Potential Security Issues
The profile of the Winter Olympics makes it a target for potential terrorist or anarchist demonstrations, as well as those of other special interest groups. The torch relay, which began on the 30th of October last year (yes, that is a massive run!), has already been marred by minor demonstrations. However, these certainly were not on the scale of Beijing’s Olympics and the Tibet issue, which went off relatively undisturbed.
Do look out for demonstrations, which can quickly turn violent with the help of crowd mentality. There will be around 6,000 security personnel on hand in the Olympic vicinity to keep eventgoers safe. Don’t skimp on the travel insurance, however – an upgrade often costs less than you think it would, and is a sensible precaution in the current international climate.
Potential Logistical Issues
We already mentioned that the opening ceremony and high demand events have been booked solid for some time. If you have made any travel plans on the basis of attending these particular events, you may want to rethink them. Logistics-related travel insurance claims can only be paid if outside circumstances prevent you from fulfilling your hotel booking (or other bookings), not because of failure to plan ahead.
You’ll also want to make sure that your online travel insurance policy, or your car rental insurance policy, covers everybody who will be driving your rental car. After Manhattan, Vancouver has the highest population density in North America – so you can imagine the traffic around the Olympics time!