games."

This year, BOCOG will kick off the suppliers program for the 2008 Paralympics.

"As more companies pay attention to their public image and social responsibility, they will find it worthwhile to make a contribution to the Paralympics," she said.

BOCOG's marketing department will help the Paralympics sponsors and suppliers work out more customized marketing plans to profit better from the event.