MAM
Beijing launches 2008 Olympic marketing programme
BEIJING: China has already commenced preparations in the marketing and broadcasting of the Olympic Games which it will host in five years.
The marketing programme for the 2008 Olympic Games was launched in Beijing by IOC President Jacques Rogge and representatives of the city of Beijing and the Organising Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) recently. The marketing launch, attended by more than 600 Chinese and international business leaders, officials, potential sponsors and the media, was staged to outline the benefits of Olympic sponsorship and to explain the opportunities that exist to support the 2008 Olympic Games.
During the ceremony, Rogge and BOCOG President Liu Qi used an ancient Chinese key to unlock a door, symbolising the Beijing 2008 marketing opportunities for Chinese and international companies. After the official ceremony, the day continued with working sessions to explore the sponsorship and licensing programmes which will provide opportunities for sponsors from now until the end of the 2008 Olympic Games.
In addition, an agreement was signed by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) and BOCOG to put into place the establishment of the Beijing Olympic Broadcasting (BOB) as the host broadcaster for the 2008 Games. OBS is a company created by the IOC to oversee the host broadcaster function for the Games, beginning in 2008.
The main responsibility of BOB as the host broadcaster is to provide the pictures and images of the Olympic Games as a service to all broadcast organisations around the globe which have purchased television and radio rights. For the 2008 Olympic Games, BOB will provide more than 3,500 hours of coverage to more than 200 rights-holding broadcast organisations.
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From mega bills to spontaneous dates: Swiggy Dineout Valentine’s report
From mega bills to last-minute plans, India celebrated love with flair
MUMBAI: Valentine’s Day 2026 was a feast for the senses and wallets alike, according to Swiggy Dineout. India’s on-demand dining platform revealed how the nation celebrated romance with big gestures, lively nights out, and plenty of spontaneous bookings.
Metropolitan hubs continued to rule the roost with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad seeing the most reservations. Emerging cities aren’t far behind, with Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh joining the party. Growth was particularly striking in Surat (up 180 per cent), Vadodara (155 per cent) and Bhubaneswar (145.5 per cent) compared with the previous Saturday.
Mumbai stole the headlines with a single customer splashing out Rs 130,155 – the highest bill in the country. The city also hosted the largest single group booking, with 30 diners coming together to celebrate in style. Most Valentine’s transactions took place between 10pm and 11pm, proving love, and hunger, strike late.
Mumbai stole the spotlight with a mega-spender whose bill made everyone else blush, while savvy diners were cashing in on discounts, including a Pune customer saving 60% and another in Bengaluru saving 50 per cent. Fine dining was on fire, with bookings up 121 per cent year-on-year, though pubs, bars, and lounges remained the crowd favourites, accounting for 30.6 per cent of all reservations. Last-minute romance was the order of the day, with 66 per cent of diners booking within two hours of heading out. Together, India saved over Rs 6 crore, proving that love can be grand, yet thrifty.
Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi led the premium dining rush, showing a growing appetite for curated, high-end experiences. Meanwhile, spontaneous bookings reinforced modern lifestyles, where convenience and instant gratification rule the day.
Whether it was big spends, huge groups, or a last-minute romantic dash, Valentine’s Day 2026 proved love and dining go hand in hand – and sometimes, they go all out.
