In just 6 days, UAE marks historic success in hosting World Cup fans
Six days after the start of the World Cup in Qatar, the UAE made a strong showing and attracted thousands of fans who escaped the chaos of Qatar’s organization of the most important tournament in football.
Dubai life
According to the Financial Times, thousands of fans settled in nearby Dubai, the regional trade center of the United Arab Emirates, making a day-long shuttle to the Qatari capital Doha via an hour-long flight connecting cities during the tournament. Fans from the participating countries chose the lively Dubai nightlife scene in the quiet atmosphere of Doha. The festive atmosphere starts at Dubai’s airports, the outlets for food and drink sales were busy this week, and throughout the UAE’s cities, fan areas were packed with supporters from each country, reflecting the diverse nature of Dubai’s expatriate population, which makes up 90% of the population of 3.5 million.
At the financial center in the city center, bankers switched suits to football shirts to watch the games at the fan park, where companies leased halls for $5,500 for 20 people, including food and drink. Through 60 daily shuttles between Dubai and Doha, up to 350,000 people can be moved from the region’s tourism hub throughout the tournament, which is expected to host about 1.5 million visitors.
Emirati success
The British newspaper confirmed that the flood of fans comes in the middle of the tourist season in Dubai, where visitors come in search of the winter sun. The government-owned Airport Operating Company said that the rate of passenger transport exceeded the pre-epidemic numbers, with traffic exceeding 6 million per month during the third quarter. Emirates Airlines in Dubai recorded an increase of 228% in the number of passengers in the first half results.
“Dubai has a very strong demand at this time of year and I’m sure there will be people traveling through Dubai to attend the World Cup,” said Issam Kazem, Dubai’s CEO of Tourism. “This tournament will be a boost for the whole region.”
The British newspaper confirmed that many hotels are now operating at almost full capacity with the rise in demand for travel, and in September, the latest available statistics, the average occupancy reached about 140,000 rooms available throughout the emirate, 71%, with the average daily rate being about a quarter higher than in 2019.
