IPL could be first of many big sporting events in UAE

DUBAI // Authorities say the forthcoming Indian Premier League series is pivotal in placing the UAE on the world map as a sports tourism destination.

The twenty20 event, which will be broadcast to a worldwide audience of about a billion starting next week, is the biggest single sporting event held in the UAE.

The country will be the focus of the cricket world for two full weeks, with 20 matches spread across Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Mohammed Al Dhaheri, strategy and policy director at Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority said it was a major event for the emirate.

“The IPL is an outstanding competition and TCA Abu Dhabi is fully appreciative and supportive of the efforts of the Emirates Cricket Board and Abu Dhabi Cricket Club to host matches in the UAE capital this month.

“India is one of the most important, and significant, growth markets for Abu Dhabi as a tourism destination and we are looking into options for partnering this series to leverage destination awareness among the Indian community.”

Dubai is accustomed to high-profile sporting events throughout the year, from the Dubai World Cup, the richest horse race in the world, to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and the Omega Dubai Desert Classic golf championship.

India is traditionally the second-largest source market for Dubai, therefore the IPL, traditionally held in India, is the perfect platform for Indian holidaymakers in the Emirates. With an increasingly mobile middle-class and more direct flights between India and the UAE, experts say it is a growing market year-on-year.

Hamad Mohammed bin Mejren, executive director of business tourism at Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said world-class events are part of the Tourism 2020 vision set out by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. The goal is to welcome 20 million guests by 2020.

“Hosting the IPL, one of the world’s most-watched cricketing tournaments, is a fantastic achievement for the city and its global sporting standing, as well as a key stepping stone in this vision being realised,” he said.

“The IPL also provides Dubai with the opportunity to highlight its position as a worldwide destination for sport, since the eyes of the global sporting scene will be firmly fixed on the city throughout the first phase of the season. Encouraging a significant number of sporting enthusiasts to visit Dubai from countries across the world, the arrival of the IPL provides the perfect platform to introduce first-time visitors to the city and its outstanding leisure and tourism offering.”

Tickets are available online at iplt20.com and ticketmaster.ae as well as outlets such as Lulu hypermarkets and stadium box offices.

The defending champions Mumbai Indians will play the opening match on April 16 against the Kolkata Knight Riders at Zayed Cricket Stadium.