Americans Back Band Switch
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday July 8, 1999
The US travel agent with exclusive rights to sell tickets and accommodation to the Sydney Olympics to Americans has applauded SOCOG's withdrawal of invitations to US marching bands because, he says, Americans want to see Australians, not their compatriots, in the Opening Ceremony.
Mr Don Williams, vice-president of the Cartan travel group, said the controversy surrounding the issue was a "regional" one. Although some Americans were incensed by SOCOG's decision, most would concur with the change of heart by Sydney's Games organisers.
He described SOCOG's reversal of its original commitment to the US and Japanese marching bands as "the correct approach".
Mr Williams said Sydney remained "an extremely desirable destination" and it would require a controversy much greater than the marching bands issue to alter such a belief in the US.
Indeed, Cartan predicts, based on current bookings and expressions of interest, that Sydney will be the most popular Olympic host city outside of the US for Americans, even surpassing Barcelona in 1992.
"When you think about it [SOCOG's decision] was the right move," Mr Williams said.
"The Opening Ceremony, as distinct from the Olympic Games itself, is not an international event - it's an event to promote the culture of the host country. I don't see anything wrong with the decision.
"Americans [who will visit Sydney] will look for an Opening Ceremony with Australian content. I think I would feel very cheated if I flew all the way from the US to Sydney see American marching bands at the Opening Ceremony. Los Angeles's [Opening Ceremony in 1984] had a Hollywood touch with all those grand pianos - and that's what people expect."
Despite a torrent of angry letters in the Australian press from Americans aggrieved by SOCOG's much-publicised reversal, Cartan has not received a complaint or cancellation in protest or otherwise at SOCOG's decree.
Cartan is based in California where many of the marching bands invited to perform at the Opening Ceremony are based and from where most of the backlash has arisen.
Mr Williams's comments will give some relief to embattled Sydney Olympics organisers as well as tourism bodies, which have been worried about adverse publicity generated in the US after SOCOG decided to overrule Mr Ric Birch's decision to supplement Australian marching band members with those from the US and Japan.
The comments may also call into question Mr Birch's judgment of what Australians - and Americans - expect from Sydney's Opening Ceremony.
Cartan estimates that, based on the number of bookings and expressions of interest it has received, that 12,000 Americans will have bought packaged holidays with accommodation and Olympic tickets included and a further 10,000 will have bought tickets and made other arrangements for travel to Australia.
The nation as a whole is poised to benefit from Americans remaining in the country for extended holidays, with Mr Williams predicting 80 per cent of those who bought tickets or accommodation packages would stay on, compared with 60 per cent in Barcelona.
But he said Americans had been surprised at what they regarded as high prices for tickets, though this did not appear to be proving a deterrent.
He said Cartan could have sold even more packages and tickets had Sydney's supply of quality, deluxe accommodation been greater.
© 1999 Sydney Morning Herald
