Dubai: In keeping with a new sports strategy that is being put in place, Dubai is all set to host the largest fitness exhibition in the last week of November.
To be held at Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), the event, which will be held from November 23-25, has been attracting some of the biggest fitness companies.
The event will include performances, top competitions and meet-and-greet sessions for fitness champions. It is strategically being held on UAE Sports Day, which already attracts participation from all of Dubai.
Saeed Hareb, general secretary, Dubai Sports Council (DSC), who is currently attending SportAccord in Lausanne, Switzerland, reiterated that the fitness expo is very much in keeping with Dubai’s strategy and placement as a top sporting destination in the world.
“We are always being urged by our leaders to target the number one position. The fitness expo is meant to assemble the best of the best at the DIMC and this, I believe, will benefit everyone, including businesses related to fitness and well-being,” Hareb told Gulf News.
“The main theme of the exhibition is health and wellness and will be accessible to amateurs and professionals. More than 100 live shows and competitions linked to fitness, wellness, mixed martial arts, parkour, Muay Thai, kung fu for kids, bodybuilding, and healthy living will be on display,” Arif Mirza, organiser of the event, told Gulf News.
“This expo will be a unique chance for people to see their favourite athletes and sports personalities in person in keeping with the innovative ‘Demand Your Sports Hero in Dubai’ feature. The Fitness Expo Dubai will bring the most demanded celebrities to Dubai and give their biggest fans the photo opportunities of a lifetime. Fans can currently request their favourite sports personalities at http://www.fitnessexpo.ae/demand.
“Dubai’s connectivity, with around 2.2 billion people across Asia, Europe and Africa, makes it an ideal location for an event of this size. And then you have a vibrant destination like Dubai,” he added.
Mirza further hoped to ride the Dubai success wave as the emirate plays host to some of the best exhibitions and related activities. “I am convinced that the Expo 2020 will be a great activator for our event. The fitness and well-being industry is worth nearly $2 billion (Dh7.25 billion) and growing. I am sure the impact will be huge on all spheres,” Mirza noted.
“The Dubai Sports Council is in the process of formulating a new sports strategy in keeping with changing times. And hence, we are convinced that we are in Dubai at the right time,” he added.
Sports strategy planned
Ahmad Ebrahim, a senior official in the marketing department of Dubai Sports Council (DSC) said DSC is in advanced consultations with experts and sports personalities to work out a new sports strategy that will be relevant till 2021.
“We are also very excited about the Expo 2020 that is slowly drawing the attention of the entire world towards Dubai. When seen in this light, the Fitness Expo is start of something new, not just for Dubai but for the UAE and the entire region,” he added.
Fitness Expo will bring together all the major players involved in fitness and well-being from across the globe. “The idea is to have to biggest and the best in keeping with what Dubai always aims for,” Ebrahim said
