Sports Tourism Company travel Manager

As the FIFA Club World Club kicks off in Abu Dhabi this week, the eyes of the sporting world will once again be turning to the fast-growing emirate, and the style with which it setting a new benchmark for Sport Tourism.

Investment in sport has been a fundamental strategy to help it reach its targets of 2.3 million hotel guests a year by 2012 and 7.9 million staying in 80, 000 hotel rooms by 2030.

World-class sporting events build international awareness of destination Abu Dhabi, the latest of which sees seven elite teams battling it out to decide who will be crowned World Club Champions – representing the host nation Al Wahda FC, Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma from South Korea, TP Mazembe from the Republic of Congo, Pachuca FC from Mexico, Internacional do Porto Alegre from Brazil, Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United and Internazionale Milano from Italy.

(The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit)

Games take place from 8-18 December at Zayed Sports City (capacity 50, 000) and Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (capacity more than 40, 000).

The build-up to the event has already attracted large crowds at Football Village – an 11-day festival featuring football-themed events and activities on the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

To coincide with the FIFA Club World Club, World Mobi is launching abudhabi.mobi – this definitive guide provides everything fans need to know to the burgeoning emirate, from football scores and entertainment info to booking hotels and ordering transfers.

During the South Africa World Cup, city.mobi provided detailed information about to all host cities, including Durban (durban.city.mobi ), Port Elizabeth (portelizabeth.city.mobi ), and Johannesburg (joburg.city.mobi ).

Beyond football

The FIFA Club World Club is the latest in an illustrious line-up of sporting events held in Abu Dhabi this year.

This includes the second F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – a sell-out race won by Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel, who was crowned the youngest drivers champion in Formula One history.

(Sebastian Vettel at a press conference after winning the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

During the same month, Abu Dhabi picked up a host of top titles at the World Travel Awards 2010 Grand Final. These included Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) being voted “World’s Leading Tourist Board”, national carrier Etihad Airways picking up “World’s Leading Airline”, and Emirates Palace scooping “World’s Leading Meetings & Conference Hotel”.

(World Travel Award winner, Emirates Palace, hosted the Laureus World Sport Awards 2010)

Abu Dhabi’s world-class credentials

ADTA has developed a strategy to utilise high-visibility sporting events to globally promote the emirate. It has proved effective in internationally highlighting the emirate’s pedigree as a world-class destination of distinction and a major events hub.