To attend the Olympics

My husband, Michael, and I had a wonderful time in Italy for the recent Winter Olympic Games. For those interested in attending the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, I have a few tips.

CoSport (196 Route 202 N, Box 905, Far Hills, NJ 07931; 877/457-4647 or www.cosport.com) is the official ticket distributor for the upcoming Olympics, offering complete air/land packages as well as tickets only. Previously, it was Cartan Tours (Manhattan Beach, CA; 800/818-1998 or www.cartan.com), whose website states they will post ticket info in 2007.

Packages are expensive, reflecting the price for convenience. We have found Cartan’s accommodations very good quality, but usually the room block is far away from the competition sites, so extra time is needed to attend events.

Travelers ordering tickets only make their own air and land arrangements — an ideal challenge for savvy ITN readers! Here is the timeline Michael and I follow:
• Two years before the Games, order tickets.
• One year before the Games, receive the ticket order confirmation.
• On that day or the next day, book your airfare.
• One year before the Games, begin your research on housing options and local transportation overseas. Prices tend to fall and more options become available a few months before the event. (We reserved a homestay in Japan five months before the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and a small hotel stay in Italy one month prior.)
Olympics tickets for Beijing go on sale in December of this year, 2006. For more info, contact the China National Tourist Office (New York, NY; 888/760-8218 or www.cnto.org).

CHRISTINA SEBELIUS
Valencia, CA