How do you know that you are buying authentic 2010 Olympic gear?
Whether you are buying merchandise or tickets you want to make sure that you are buying the real thing. For merchandise this is quite simple. All official merchandise has a tag that has the Olympic logo (the Inukshuk) in full color with the words ‘Official Licensed Merchandise’ on the front of the tag. On the back of each tag there is a unique hologram and a serial number as well as vancouver2010.com and a message from VANOC. The holograms feature Vancouver 2010 emblems and several layers of security and have been designed to prevent unauthorized copying, protect consumers and assist customs officers. All official merchandise will be produced to standards as set by VANOC that include a high level of ethical sourcing and social responsibility, quality materials and quality assurance standards. Retail stores that have been authorized to sell Olympic merchandise will have an official Vancouver 2010 sticker in their window. Look for the sticker wherever you are planning to buy merchandise. The largest outlets for official merchandise are at the Vancouver Airport, at the Olympic Store in Whistler Village and at The Olympic Superstore at Bay in Downtown Vancouver and in other Bay stores across Canada. Official merchandise can also be purchased online.
Ticket Purchasing
VANOC has also taken measures to address the issue of secondary ticket sales. To ensure authenticity consumers are encouraged to buy all tickets directly from vancouver2010.com, Jet Set Sports or CoSport—the official hospitality services providers for Vancouver 2010. Tickets bought from elsewhere may not be valid and may not be accepted for entry to 2010 Winter Games events. Thus far VANOC has identified several organizations that are offering unauthorized tickets and hospitality packages for sale. They have traced the origin of these tickets and have disabled all tickets from the source. VANOC is looking into establishing a centralized resale and distribution resource where members of the public can safely exchange and purchase tickets. No such site has been finalized as of yet.
Accomodations for 2010
For those seeking accommodation during the Games, the website www.2010destinationplanner.com has been set-up to assist spectators in finding a range of accommodation including hotels, bed and breakfasts, private home rentals and rooms on cruise ships. The site has been developed by VANOC’s tourism partners. Many other websites provide property rentals during 2010 but none other than the above and Hellobc, tourismvancouver.com, whistler.com and tourismrichmond.com has been authorized by VANOC.
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