News Last Updated: March 1, 2010

3/1/2010 -- We have just concluded another successful Games trip program.

Although the Vancouver Games opened with tragedy, the athletes continued on to represent their countries for the next two weeks and many athletes made sports history. The United States dominated the Vancouver Games for the first time since 1932, having won 37 medals, including 9 gold. Canada, who invested $110 million to host this Winter event, was finally able to win gold medals, ending a 34-year stint. They also put up an amazing fight against the US, scoring the winning goal during over-time, to earn them the gold medal for men's hockey. Athletes, supporters, and fans, alike, are all looking to the future Games of 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Russia, being unable to bring home a gold medal for figure skating for the first time in 50 years and the forced resignation of certain sports officials, they now have to work harder than ever to prove themselves as the new host for the next Winter event. As the leading service provider, our Games trip to Vancouver was extremely successful. While getting our feet wet for the Sochi Games, City Travel is now working with thousands of its trip registers on the next biggest international sports event, the London Games.

10/15/2009: VANOC launches Games-time version of www.vancouver2010.com

Vancouver, BC - With less than four months to go before welcoming an anticipated 60-million unique visitors and 1.6-billion page views, www.vancouver2010.com is getting its Games face on as the international online host for the Vancouver Games. City Travelers should use www.vancouver2010.com for most up-to-date information available on news, torch relay, winter sports, event schedule, local transportation, culture activities, and medal results. Our registration entry for this Games is now closed.

4/28/2009: Top Creative Talents Selected for the Opening, Closing and Victory Ceremonies

While recruitment of volunteer performers continues, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games (VANOC) has added Canadian and international stars to creative organizing team. The 17 member team, which is mostly Canadian, will create the creative vision for the ceremonies, including mass choreography for the 4,500 performers, the lighting and music composition, set design, costumes and props, and talent identification. The team will also be responsible for the Victory Ceremonies happening at BC Place, where star Canadian musicians will perform nightly. John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer stated: "The expectations for David Atkins and the ceremonies' creative team are monumental. They are tasked with creating life long memories - from the iconic Opening and Closing Ceremonies to those golden moments that celebrate the athletes' achievements." Their work will be watched live by thousands at BC Place and billions worldwide on television - and this team has both the talent and experience to meet that challenge. Ceremonies volunteers are going to be working with the best; this is a true opportunity of a lifetime. In fact, volunteer ceremonies applications are still being sought and the committee encouraged enthusiastic potential performers to apply. Previous experience is not a requirement for the performers, dancers and athletes of all types and skills needed to stage the productions. Volunteer performers must be 17 or older to apply; there is no upper age limit. Auditions start May 1.

4/10/2009: Whistler Plaza medal presentations reinstated

2010 Games medal presentations for Whistler-based events will take place in Whistler Plaza after all, officials stated Tuesday. Medal presentations at Whistler had been in doubt since budget reviews in late December, when it was recommended that the medal presentations take place at the sport venues to reduce the Games operating budget. But, after another budget review, officials said that the medal presentations will stay at the Celebration Plaza as the centerpiece of the Whistler Celebration Sites program. The Whistler medal ceremonies will be the first time a mountain host venue will hand out medals. More than half of the medals to be awarded during the 2010 Games will be for events in Whistler.

2/12/2009: Vancouver Unveils Iconic Canadian Designs for 2010 Games Torch

The Vancouver Games Torch was introduced today, one-year countdown to the Games, to Canada and the world in the mountain resort of Whistler. The torch (with fuel) weighs about 1.6 kilograms and 94 centimeters long, which contains stainless steel, aluminum and sheet-moulding compound. Twelve-thousand torches will be manufactured - one for every torchbearer taking part in the relay. Key to the torch's curved, modern design is a robust technology created to weather the rugged and varied 45,000-kilometre journey of the Vancouver Torch Relay during the Canadian winter. From the mild climate of Vancouver Island to the bone-chilling Arctic cold of Canadian Forces Station Alert located less than 900 kilometers from the North Pole, the torch will be operational from -50 degree C to +40 degree C through rain, sleet, snow and wind. The coast to coast event, the 106-day relay, starts October 30 in Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. It will end on February 12, 2010 in front of a live crowd of 60,000 at BC Place in downtown Vancouver and while billions more watch on television during the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Games.

1/19/2009: Nordic Combined and Cross-Country Sport Events Test Whislter Venue

VANCOUVER, BC: Operational testing was completed at the nordic combined and cross-country sport events at Whistler Park site, Included in the testing were field of play and Games-time operations and trained potential. The World Cup competitions were part of the International Ski Federation's 2008-09 World Cup season and featured Vancouver Games medal hopefuls from 21 countries. An estimated 20 million viewers tuned in daily for the events while thousands of fans traveled to Whistler Park to cheer on their favorite athletes.

12/12/2008: Phase 1 ticket sales for 2010 Vancouver Games finished

Only five hours after they were put on sale today, the remaining available Priority Access Period tickets to the Vancouver 2010 Games have sold out, according to the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Games (VANOC). "Our website was overwhelmed today and we want to thank everyone for their enthusiasm and patience." said Caley Denton, VANOC vice-president for ticketing and consumer marketing. The next phase of Vancouver 2010 ticket sales will occur in mid-2009. The tickets on sale were only available to Canadians who had requested tickets during the Phase 1, which ended November 7.

10/30/2008: High Demand for Vancouver Games Tickets

In spite of the current economic uncertainty, with just over a week left in the first phase of ticket sales, high-priced packages to the 2010 Games are selling out. Vancouver Games organizers, who manage the sale of packages and individual tickets say demand has been higher than expected for packages that include tickets to the opening ceremonies or other popular gold-medal events. Individual tickets are purchased by filling out request forms that are being taken until November 7. If requests end up exceeding the tickets available, they'll be allocated by lottery.

10/6/2008: Sara McLachlan to Headline One-year Games Countdown

Grammy Award-winning Vancouver singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan will headline a concert to mark the one-year countdown to the 2010 Vancouver Games. The February 12, 2009 concert will be part of the 2009 Cultural Olympiad. The $2.5 million 2009 Cultural Olympiad runs February 1 - March 21, 2009 and features 400 performances and exhibitions from Metro Vancouver to Pemberton. It's the second of three annual festivals leading up to a 60-day bash in 2010. According to Vancouver Games spokesman Burke Taylor, this is not a drill to the Games. Culture, being the second pillar of the movement, is an essential part of the Games and of the Games experience ... The Cultural Olympiad will engage audiences with cultural experiences that intrigue, inspire and celebrate creativity in the 21st century.

9-10-08: Details on the tickets for Victory Ceremonies

With weeks remaining before they go on sale, details and important information has been released about the Phase 1 ticket sales. Approximately 30,000 tickets will be available for the nightly Victory Ceremony to be held at BC Place; 10,000 of them will be free, while 20,000 will be sold at the low price of $22.00. Approximately two million tickets will be available for the Vancouver 2010 Games with over 20% of the tickets priced at $25 or less and more than half of all tickets priced at $100 or less. The Nightly Victory Ceremonies will pay tribute to athletes and recognizes the day's accomplishments in the presence of the Olympic Flame. After the medals are presented, the athletes' triumphs will be celebrated with a concert featuring renowned entertainers. The 2010 Games mark the first time the Opening, closing and Victory Ceremonies have been combined at one venue, BC Place. Besides the comfort an indoor venue provides, the stadium setting will allow the creation of a unified Games unfolding in three chapters: the Opening Ceremonies, the nightly Victory Ceremonies & the Closing Ceremonies.

8/25/2008 -- Successful End to Beijing Games: Vancouver hosts the upcoming Games

With nations around the world praising the success of the Beijing Games, the five-ring flag has been passed on to London for the 2012 Games. After a Games session that had athletes from 204 countries setting new records and displaying jaw-dropping performances, the spectacular closing ceremonies highlighted the successful ending of the Games in Beijing. Even Mr. Jacques Rogge, the IOC President, admitted that it might be unlikely we would ever see a Games as extravagant as the one hosted by China. However, people from Great Britain might not agree. From the moment when London's mayor Boris Johnson took over the flag at the Bird-Nest stadium in Beijing, the Legacy of the Games was moving on. London is looking forward to their turn at hosting the next Games, but with a different set of ideas to energize the world's Games spectators.