A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE, political unrest in Tibet, $140-a-barrel oil: Sobering headlines like these are enough to make anyone think twice about attending Beijing's Summer Olympics in August. But the very same factors working against the games could actually work in favor of those longing to sit in the stadium as their hometown hero goes for the gold.

While the games are wildly popular within China excited Chinese citizens crashed the Olympic ticketing web site within minutes of it going online last October they've gained little traction among foreigners. Just weeks before the opening ceremonies in early August, vacancies remain at nearby hotels, ticket sellers have tickets to spare and tour operators are slashing prices on all-inclusive Olympic packages hoping to get rid of unsold inventory.

"It's a perfect storm of high gas prices and recent news," says David Lytle, editorial director of the travel web site Frommers.com. Add to that the hassle of navigating Beijing during one of the world's largest sporting events, and many Americans are coming to the conclusion that it's just not worth it, Lytle says.

Those who still think the XXIX Olympiad is worth traveling thousands of miles for are in luck. A slew of last-minute deals on tickets to the games are just starting to hit the market. Intrepid sports fans can craft their own trip, by buying tickets online through the so-called secondary market, where tickets are resold by brokers as well as individual holders. Or, for travelers who prefer to let someone else do the legwork, there are plenty of discounted Olympic packages that include airfare, hotels and tickets.

Here's how to get tickets to Beijing's Olympic games well before the opening ceremonies begin:

Do-it-yourselfers should venture online

Independent travelers can turn to web sites like

and

to buy tickets online. By soliciting listings from brokers and individual ticketholders, these sites sell tickets to many of the events and ceremonies through the secondary market. Just be prepared to shell out some cash. A ticket for a front-and-center seat at the men's basketball finals, for example, will cost $2,520 on ticket purveyor

, about 17 times the ticket's $146 face value.

The good news: These sky-high prices won't hold up for long, says Don Vaccaro, chief executive officer of TicketNetwork. Wait until mid-July, he says, and you could have a wider selection at a much lower price. That's because only a fraction of the available tickets have reached the secondary market so far.

Currently, the listings on TicketNetwork and StubHub are tickets held by brokers, who received them through arrangements with Olympic corporate sponsors and national Olympic committees. But come July 15, CoSport, the only authorized primary market ticket seller in the U.S., will send out tickets to the individuals who ordered them through its site.

Given all of the events slamming against China and the broader travel market, Vaccarro believes many ticketholders will opt to unload their tickets on sites like his. "The big question mark now is how many consumers are going to be reselling their tickets," he says. The bigger the supply, the cheaper the tickets will be, he says.

One caveat: Online ticket buyers need to shop carefully, or else they could find themselves turned away at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium because of a phony ticket. Make sure to buy tickets on reputable sites that provide guarantees and screen sellers. Vaccaro says TicketNetwork only works with trusted brokers and requires sellers to send in tickets for inspection before sending them out to customers. Every ticket, he says, comes with a 125% guarantee meaning TicketNetwork will reimburse 125% of the ticket price if there are any problems. StubHub also guarantees that tickets sold on its site are authentic, offering either a replacement ticket of same or better value or a full refund should anything go wrong. For protection against fraud, StubHub won't allow individual sellers to post listings for Olympics tickets and only works with brokers it has already vetted. (Even though StubHub only works with brokers, ticket seekers can expect prices to go down if competing sites are flooded with inventory.)

Need some hand-holding? Seek out package deals

Don't want to go it alone? Many travel companies, like sports travel outfit

are trying hard to woo luxury-minded latecomers to the Games. "We are going into a period now when the last-minute traveler gets excited," says Dave Guenther, Roadtrips's president.

Roadtrips recently launched a promotion offering free airfare to China with some of its Olympics packages. The all-inclusive packages, which cost between $8,150 and $12,500, cover a weeklong stay at some of Beijing's swankiest hotels and tickets to four events. Competitor Sports Traveler offers accommodations packages and a la carte tickets for most events. Sports Traveler's basic package starts at $2,280 for four nights at a four-star hotel, transportation in Beijing and assistance from Sports Traveler Staff. Tickets cost anywhere from $55 to watch the modern pentathlon to $2,200 for good seats to the men's basketball final.

In addition to providing you with tickets and accommodations, most tour companies also offer translators, guides and transportation services. This could provide peace of mind to Westerners making their first trip to the rapidly developing Middle Kingdom. "China is really a place that you want a little bit of hand-holding," Guenther says.

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