Dubai is set to remain at the epicentre of golf on The European Tour for the foreseeable future after global port operator DP World announced today that it will continue to be the title sponsor of the DP World Tour Championship, the season ending tournament of The Race to Dubai, for at least another five years.

The move reinforces Dubai's position as a major trading, business and tourism destination. The agreement, which will run until at least the 2020 season, will see DP World support the US$8 million tournament, in addition to the company's existing sponsorship of European Tour events in India, Hong Kong, China, Turkey and at this week's BMW PGA Championship in England.

DP World Chairman, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, said: "The DP World Tour Championship is an event of enormous significance for Dubai and the UAE and reinforces our position on the calendar of international sport and as a centre for tourism and trade. The extension of our title sponsorship dovetails with Dubai's hosting of Expo 2020, an event which will see the world come to the Emirate and further enhance the goal of attracting 20 million tourists per year.

"We are delighted to be again involved as the event offers us a great opportunity to connect with the world, our customers and our partners through one of the most popular sports. We look forward to continuing our association as a global business, and as a barometer of world trade, with a global sport."

George O'Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: "The support DP World has shown The European Tour has been evident right from the start of The Race to Dubai and the strength of their on-going commitment is further evidenced with today's announcement.

"We thank Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem for his personal vision and we look forward to working with him and all his staff as we continue to make the DP World Tour Championship a fitting end to The European Tour season."

The DP World Tour Championship – which will celebrate its seventh staging this year on the Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 November– is already recognised globally as one of golf's premier tournaments.

Its Roll of Honour reads like a Who's Who of the game itself – Lee Westwood (2009), Robert Karlsson (2010), Alvaro Quiros (2011), Rory McIlroy (2012), and Henrik Stenson (2013 & 2014) – and this year's tournament will see the top 60 players on The Race to Dubai once again battle for a share of the US$8 million tournament prize fund, with the winner taking home US$1.3 million.

In addition, the leading 15 players on The Race to Dubai at the end of the tournament will share the US$5 million Bonus Pool, with the eventual European Tour Number One pocketing US$1.25 million.

Over 55,000 spectators attended the 2014 DP World Tour Championship, a third of whom were international visitors. The global television reach exceeded 450 million people via 40 broadcasters worldwide delivering a cumulative global TV equivalency of US$259million.

Dubai's position as the global trade hub in a region of two billion people is underlined by the role of Jebel Ali Port which together with the Jebel Ali FreeZone contributes to 20% of its GDP. With the addition of Dubai World Central airport this will increase to 50% by 2020. Jebel Ali is the largest port between Singapore and Rotterdam and is the only non- Asian port to make the world's top 10. It has also been voted the world's most productive port by the Journal of Commerce.

In 2013, the DP World Tour Championship delivered a US$44million gross economic benefit to Dubai according to independent market research agency Repucom.

The DP World Tour Championship has also raised over US$250,000 during the previous six tournaments to support local UAE charities Special Needs Foundation Group and Friends of Cancer Patients.
Source: WAM