The Airlines Taking Olympic Sponsorship to New Heights
Photo Caption: Delta held a special event with staff at its Atlanta HQ to mark the arrival of the new plane from Airbus' factory in France. Delta Air Lines
Skift Take
Gold medals aren't the only prize in contention at Paris 2024. Airlines from around the world are using the Olympics to bolster brand recognition in a big way.
The Olympics are big business. Alongside broadcasting rights, merchandising, and ticket sales, corporate sponsorship plays a vital revenue-generating role. However, from a travel perspective, Airbnb is the only company currently in the International Olympic Committee’s TOP - or ‘The Olympic Partners’ - Program.
Organizations in this elite group are typically long-term sponsors of the Olympic Movement and include household names such as Coca-Cola, Omega, and Visa. Each has an exclusive category and is awarded with global rights over a given sector. For example, Airbnb's official status is ‘Unique Accommodation Products and Unique Experiences Services’ partner.
But that’s only half the story. There are plenty of other ways for a company to be closely associated with the Games, without breaking the bank with a TOP-level deal.
For airlines, one of the most popular methods is sponsoring their home country’s Olympic and Paralympic teams. While
