SPORTS CENTRES

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stadium comes as part of a nine-point plan that aims to revolutionise sport in Dubai. Among several initiatives to fund and promote top-level sport, the plan also involves the building of a Dubai Sports Museum and a Dubai International Sports Medicine Centre.

Sport tourism and the regional leisure industry have become important drivers for international arrivals to the UAE, as the UAE competes to capture a greater share of the $600 billion global industry. The globalisation of sport and the fact that the region becomes more sports minded has brought into sharp focus its push for world-class sport infrastructure.

Sport generates 25% of all tourism receipts globally, with 76% of trips planned around a sporting event. Dubai Sports Council figures show that total spending on the sports sector and events in Dubai reached 2.3 billion dollars in the past two years. The UAE is increasing its share by annually hosting events such as the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but also the Dubai Rugby 7s event, the Dubai Desert Classic, the Dubai Polo Gold Cup, the Dubai World Cup (DWC), the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and of course the UAE Tour.