Aqaba to Host First International Padel Clubs Championship
As Part of Its Vision to Enhance Sports Tourism
Amman4 min read
Share
The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority met with a Spanish delegation of investors and representatives of padel club owners and players to discuss preparations for hosting the first international padel clubs championship in Aqaba during the first quarter of next year, alongside developing cooperation and investment opportunities in the sports, industry, and service sectors associated with it.
This step, which reflects the development of Aqaba's status as a regional destination for international events, is part of the authority's vision to enhance sports tourism as a new model for diversifying the tourism product.
The meeting, attended by the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, Shadi Al-Majali, and members of the Board of Commissioners, reviewed the assets that Aqaba possesses to host major international sports events, based on its strategic location, integrated tourism infrastructure, and diverse experiences that combine sports, entertainment, and investment.
Al-Majali emphasized that sports tourism represents a new axis within Aqaba's vision to diversify the tourism product and enhance its global competitiveness by attracting quality events, building international partnerships, and creating new investment opportunities in sectors linked to sports.
The two sides also discussed opportunities to develop the championship and attract elite clubs, players, and audiences from various countries, in addition to investment opportunities in the production of padel equipment and tools, sportswear, and supporting services, thereby enhancing the construction of an integrated sports and tourism system in Aqaba.
The Spanish delegation praised the status of Aqaba and the tourist and investment assets it provides, as well as the infrastructure qualified to host international sports events, stressing the importance of developing future partnerships that combine Spanish expertise in padel sports with the growing potential offered by Aqaba as a global destination for tourism and investment.
Padel, which combines tennis and squash, is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.
On another note, the authority's president inspected the development and improvement works of the camel racing track in Al-Disah village to follow up on the progress of work and the completion rates of various project components.
The implementation stages of the project, which aim to upgrade the track's facilities and equipment, were reviewed, enhancing its readiness to host more sports and heritage events and festivals, and establishing its position as an important sports and tourism facility in the region.
The authority emphasized the importance of developing the camel racing track as one of the assets that support Al-Disah's status as a destination for heritage sports, contributing to enhancing tourism and economic movement, and serving the local community by providing a platform for hosting local and international events and preserving camel racing and enhancing its presence.
The Barda Cooperative Society and the Handicrafts Center affiliated with the authority in Rum were also inspected to review the programs for training young women in handicraft skills and the efforts made to develop their capabilities and prepare them to join sustainable production projects.
The training programs implemented by the center, which aim to provide participants with practical skills to help them turn handicrafts into small production projects, were reviewed.
The authority emphasized the importance of investing in the skills and capabilities of young women in local communities and supporting programs that open up new economic opportunities for them, thereby enhancing their role in local development.
In a separate context, the authority honored marine environmental protection clubs with the participation of 18 schools, 600 students, and 36 supervisors, emphasizing the importance of investing in students' awareness as a key axis in protecting the marine environment and enhancing partnership with the educational sector to build a generation capable of transforming environmental knowledge into practices and initiatives that contribute to preserving natural resources in the Gulf of Aqaba.
In a separate context, the Kingdom Open Fin Swimming Championship in Aqaba Youth Olympic Pool, organized by the Royal Federation of Marine Sports over 3 days, kicks off today. The championship is one of the main stations for selecting the national fin swimming team, in preparation for upcoming international commitments and participations, most notably the World Cup for Juniors in Hungary.
