From Hosting the Saudi Super Cup to the Opening of the Cristiano Ronaldo CR7® LIFE Museum: Hong Kong Beckons Saudis and GCC Nationals as a Premier Destination for Sports and Travel Enthusiasts
The CR7® LIFE Museum opened its doors last month in Hong Kong to an enthusiastic crowd of Ronaldo supporters and football lovers. Offering an immersive, world-class experience, the exhibition takes visitors on a compelling journey through the defining moments of Ronaldo's life and career—from his humble beginnings in Madeira to his ascent as one of football's all-time greats.
The Saudi Super Cup featuring four of Saudi Arabia's top football clubs marks a significant step in the championship's global expansion strategy, aimed at increasing the international visibility of Saudi football and fostering cross-cultural and sporting ties with major global cities. Adding to the excitement, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to take to the pitch with Al-Nassr FC, alongside some of the biggest names in the Saudi Pro League. His presence is expected to draw thousands of fans, making Hong Kong this month an unmissable destination for football enthusiasts from across the Gulf and the wider Middle East.
Hosting the Saudi Super Cup marks a pivotal moment in Hong Kong's tourism strategy, arriving at a time of growing interest and increasing visitor numbers from the MENA region. More than just a sporting milestone, it reinforces Hong Kong's position as a leading destination for sports tourism while showcasing the city's rich cultural and entertainment landscape. Crucially, it also serves as a strategic platform to deepen ties with Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region, fostering meaningful, long-term exchange in both sport, tourism, and culture.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board is playing a key role to ensure that all visitors from the Gulf can enjoy the exciting attractions that the city has to offer with peace of mind. In addition to the football related events that will no doubt be a major draw card for visitors from the Gulf to Hong Kong this month, visitors can use the opportunity to enjoy Hong Kong's world class theme parks and family attractions, cultural experiences, exciting shopping and world-renowned cuisine. To this end Hong Kong Tourism Board has developed a website and listing of Halal-friendly and Halal certified restaurants.
For further information visit: Muslim Travel | Hong Kong Tourism Board
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Web Release
9 hours ago
- Web Release
From Hosting the Saudi Super Cup to the Opening of the Cristiano Ronaldo CR7® LIFE Museum: Hong Kong Beckons Saudis and GCC Nationals as a Premier Destination for Sports and Travel Enthusiasts
This August, Hong Kong is set to take centre stage on the regional sports and tourism map as it hosts a landmark event drawing the attention of football fans across the Gulf and beyond: the Saudi Super Cup, taking place in the city and in Asia for the very first time, from 19 to 23 August 2025. Enhancing the experience for Saudi fans and visitors from the region is the recent grand opening of the Cristiano Ronaldo CR7® LIFE Museum, adding an exciting new sporting and cultural element to their stay and further reinforcing Hong Kong's appeal as a premier destination for sports and travel enthusiasts from the Gulf and beyond. The CR7® LIFE Museum opened its doors last month in Hong Kong to an enthusiastic crowd of Ronaldo supporters and football lovers. Offering an immersive, world-class experience, the exhibition takes visitors on a compelling journey through the defining moments of Ronaldo's life and career—from his humble beginnings in Madeira to his ascent as one of football's all-time greats. The Saudi Super Cup featuring four of Saudi Arabia's top football clubs marks a significant step in the championship's global expansion strategy, aimed at increasing the international visibility of Saudi football and fostering cross-cultural and sporting ties with major global cities. Adding to the excitement, Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to take to the pitch with Al-Nassr FC, alongside some of the biggest names in the Saudi Pro League. His presence is expected to draw thousands of fans, making Hong Kong this month an unmissable destination for football enthusiasts from across the Gulf and the wider Middle East. Hosting the Saudi Super Cup marks a pivotal moment in Hong Kong's tourism strategy, arriving at a time of growing interest and increasing visitor numbers from the MENA region. More than just a sporting milestone, it reinforces Hong Kong's position as a leading destination for sports tourism while showcasing the city's rich cultural and entertainment landscape. Crucially, it also serves as a strategic platform to deepen ties with Saudi Arabia and the broader MENA region, fostering meaningful, long-term exchange in both sport, tourism, and culture. The Hong Kong Tourism Board is playing a key role to ensure that all visitors from the Gulf can enjoy the exciting attractions that the city has to offer with peace of mind. In addition to the football related events that will no doubt be a major draw card for visitors from the Gulf to Hong Kong this month, visitors can use the opportunity to enjoy Hong Kong's world class theme parks and family attractions, cultural experiences, exciting shopping and world-renowned cuisine. To this end Hong Kong Tourism Board has developed a website and listing of Halal-friendly and Halal certified restaurants. For further information visit: Muslim Travel | Hong Kong Tourism Board
Campaign ME
10 hours ago
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How the Middle East is positioning itself as a global sports leader
The Middle East is becoming a sports powerhouse. Most recently, one of its leading lights took centre stage when Al-Hilal knocked Manchester City out of the Club World Cup to reach the tournament's first-ever quarter finals. As the Middle East steers away from being an economy dependent on oil, it is actively repositioning itself as a leader in sports globally by becoming a hub for major sporting events. For instance, KSA has invested £5bn ($6.6bn) in sports since 2021 as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, placing sport at the heart of this transformation and as an engine of economic dynamism. The Kingdom is actively converting oil wealth into cultural capital: investing in football, live events, leisure, and tourism infrastructure. This isn't just about sport – it's about shaping global connection narratives and increasing Saudi Arabia's relevance on the world stage. Building Middle East sporting event brands When it comes to hosting sporting events, the Middle East has looked to position itself as a destination that other countries can't rival. It focuses on building a luxury image around its events compared with sports events in other regions. Some of this was evident at the FIFA men's World Cup in 2022 in Qatar and no doubt will be when Saudi Arabia hosts the 2034 World Cup. The region has also hosted F1 Grands Prix since 2004 along with high-profile boxing events and golf tournaments. The sense of 'premium-ness' created around ME's sporting events comes in part from its extensive infrastructure developments, which are capturing the imagination of fans around the world. The region is also expanding its sporting events and entertainment to boost its destination travel economy. For instance, a football-inspired theme park. Real Madrid World was opened in 2024, to extend its football association and visitor attractions. But it is F1 that epitomises ME's lavish marketing style. Although the penultimate rounds of the championships in Qatar and Abu Dhabi may take place elsewhere this year due to conflict in the Middle East, in previous years, the Middle East has put on a grand show. The circuit on Yas Island has luxury suites, an indoor water park, a golf course, and a Ferrari theme park. The Yas Marina Circuit for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2024 also included high-profile entertainment with live music from Eminem, Muse, and Peggy Gou among others. Al Hilal building a football club as a cultural brand Building a strong home-grown sports brand – and not just relying on pre-existing global tournaments including ME in their fixtures—is key to creating global interest and local support. The Al Hilal rebrand reimagined its positioning and expression, evolving from a successful club into a symbol of national pride and cultural ambition. The message of the rebrand shows that this club is not only for Saudi Arabia, but for the world and the future. With a revitalised brand, ambitious plans (it's looking to poach Newcastle's Alexander Isak) and its recent statement in performance at the FIFA Club World Cup, Al Hilal is earning attention and respect, not through advertising, but through action. It understands the power of big-name team additions. On-pitch signings like Neymar and Mitrović act as distribution engines. They extend content reach, boosts international interest, and helps attract younger fans across platforms. In a similar example, when Ronaldo joined Al Nassr, the club's Instagram following grew from 850K to more than 10m in less than 30 days. The future of sports in the Middle East The Middle East will continue to position itself as a sporting powerhouse thanks to Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 FIFA men's World Cup. The World Cup will be played in 15 stadiums across five cities in the Middle East, including its one-of-a-kind stadium, which will be 350 metres above ground level and will be accessible only by lifts. Saudi Arabia is also the long-term partner of WWE, which was put in place in 2018 to help WWE grow its presence in the Middle East and grow Saudi's connections to sporting events. It is already confirmed that the Kingdom will host WWE's inaugural international Royal Rumble in January 2026. The themes emerging from the Middle East The Middle East is rebranding as a region, and we are seeing how a nation can be repositioned in part through its sport and entertainment ecosystem. Sports tourism, infrastructure and entertainment are no longer separate strategies – they are all part of a cohesive brand system. The power of Vision 2030 is a cohesive approach that everyone can get behind. It focuses investment, attention and creativity. It is central to the Middle East to build a brand to show the world that they must reappraise this region. The Middle East is focusing on fan-centric design. Clubs like Al Hilal are investing in the foundations and emotions of fandom, not just the players or the results. Brand equity is now about experience, meaning and share-ability. Sport is a conduit for cultural confidence through Saudi Arabia. The country is exporting its own voice proudly and distinctively. By Hector Saracho, Executive Director, Head of Strategy at Interbrand.
Campaign ME
15 hours ago
- Campaign ME
Saudi Tourism on building brand Saudi at the Esports World Cup
Saudi, Welcome to Arabia – the destination brand of the Saudi Tourism Authority – has partnered with the Esports World Cup (EWC) to put the Kingdom's culture, heritage and tourism offering in front of a global gaming audience. Running from 7 July to 24 August, EWC brings together players, clubs and communities from more than 100 countries in Riyadh. Campaign Middle East spoke to Abdullah Aldakhil, spokesperson for the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA), at the event to understand how esports is shaping the Kingdom's brand story and its ambitions to engage younger audiences. 'If you look at Saudi today, around 70 per cent of the population is below 30, so we are enthusiasts for sports, all kinds of sports,' says Aldakhil. 'We view Saudi Arabia as a sports hub – the global hub for sports.' From 2018's Formula E debut to hosting Formula 1, the Spanish and Italian Super Cups, and now the second consecutive EWC, Aldakhil says these events are designed to attract not only young fans but also families and international visitors. 'We expect this year's event to be even bigger than last year's, which hosted more than 3 million visitors,' he notes. 'With the concerts, boulevard activations, and everything happening on‑site, it's a great attraction.' On the EWC show floor, STA is running a dedicated Saudi Tourism booth. Staff guide visitors through interactive displays and visual showcases of destinations across the Kingdom, from the Red Sea and Asir to Al‑Baha, Jeddah and Taif. The booth is part of a wider activation strategy to encourage esports fans – many of them first‑time visitors – to explore beyond Riyadh. Previously, STA announced that its partnership with the EWC would feature curated cultural programming, combining high‑stakes competition with heritage experiences, anime cafés, retro arcades, cosplay, live music and more. The aim is to turn spectators into explorers. For Aldakhil, esports offers a distinctive entry point for destination marketing. 'Having such global events in Saudi is a big push for brands to create their association with us,' he says. 'You see content creators, event enthusiasts, and even casual visitors coming from all across the world – over 100 nationalities participating this year. It's a testament to the belief they have in what's happening here.' That belief is grounded in scale and visibility. Earlier in the day, event organisers announced that last year's EWC generated more than 7,000 hours of content in over 30 languages. For Aldakhil, that's a powerful showcase opportunity: 'We really care about broadcasting not just our gaming, but our identity and our culture to the rest of the world.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Campaign Middle East (@campaignmiddleeast) Saudi's play is not just about pulling in esports fans – it's about positioning the country as a natural venue for global events. 'In the last couple of years, content creators have had Saudi as one of their main destinations,' says Aldakhil. 'Since opening for tourism in 2019, we've been seeing people flying from all over the world to be here.' The EWC is the latest proof point in that positioning. 'With their belief in us, more brands are coming, more collaborations are happening,' he says. 'And when they do come, they see it's not just about the tournament – it's about the experience, the hospitality, and discovering a hidden gem.'
