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Golf competition to benefit Dubai Tourism
15 September 2009
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*Article acknowledgement – Ben Watts – Hotelier Middle East.
Dubai’s hospitality and golfing industries are set to benefit from the emirate hosting golf’s European Tour season finale this November.
The Dubai World Championship (DWC) staging director Colin Smith said Dubai had been “pushing itself as a golf tourism destination” and that the tournament would “broaden and add depth the golf offering”.
Smith added that the emirate’s tourism industry had already benefited hugely from The European Tour Race to Dubai, the lead up to the season finale where the top-60 rated players from the race qualify for the DWC.
“We shouldn’t forget that The Race to Dubai has created huge publicity for Dubai; we’ve had 49 events around the globe, with the European Tour now essentially played in the four corners of the earth, and each tournament has been promoting The Race to Dubai on TV and online,” he commented.
The facilities will also offer long term benefits to the inbound tourism industry with more keen golfers being attracted to Dubai, noted Smith.
“For Dubai to have a facility like Jumeirah Golf Estates, with two championship courses of the quality that they are is absolutely fantastic,” he added.
The organisers of the Dubai World Championship claimed the course would be ready for the players to tee off in November, despite ongoing construction to the clubhouse, houses and facilities around the course.
They said that at least 42,000 people had already registered online for free tickets, with many more expected to sign up in the weeks before the competition starts on November 19.
The Earth Course, which will the competition would be played on, would be ready to accommodate a huge crowd, added Smith.
“It’s a big space we’ve got here so that’s not an issue,” stated Smith.
“We’re accommodating for a much larger number than 42,000 and we’re very confident that the plan in place will cater for all — whether it’s access, parking, or use of the public village.”
