Olympic dream or Olympic nightmare?

esure offers advice for spectators planning to travel to Beijing for the Olympics¹

With the long-awaited start of the Beijing Olympic games now in less than a fortnight’s time² and with over half a million international visitors expected in Beijing during the games³, esure advises British travellers to prepare properly before they leave and buy suitable travel insurance for their trip.

According to research by esure travel insurance, Brits abroad are forgetting to check vital information before they travel with 15 per cent revealing that they do not look to see whether their passport is valid and 16 per cent do not even check to see whether or not they need a visa⁴.

In order to enter China, Olympic supporters must check their passport has a validity of at least 6 months⁵ and a visa must be obtained in advance from the Chinese Embassy in London⁶. If spectators are planning on travelling from mainland China to Hong Kong, they will need a double or multiple entry visa to get back onto the mainland.

esure has compiled some tips for Brits looking to travel to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic games

Don’t forget to buy travel insurance: surprisingly one in four Brits don’t take out travel insurance with cancellation cover before they go on holiday⁷ but it’s crucial to make sure you are covered should the unexpected happen. Cover may be provided if you become ill or get injured whilst you’re out in China, are delayed at the airport or end up losing your luggage. Also, make sure you take your insurance documents with you to ensure you have telephone numbers and policy particulars at hand.
Check what’s covered: when you book your flights, make sure you buy travel insurance cover with cancellation cover at the same time, to ensure you are covered in case you suddenly fall ill, are not fit to travel or have to cancel. Also read the small print for excesses and pay-out limits.
Think safety first: make sure you check the British foreign and commonwealth office (www.fco.gov.uk) for any warnings about travelling to Beijing before you fly.
Get the right vaccinations before you go: According to research by esure travel insurance, alarmingly almost a quarter of holidaymakers admit they don’t always get the required jabs before going to an exotic country⁸. But it’s crucial to make sure that all of your vaccinations are up to date and that you find out about any other suggested medical advice by visiting your GP. Websites such as www.dh.gov.uk/travellers are a useful source of information. Some of the recommended vaccinations for Brits travelling to Beijing are:
- Hepatitis A: Recommended for all travellers to China
- Typhoid: For travellers who may eat or drink in local restaurants rather than international and good quality hotels and restaurants
- Japanese encephalitis: For those travelling to rural areas, in addition to Beijing
- Hepatitis B: Recommended for travellers that extend their trip after the Olympic games for over 3 months

According to a recent poll of 3000 holidaymakers for esure travel insurance⁹ a third of British tourists may suffer from diarrhoea, while almost one in five will go down with food poisoning whilst on holiday abroad. That’s why esure has compiled some food and drink related tips to help prevent holidaymakers from falling ill whilst abroad¹⁰:

Do not drink tap water unless it has been boiled, filtered, or chemically disinfected.
Only buy bottled drinks.
Never order a drink with ice.
Do not eat fruit or vegetables unless peeled or cooked.
Avoid cooked foods that are no longer piping hot. Cooked foods that have been left at room temperature, particularly in hot and humid conditions, are particularly hazardous.
Avoid un-pasteurized milk and any products made from un-pasteurised milk, such as ice cream.
Avoid buying food and beverages from street vendors.
Do not eat raw or undercooked meat or fish.

Mike Pickard, Head of Travel Insurance at esure, said: "A cancelled flight, lost luggage, a serious bout of illness - it wouldn’t take much for an Olympic dream trip to turn into a nightmare. It’s crucial to take out quality travel insurance cover and follow advice given on health and safety issues whilst in China. Being fully prepared will ensure you have an enjoyable and memorable time at the games."

-ends-

About esure travel insurance:

esure travel insurance offers both single trip and annual cover which include the following:

Kids go free – parents can add their children onto their policy free of charge.
Emergency assistance – 24-hour worldwide telephone access to medical emergency assistance.
Optional personal luggage cover up to £1,500 – for accidental loss, theft or damage.
Optional cover for loss of money - up to £500 (£300 cash limit).
Optional cancellation or curtailment cover up to £5,000
Medical expenses covered up to £10 million.
esure travel insurance policy can be taken out up to one hour prior to travel and the Policy Booklet can be downloaded from the esure website.

Terms and conditions apply to esure travel insurance.

esure’s press contacts:

Asia Manzoor, Public Relations Officer: 01737 641305
Niki Bolton, Corporate Communications Manager: 01737 235070
Emma Lloyd, Assistant Communications Officer: 01737 641309
Adrian Webb, Head of Corporate Communications: 01737 641000
Email: pr@esure.com

Notes to Editors:

¹esure is not associated or an official sponsor of the Beijing 2008 Olympics.
²The Olympic Games take place in Beijing between 8 and 24 August 2008. http://www.olympic.org/uk/index_uk.asp
³http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2638
⁴ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1015 adults aged 18+ by telephone between 7th and 9th December 2007. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
⁵http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/ta-relevant-to-you/Olympics
⁶http://uk.china-embassy.org/eng/
⁷ ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1015 adults aged 18 + by telephone between 7th – 9th December 2007. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Further information at www.icmresearch.co.uk
⁸ SWNS conducted an online research survey via Onepoll which interviewed a random sample of 3000 holidaymakers aged 18+ between 16th June – 22nd June 2008
⁹ SWNS conducted an online research survey via Onepoll which interviewed a random sample of 3000 holidaymakers aged 18+ between 16th June – 22nd June 2008
¹⁰ Information provided by FirstAssist Services Ltd, which underwrites esure’s travel insurance product

About esure

esure was launched in 2001 and is a joint venture between Peter Wood and HBOS. The company offers car, home, pet and travel insurance over the internet and by phone. esure also offers car insurance cover through the brands Halifax, Sainsbury's, Sheilas' Wheels and more recently home insurance through the Sheilas' Wheels brand.

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