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Why did you choose to bring the National Basketball Association (NBA) to Abu Dhabi and what value do you think the sport will bring to residents of the capital?
Bringing the NBA to Abu Dhabi is the next exciting step in our ambitious emirate’s sports tourism strategy as we work to deliver an exciting year-round calendar of unmissable sporting events. Basketball is an exhilarating, high-intensity sport with enormous global appeal, which is why the NBA attracts millions of fans around the world and breaks its viewership records every year. Therefore, bringing the NBA to Abu Dhabi is a great opportunity to further increase the global profile of our destination.
The multi-year strategic partnership between the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT – Abu Dhabi) and the NBA is another example of our successful work with high profile global intellectual property (IP) and our destination’s proud track record. An example is used to create dynamic, inspiring and exciting experiences.
The two NBA Abu Dhabi Games on October 6 and 8 will give Abu Dhabi residents their first chance to watch the world’s top basketball stars face off in the region. This, combined with interactive, immersive fan events across the city, will truly allow fans to interact with their basketball heroes.
All of these factors mean that we can engage with new audiences to promote basketball and competitive sports, thereby encouraging residents – especially young people – to lead active, healthy lifestyles. The NBA and Abu Dhabi share similar values, including supporting diversity, inspiration, opportunity and acceptance. Through the NBA, we hope to further empower our youth and inspire our community to live healthier lives through exercise and fitness.
What does the partnership between DCT Abu Dhabi and the NBA mean for the region? Can you elaborate on aspects of this multi-layered partnership?
The partnership between the NBA and DCT Abu Dhabi has directly contributed to the development of basketball in the region. For example, the Junior NBA Abu Dhabi League saw more than 450 boys and girls from 30 schools in the UAE take part in its inaugural competition.
On a regional level, this partnership will bring several unique events to GCC for the first time, including an NBA 2K League exhibition event at the annual Middle East Film and Comic Con, a series of NBA FITs promoting health and wellness Clinics, and interactive fan events featuring former and current NBA players. All of this has spurred the popularity of basketball across the region, so we look forward to seeing how the game continues to develop in the years ahead.
At the same time, the NBA partnership will generate economic and social opportunities, such as increased travel spending, improved hotel performance and job creation. Basketball is a hugely popular sport – with hundreds of millions of fans around the world – our partnership with the NBA will help us reach a wider audience and introduce many to Abu Dhabi, a destination that satisfies every travel Diversified tourist destination.
How will the partnership between the two entities help the development of the sport in the UAE?
Basketball is a global sport and the UAE is home to more than 200 different nationalities, so you’ll often see players from different countries playing on courts across Abu Dhabi. Our goal is to increase basketball participation in the region, and we’ve noticed positive developments.
More than 220 male and female prospects from the Middle East – including five players from the UAE – attended Basketball Without Borders (BWB) or the NBA Academy, the league’s elite basketball development program for top prospects from outside the United States. Likewise, the NBA Basketball Academy in Dubai has welcomed more than 500 male and female athletes between the ages of 6 and 18 since 2019 and is thus laying the groundwork for future special events.
Abu Dhabi is hosting several sporting events. How do you see the impact of these initiatives on Abu Dhabi’s tourism industry?
Every major event we host has a positive impact on Abu Dhabi’s tourism and overall economy. Participation in Abu Dhabi for the NBA Games was high, with almost all events sold out for two nights. An increase in tourist arrivals will clearly have a positive impact on airlines, hotels, restaurants, shopping malls and other attractions, which in turn will drive our economic growth.
In addition, we always encourage visiting sports fans to venture out to explore the innovative and world-leading leisure, entertainment, heritage and cultural experiences our destinations have to offer. For example, visitors can meet their movie, comic book and cartoon heroes at Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi, relax and rest on our white sandy beaches, or admire some cultural masterpieces at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. No matter what you’re after, Abu Dhabi has something for everyone, with inspiring, exciting and restorative experiences that visitors can enjoy at their own pace.
Why is DCT Abu Dhabi focused on bringing global sporting events? Is it because from the NBA, UFC, F1, FINA, and of course football, the industry is growing in the region?
Tourism and sports complement each other and complement each other. Popular sporting events, especially those of global appeal, are catalysts for tourism development, contributing positively to destination marketing and the creation of economic and social benefits, including increased tourism revenue and job creation. As a thriving tourism destination, we aim to welcome 23 million tourists to Abu Dhabi annually by 2030; we firmly believe that global IPs such as the NBA will contribute to this goal.
The sports industry has long been one of the most closely watched sectors of the region’s population, and DCT Abu Dhabi’s portfolio is more diverse than ever, helping the UAE capital become the world’s leading sports destination. This is just the beginning as it will only go further.
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