Fifa president Gianni Infantino expects Abu Dhabi and Dubai to score a tourism boost when the World Cup in Qatar kicks off in November.
The head of the sport's governing body believes the logistical challenges of hosting 32 teams and hundreds of thousands of fans in one city will end up being a positive for the entire region.
Qatar, the smallest country to stage a World Cup tournament, will host 64 games in 28 days at eight stadiums in and around its capital Doha.
While this will allow fans to travel easily from game to game like never before – as some previous World Cups have been held across two host countries let alone a number of cities – it will place huge pressure on Doha's accommodation market.
Fifa
Infantino said this opens up an opportunity for fans to explore Middle East nations near Qatar.
"There will be accommodation for everyone who wants to stay in Qatar, but maybe somebody then wants to make a day in Dubai or Abu Dubai or Muscat or Riyadh or Jeddah or whatever in the region and they will have the opportunity to go and visit other countries throughout their stay in this region," he told Reuters in an interview.
"That is certainly what we also recommend, because I think one of the biggest experiences in this particular World Cup ... is an opportunity for people to come to a country and a part of the world that they maybe do not know."
Infantino was in Doha on Friday for the World Cup draw.
UAE a staging post for many fans
About 1.5 million visitors are expected to descend on Doha for the tournament, which gets under way on November 21.
But with only about 130,000 rooms provided by hotels, cruise liners anchored off Doha and desert camp sites, the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will provide attractive alternative destinations for fans. Flight tickets have already surged in price but are predicted to drop, to an extent, as charter flights become available.
Travellers from most GCC nations can reach Qatar’s Hamad International Airport in about an hour.
“The UAE as a global hub will have every opportunity to capitalise on strong visitor numbers who wish to use the emirates as their base for the tournament games,” David Garner, Mena region commercial vice president of Minor Hotels, which owns the Anantara and Avani brands, told The National in February.
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Dubai's post-pandemic boom has made it one of the most visited places in the world today. Further to that, the city has seen tens of thousands of new residents arrive to settle down. Reuters -
Between late 2020 and spring 2022, the city's population grew by close to 100,000 people. Karim Sahib / AFP -
Lifestyle and a growing jobs market has attracted many residents to flashy communities such as Jumeirah Beach Residence. Reuters -
Population growth is a major part of Dubai's 2040 Urban Plan, which seeks to boost the population to 5.8 million. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
There are plans to physically expand Dubai, creating new beaches and parks for the larger population. The government wants 60 per cent of the city to be green parks and reserves. Photo: Dubai Media Office -
The past two years have \seen a rush of foreign investors looking to buy new property in places such as Palm Jumeirah, where prices have risen significantly. AP Photo / Kamran Jebreili -
Landmarks such as Bluewaters Island and Ain Dubai, the world’s largest observation wheel, have put Dubai on the map as a global lifestyle destination. Reuters
“There’s an expectation that many football fans heading to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will use Dubai either as a staging post or as a pre or post-visit option due to Dubai’s excellent visitor options and attractions,” said Stuart Birkwood, general manager of Radisson Red Dubai in Silicon Oasis.
“With the more varied visitor activities available to football fans here in Dubai compared to Qatar, we have heard that many fans will use Dubai as a base between, before or even after games they’ll attend in Qatar.”
Doha hotel and bar prices capped
World Cup organisers have capped room rates for the influx of visitors, with a three-star hotel stay set at a maximum of $120 a night (Dh440).
Reuters said that as with previous tournaments, the price of alcohol will also be discounted, with a pint of beer set to be cut to about $6.55 (Dh24) at fan zones, about half of what many would typically pay in hotel bars in the region.
Despite attempts to keep prices down, visiting the World Cup this year is expected to be an attractive option mainly for those with deep pockets.
Infantino said bringing together so many nationalities in one place will be crucial to the success of the 22nd World Cup.
"I believe that having so many nationalities and people coming together and mingling will be really beneficial, and will also move and elevate the World Cup into a big, big social gathering," the Fifa president said.
