By Ghulam Haider
Just six months after Expo 2020 showcased Dubai on the global stage and welcomed people from 178 countries, many for the first time, the emirate is set to receive a fresh influx of international visitors as football fans descend on the region for the World Cup Qatar 2022.
Expo 2020 propelled the city back into action after Covid, establishing afresh its business and investment opportunities, and now, thanks to its proximity to Qatar, it is perfectly positioned to enjoy a welcome halo effect from Qatar’s predicted $17 billion economy boost.
More than one million visitors are expected to stop on the way through, or use UAE as a base for the tournament, travelling in and out of Doha via one of more than 100 daily ground shuttles or newly laid-on daily flights between Dubai and Doha.
Most half of the additional 90 flights a day going into Qatar, are coming from Dubai.
At around 30,000 rooms, Doha’s relatively limited accommodation options are already largely full, and relatively expensive, while Dubai boasts more than 150,000 rental accommodation and hotel rooms along with extensive marina space for superyachts. And dedicated football-themed accommodation such as the 533-room luxury hotel, NH Dubai The Palm, are testament to Dubai’s readiness. Coupled with its array of world-class attractions and a clearer understanding globally of its cultural openness, it is the obvious next (or preferable) choice.
Hotels and holiday rentals in popular neighbourhoods including Downtown, City Walk, Dubai Marina and JBR are swiftly filling up as fans plan their visits, and with many of them experiencing the region for the first time, they will be looking to maximise their time in the Gulf, exploring Dubai as part of their trip.
Dubai accommodation the perfect base
It is the first time the FIFA World Cup has been held in a Gulf country and the world’s eyes are on the tournament like never before, with the games themselves perhaps feeling somewhat secondary to interest in how the logistics of managing such enormous crowds in a relatively small city will play out – and the impact of the spill-over into neighbouring countries.
But Dubai, convenient and accessible to most of the world, and no stranger to global-scale events, awaits with open arms – with at least 65 percent of tournament goers expected to also pay the emirate a visit.
As with Expo 2020, the tournament is shining a light on the region and all it has to offer, and the city is ready. The Expo 2020 site has opened once again, much to the joy of residents who are already returning to enjoy its adjusted offering and re-explore the pavilions – just one more must-do experience for first-time visitors, at the site that firmly established Dubai on the world stage just months ago.
Relaxed visa policies allowing multiple entry to UAE over a 90-day period will also help drive tourist footprint, with premium game-watching experiences offering further enticement. Across the city, restaurants and hotels are preparing special packages for the crowds, and pop-up fan zones and festivals will appear at public spaces across the city.
November and December are always immensely busy months in UAE, and the World Cup 2022 will supercharge tourism and hospitality this season to levels incomprehensible in pandemic times. So, while they may not have made it to play in the sporting spectacle, Dubai will certainly still win big.
