With the restart of many sectors in Dubai including the tourism industry, back-to-back European Tour events at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Dec. 2 will further help attract more tourists to the emirate and highlight the fact that Dubai is open to visit. The two Greg Norman-designed golf courses at Jumeirah Golf Estates will be in the spotlight during the Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, with both events broadcast to a global audience. All golf clubs in the UAE closed down when the pandemic hit the region in the middle of March. But after a swift and thorough response from the government, which included a nationwide sterilization program, golf clubs were among the first sport facilities to re-open, as golf is a sport you can enjoy while still observing the necessary social distancing precautions. "The effective citywide management of the pandemic paved the way for Dubai to reopen its doors to international travelers on July 7 and also restart the events and sports sectors — one of the first few cities in the world to do so — while complying with precautionary measures across the board," said Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM). "The fact that the European Tour have added another tournament for their players in the emirate, the week before the DP World Tour Championship, emphasizes Dubai's position as an attractive destination for golf." The gross expenditure and economic impact golf has in Dubai is strong, with figures from the last available Deloitte report from 2017 showing that $329m was spent on golf in 2016 — an increase of $59m (22%) on the previous two year period. This is expenditure that would not have occurred if golf — both the courses and the events held by professional Tours — was not present in the emirate. "The growth of golf in Dubai has had a profound impact on sports tourism and the two events at Jumeirah Golf Estates will help further highlight the exceptional golf experiences that Dubai has to offer," continued CEO Issam Kazim. "Dubai has 11 golf courses, world-class teaching and practice facilities, and the weather makes it an easy choice for golf holidaymakers from around the world. "With deluxe hotels and a world-leading tourism infrastructure, Dubai is happy to welcome tourists who want to relax and enjoy the very best golf that the Middle East can offer." The new Golf in Dubai Championship presented by DP World will be played on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, marking the first time the layout will be used to host a European Tour event. The following week its neighboring Earth course will once again host the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai and both events will come to serve the new golfindubai.com platform, which shines a light on all the exciting resources that Dubai has to offer when it comes to the sport. Golfindubai.com has been created to celebrate golf in the emirate — both on the fairways and throughout its many high quality practise facilities and beyond. With a captivating library of content highlighting the variety of courses, the historic tournaments, the hotels around the city and the vast array of tourism experiences, golfindubai.com promotes Dubai as one of the world's bucket-list golfing destinations. Last week saw the UAE removed from the English and Welsh quarantine lists, meaning travelers who make their way to Dubai do not need to self-isolate when they return to Britain. Holiday makers looking for a fulfilling, memorable adventure who set off for Dubai won't need to quarantine when they arrive either – but they will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test. The European Tour has been a fixture in Dubai since the inception of the Race to Dubai and the DP World Tour Championship in 2009. It has brought the very best players in the world to the emirate for its season-ending event and continues to highlight Dubai as a world-leading venue for sport and business. Due to the safety procedures implemented by the Dubai government earlier in the year, the European Tour has been able to invite guests to both tournaments at Jumeirah Golf Estates and attendance at the events will be for the invited guests only. Golf fans can follow the action on the Dubai Sports channel in the UAE or by tuning into their local network, as well as staying up to date with all of the action at www.europeantour.com and on the European Tour's social media channels. — SG
