The Beijing 2022 Organising Committee has confirmed that overseas attendees to the Games will have to largely rely on chartered or temporary planes to take them to the Chinese capital.

Thousands of athletes and officials are expected to head to Beijing for the Winter Olympics, scheduled to run from February 4 to 20 next year.

But the emergence of Omicron, which is said to be four times more transmissible in its early stage than the Delta variant, has caused many countries to impose travel curbs.

Omicron was first detected in southern Africa but has now spread to dozens of nations across the world.

China - which has imposed a "COVID zero" policy and has largely closed its borders - has yet to detect a case of Omicron but the situation globally will be a cause for concern for organisers of Beijing 2022.

"The Omicron variant has already spread to over 50 countries, according to WHO [World Health Organization] data," said Zhang Liang, head of the arrival and departure department for Beijing 2022.

"The epidemic prevention situation is still severe and complicated."

Zhang said "chartered flights and temporary flights come first, and commercial flights are secondary" in a report by the Global Times.

It is reported that 17 Chinese and foreign airlines have agreed to run temporary flights from cities including Hong Kong, Paris in France, Tokyo in Japan and Singapore.

"During the peak periods of arrivals and departures to Beijing, an average of at least 15 inbound flights and 13 outbound flights can be provided every day," added Zhang.

Zhang said any foreign attendees to the Games must arrive at Beijing Capital International Airport where all those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will enter "closed-loop management system".

Those inside the closed-loop management system will be tested daily for COVID-19 and may only visit approved locations using approved means of transport.

Under the rules, it will be mandatory to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to departure for China in order to be allowed in the closed loop without quarantine.

The system will apply to all three Olympic zones in Beijing, Zhangjiakou and Yanqing and will be in place throughout the participants’ stay.

All competition and training venues as well as the Olympic and Paralympic Village and other permitted destinations fall within the closed loop.

Only domestic fans will be permitted to attend the Games due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with a decision on spectator capacity at venues set to be made in the coming weeks.

"We are getting closer," said Christophe Dubi, International Olympic Committee executive director for the Olympic Games.

"The organisers are planning for the presence of spectators, especially the distinction between the in and out of the closed loop.

"Everything is done at the level of the venues, where spectators will be outside and all of the others inside [the closed loop].

"Everything is planned for operation with spectators, including concessions and separation of floors.

"I would expect a decision to be made in the next few weeks."