Athens awaits:
The Olympic Games
take place Aug. 13-29.
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, to be held this
August in Athens, will differ from the 2000 Sydney games in two
important respects: There will be more corporate guests VIPs, top
customers and incentive winners and security this time around
promises to be much more extensive.
Sead Dzdarezic, the president and owner of Far Hills,
N.J.-based Jet Set Sports, the official U.S. agent for corporate
tickets and packages, told M&C in late April that sales had
already surpassed those of the 2000 Games. This, despite greater
security concerns and higher costs due to the dollar’s slip against
the euro.
Counter to some media reports about a shortage of hotel rooms,
Dzdarezic says there are more than enough four- and five-star rooms
to house the 10,000 corporate participants who are expected to
attend at least part of the 16-day event. Some will even stay at
one of eight cruise ships scheduled to dock at the port of
Piraeus.
As the first Summer Games to be held after 9/11, the 2004
Games also are going to run up a record tab for security: in excess
of $700 million, according to Don Williams, vice president of sales
and marketing for Newport Beach, Calif.-based Cartan Travel, the
official ticket vendor for leisure guests.
Keeping the peace will be 40,000 Greek police officers and
15,000 Greek troops; NATO troops will be on call for the duration
of the event. Additionally, the security teams are meeting with
suppliers to coordinate private security and operations, said Sean
Mahoney, director of charter and incentive sales at Silversea
Cruises; two ships in his fleet will host corporate groups during
the Games.