Big plans afoot as Dubai's DP World Tour Championship edges closer

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  • There are just three weeks to go before the DP World Tour Championship, the European Tour’s flagship events, lands on these shores.

    As the Race to Dubai reaches its exciting conclusion Sport360° caught up with Nick Tarratt, director of the European Tour’s international office, to check in on preparations at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

    How is the planning going for the 2017 DP World Tour Championship?

    With just three weeks to go until the players arrive in Dubai all is taking shape.

    This is the ninth time the tournament has taken place in the same venue at Jumeirah Golf Estates, but there are always new challenges every hour of every day.

    We start planning more than 12 months out and it is very important that there are new features and activities every year – there is no room for complacency.

    I have always felt the toughest time for planning is in March time prior to a tournament. It is too far away to get involved with the planning, sponsors have other priorities – but arguably too late to arrange the commercial aspects.

    We are excited to announce a new sponsor this year in HERO, who are both a sponsor partner as well as sponsors of the HERO Challenge, that will involve a dedicated programme distributed around the world through TV and social media.

    From day one we have tried to make this a genuine Dubai event, organised by Dubai in Dubai for Dubai, the UAE and the world.

    The DP World Tour Championship is arguably one of the top 20 most important golf tournaments in the world – Dubai should be rightfully proud of this achievement.

    How is the funding arranged for the tournament?

    Being a Dubai event it receives tremendous support from Dubai entities, government and private organisations.

    DP World are a great model. Through their title sponsorship of the DP World Tour Championship we are able to activate DP World/European Tour initiatives in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Turkey, China, Wentworth in England as well as the United States of America.

    This is done through tournament partnerships, on-course banners, Pro-Am teams, player engagement and corporate hospitality. Emirates are a similar proposition.

    How is the Race to Dubai being activated these days?

    The Race to Dubai is the season long initiative on the European Tour International Schedule that involves 47 tournaments in 27 destinations. With the recent buy-in from government of Dubai entities we are very proud of the enhanced exposure of the Race to Dubai this season.

    Activation has taken place at key tournaments hosted in key territories for Dubai, both business and for tourism, as well as, of course, high profile new presence at both the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the DP World Tour Championship.

    This additional funding will see a genuine increase in revenues and a return on investment for the Race to Dubai.

    How does the tournament benefit the host venue at Jumeirah Golf Estates?

    The mantra for the European Tour is to play where the pros play so being the host for the DP World Tour Championship on Earth course will equate to a spike in interest in playing this course, having seen the world’s finest play, either in person or on TV.

    In addition we have a long-term European Tour relationship with Jumeirah Golf Estates that is already 10 years old.

    Real estate will, once again, be a focus for this year’s DP World Tour Championship with special promotions and offers available specifically throughout the tournament week at the Jumeirah Golf Estates exhibition facility in the Championship Village. Further announcements will be forthcoming in a couple of week’s time.

    The DP World Tour Championship is once more a free entry event to attract a crowd of both golfers and non-golfers. To register for Free Fast Track Entry visit www.dpwtc.com.

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