Bahrain woos Formula One fans

[davewilson]

THE organisers of the Gulf Air Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix have announced special packages to woo visitors from Qatar to the April 13-15 event.
Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) and Gulf Air, the title sponsors, held a presentation yesterday to “win over new fans and to make the event easy for everyone to get involved.”
 “The Roadshow has come to Doha because lots of people from Qatar travel to Bahrain for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix,” said Yousef Darwish, the general manager of Gulf Air Qatar. “And based on the previous successes we are campaigning earlier than normal.”
He said the airline has made necessary arrangements to cope with the substantial increase in passenger arrivals during the three-day event.
It has come up with an ‘All-in-One’ day package costing QR1302 which will include flight tickets and a pass to the Grand Prix.
The package includes travel by economy class, meet and greet at the Bahrain International Airport and a shuttle service to the circuit. The airline also has exclusive corporate packages.
The airline expects to sell 250 three-day packages in Qatar for this year, while revealing that they had already received 45 bookings. Gulf Air sold 120 packages in Qatar last year.
Besides, there will be a seven-week programme of cultural and community events titled Yalla Bahrain! (Lets go Bahrain!), during official Formula One testing which will take place between February 22 and March 1.
“This has become a very special time of year for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Gulf region as a whole,” BIC’s markerting manager, Samer al-Shaikh said. “We are preparing for what has become the biggest sporting and social occasion of the year.”
Al-Shaikh ruled out any suggestion of fierce rivalry between Bahrain and Abu  Dhabi saying the two cities instead will move forward hand in hand to expand the fan base for motor sports in the region. The FIA recently awarded the UAE capital permission to run a grand prix from 2009.
“Bahrain is delighted that Abu Dhabi will be joining the elite ‘Formula One family’ in 2009,” he said.
“This we believe will help bring prominence to the Middle East in the world’s sporting community.”
He also claimed that Formula One would not lose any of its excitement because of the retirement of seven-time world champion Michael Schuma-cher last year.
“As you know two of the most exciting drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso has switched teams,” he said. Raikkonen, who raced for McClaren Mercedes until last season, has joined Ferrari while world champion Alonso has left Renault for McClaren.
“That makes the racing wide open, which only promises more excitement.”
Gulf Air’s sports marketing and sponsorship manager Hisham Abu al-Fateh said that the company is already witnessing a great interest from travellers across the region keen to attend the race:
“With flights conveniently scheduled, guaranteed seats and race tickets, complemented by top ground transport and reception arrangements, our customers can look forward to a memorable trip.”

The Stig