Bold play for a stronger future: How Emirates is supporting Dubai’s sports industry

...supports efforts for safe return to golf and cements Dubai’s position as a global golfing hub

Dubai has yet again captured the attention of the golfing world with high profile competitions like the DP World Tour Championship and ‘Race to Dubai’, the European Tour’s season-ending finales. Golf’s very best players and rising stars convened in Dubai for one of the game’s most prestigious prizes. As Official Airline of the event, Emirates has been providing critical air transport links to support the players, organizers and the entire golfing community to safely resume international sports action on the ground, and cater to the millions watching the broadcasted event around the world.

Dubai’s public and private sector stakeholders, including Emirates, have partnered to put in place the frameworks to resume leisure and sporting events and ensure the safest possible environments for participants and fans alike, because nothing can replace the excitement of experiencing live sports, music and cultural events.

As a result, the DP World Tour Championship was the first attended international sporting event in Dubai, drawing in over 6,000 spectators. Over 40% of the event attendees came from outside of the UAE, the majority of whom chose to fly with Emirates to Dubai. The international attendance also demonstrates Dubai’s continued appeal in attracting visitors for major sporting events, as well as its status as one of the world’s most dynamic golf destinations.

Additionally, Emirates carried over 500 European Tour players, caddies, event organisers, international sports and golf media, and others directly involved in the running of the golfing finale. The airline also transported sporting and other equipment as well as PPE items for the event.

Emirates Cabin Crew participated in the socially-distanced prize presentation with the winners, along with HH Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council and Patron of the DP World Tour Championship and European Tour.

In addition to the DP World Tour Championship, every year, Emirates sponsors over 40 major sporting, music and cultural events that support Dubai’s economic and tourism growth goals, and drive its appeal as a world-class event hub.

The next events on Emirates’ busy calendar include the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Tournament, Emirates sponsored football club matches, Emirates Team New Zealand participation in Americas Cup World Series as well as the Dubai World Cup, to name a few. On the golfing front, Emirates will also be supporting a number of international European Tour events set to take place in 2021 including the Hong Kong Open, Portugal Masters, Open de France, Scandinavian Mixed, Dubai Duty-Free Irish Open, ASI Scottish Open, D+D Czech Masters, BMW PGA Championship, Italian Open and the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The airline continues to work on growing its hard-earned relationship with sports fans. Earlier this year, when many countries were under strict lockdown, Emirates joined hands with its sponsorship partners to engage with communities around the world through campaigns and initiatives that let people know they are not alone, providing information, motivation, inspiration, and entertainment.