Emirates signs sponsorship deal for one of UK’s tallest towers

Dubai carrier has naming rights for the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth after Dh19.6m deal.

The Spinnaker Tower rises above the Portsmouth waterfront. The tower celebrates Portsmouth's maritime history and is the centrepiece of the redevelopment of the harbour. AFP

Emirates is to sponsor one of the UK’s tallest towers in a £3.5 million (Dh19.6m) deal.

The Dubai carrier will be the first sponsor of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, which will be known as Emirates Spinnaker Tower from next month.

The tower, which is designed to represent sails billowing in the wind, stretches to 170m and is part of the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour development project. Visitors can travel up the tower to three viewing decks and venture across a glass-floored Sky Walk.

Emirates said in a statement that the five-year deal will see the airline’s red branding running up the length and breadth of the tower.

“This sponsorship represents our vested interest in the UK where we currently operate 16 daily flights and where we are responsible for injecting and stimulating over £2.1 billion into the country’s GDP each year,” said Emirates president Tim Clark.

Emirates also sponsors the Emirates Air Line cable car across the River Thames in London.

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