, saying that the development of tourism and this niche segment in particular, is in line with the UAE’s economic diversification strategy.
In fact, sports tourism is increasingly seen as a sector of great potential to accelerate the wider industry’s growth, thereby propelling its contribution to socio-economic development.
“The potential of sporting events to attract visitors during the shoulder months and the low season has proven a success,” professed Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, further explaining that the sports segment fits well into the emirate’s overall strategy which also leverages Ras Al Khaimah’s cultural propositions and events to not only engage with the local community but to showcase the wide range of landscapes and facilities of the destination.
As Mattar pinpointed, sport has traditionally been a crucial element of Middle Eastern identity and pride.
“The Arabian region has a rich culture and heritage surrounding sports from the connection with horse racing and sailing, to falconry and shooting,” reminded Mattar.
As Rijhwani noted, led by the UAE, the region holds a plethora of prestigious events, including horse races, golf championships, marathons, tennis tournaments, cycling competitions as well as Formula 1 Grand Prix, with the annual calendar of sporting programmes expanding year after year.
The Middle East’s rise on the global sporting map is in accordance with the region’s growing popularity as a travel destination, further propelling the industry’s development and creating enormous business opportunities for all stakeholders.
“Sports teams are a niche market and a big business for the travel industry,” underlined Rijhwani, pinpointing how accommodating large numbers of people at the same time can drive business levels.
“Having sports teams in the hotel as groups up-sells hotel facilities,” said Rijhwani, adding that in order to effectively tap into this promising segment properties need to be able and ready to meet the specific preferences of athletes.
“Hotels […] have to make sure that they cater to all the particular needs of their high-profile guests.
That means that hotels should have state-of-the-art gym equipment, security should be in place, and sports stars also have different food requirements which should be met.
Furthermore, 24-hour room service, meeting rooms, a storage area and convenient transportation [are also important],” shared his experience Rijhwani.
Strategically located in the heart of Doha’s sports city, Aspire Zone, The Torch Doha welcomes high volumes of sports enthusiasts, business leaders and health and wellness seekers, who also benefit from the close proximity and exclusive access to Aspire Zone Foundation’s sports rehabilitation and training facilities.
As Sabry pinpointed, another significant advantage of sports tourism is that it is also closely associated with other niche segments, such as medical tourism, meaning that athletes as well as doctors working with these sportsmen also become frequent guests.
