After Beijing and Shanghai, the Hong Kong International Airport serves as the third likely destination for those arriving for the 2008 Olympics. Site of the equestrian competition and located more than 1,200 miles south of most Olympic events, Hong Kong is the Beijing Games' most low-key site — a fast-paced city of nearly 7 million and a premier global financial center is not going to be flustered by an influx of a relatively few international visitors.

That was evident upon arrival in Hong Kong (I'll make my way to Beijing in time for the Games), with the airport providing ample direction to the center where Olympic credentials are validated for athletes, officials and media. I received individual attention from the half-dozen workers, since I was the only one there at the time, signing along the first line atop the check-in form.

Even the immigrations officer granting clearance had seen few if any of the Olympic credentials doubling as Chinese visas, needing to pull out a folded instruction sheet detailing how to process credentialed Olympic visitors.

A closing note about Salt Lake City International Airport and the city's Olympic heritage: I've noticed over the years — an observation confirmed by associates — there is little visual reference remaining of the 2002 Winter Games, a key date in Utah's timeline.

Instead, photographic displays throughout the terminals understandably highlight Utah's wide-ranging natural beauty or strive to underscore a diverse population.

I've always thought a strong, permanent display of photographs and artifacts from the '02 Games in a high-profile location at the airport would be not only appealing and attractive, but provide a colorful, vibrant reflection on the participating athletes and nations in the state's signature cities and at its heralded winter-sports sites.

It wouldn't be a first impression for Salt Lake as an Olympic host city, but rather a well-deserved lasting impression.

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E-mail: taylor@desnews.com