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SCORES of soccer-crazy Saudis will be cheering on their footballing heroes playing in the World Cup Finals in Russia thanks to a Bahrain-based travel agency.
Demand for hospitality packages has snowballed since the Green Falcons were drawn to play the tournament’s opening match and they take on the hosts in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on June 14.
Dadabhai Travel started out as a single office in 1981 and has now grown into one of the leading integrated travel organisations in the region. It has beaten tough competition to be chosen as the official partners.
Director Adnan Gilitwala said: “Being the exclusive sales agent for the world’s biggest sporting event comes with immense responsibility but also immense pride. The fact that a company with Bahraini roots has been able to come out on top ahead of not just its local but also regional competitors in places like Saudi Arabia and the UAE is a testament to the passion, dedication and ambition of everyone here at Dadabhai Travel.
“We are proud to be another reason to put Bahrain on the map and we will continue to strive to be better, not just for our customers and country, but also for ourselves. In terms of business, this has been a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with some of the largest companies and institutions in the region and partner with them.”
Having qualified for the tournament for the first time since 2006, there has been much anticipation in the region since the recent draw ceremony that took place at the Kremlin.
Russia, at 65th, are the lowest ranked side in the tournament. Also in Group A are Uruguay and Egypt. Possessing talented players such as Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Uruguay are considered favourites to make it to the knock-out stages.
Apart from the spectacle of being asked to open the tournament, the big talking point for Saudi Arabia is being landed in the same group as Egypt. Inspired by African Player of the Year Mohamed Salah, The Pharaohs will be dangerous opponents and the all-Arab tie, set to take place in Volgograd on June 25, will provide some juicy subplots — not least the fact that as the last group game, the team’s chance of making it through will likely depend on the result.
Dadabhai Travel was appointed last summer as the exclusive agent of MATCH Hospitality in the Gulf region for the sale of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Official Hospitality Programme. It involves the sale of packages for any and all of the matches being played, not just Saudi Arabia’s.
There are a variety of travel packages available for fans, with a range of options and seat categories, hotel stays and flight tickets. The lowest average price for a basic travel package is around $2,000 (BD750 approximately).
The Green Falcons performed admirably in the qualifiers to advance automatically from a group that included the last two Asian champions, Australia (2015) and Japan (2011), as well as the UAE team that had finished third at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
“It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had since we were appointed!” admitted Adnan. “We were overjoyed seeing Saudi Arabia and the other Arab counties qualify as this meant our job of promoting the extremely unique hospitality packages we offer had become that much easier.
“And, that we would be able to make the dreams of so many football fans across the region come true and give them a guaranteed opportunity to watch their national team play in the world’s biggest sporting event that has never been closer to home.
“Their reaction has been beyond positive. The phones don’t stop ringing and the emails keep flooding in with enquiries from everyone ranging from some of the biggest corporate houses and financial institutions to groups of friends and families, and even other travel agents. It has been 12 years since Saudi Arabia last qualified so the excitement is at extraordinary levels.”
The cherry on the cake was being drawn to play Russia.
“Once again things couldn’t have worked out better for both us and the Saudi National Team fans, as the opening match effectively sets the stage for the entire tournament,” said Adnan. “The viewership and hype generated by this game is a close second only to the final match of the tournament itself, in my opinion. So, it is safe to say, we are extremely pleased that Saudi Arabia has been drawn for it.”
However, since the euphoria of qualification, things have not gone according to plan.
Bert van Marwijk, the Dutchman who masterminded the successful campaign and revamped Saudi football in the process, walked away after failing to sign a new contract that demanded he spend more time in the kingdom and away from his family.
His departure was followed by the appointment of then UAE coach Edgardo Bauza; the Argentine lasted just five friendlies (two wins and three defeats) before being deemed not up to the task by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
It remains to be seen exactly what the new man in the hotseat, the Argentine Juan Antonio Pizzi, can achieve in the months before the start of the tournament.
With the exception of Morocco in 1986 and Saudi in 1994, Arab nations have failed to qualify to the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Qualification to the finals was in the past often deemed a triumph in itself. Times have changed, and so have expectations.
Adnan is quietly confident Saudi Arabia can impress this time round.
“Realistically, I believe Saudi Arabia have a solid chance of qualifying past their group alongside Uruguay,” he said. “How well they do after that would have to depend on who they’re drawn against in the Round of 16 and after.
“Russia still has a long way to go as a team, Egypt seems to be dependent on their talisman Mohammed Salah, and Uruguay is terrifying on the pitch. Saudi Arabia has an amazing ability to grind out a result when they have to and I am confident they can make some magic happen.”
Adnan predicts current European giants World Cup holders Germany will once again make it all the way. “Ideally I would like Saudi Arabia to be the other team,” he added. “That would be an amazing final! Realistically though, it’s difficult to predict until the tournament actually starts and we see how the teams progress.”
Football fans across the globe cannot wait for the action to kick off next summer, and none more-so than supporters of Saudi Arabia, although there have been some concerns voiced over Russia hosting the tournament.
Adnan is confident the authorities will be up to the challenge of making sure everything runs smoothly. “Russia unfortunately does not have the best reputation in this part of the world primarily due to the lack of knowledge on the country by the general public,” said Adnan. “However, they have made tremendous progress as a country over the past few years and people will have very little to worry about when visiting there. The country is safe, modern and capable of taking care of tourists.
“People are friendly despite the rough and stern facial expressions and exterior appearances. My main piece of advice would be to learn a few words and phrases and, like any other country in the world, avoid drawing unnecessary attention to yourself.”
He also warned local fans to beware of ticket touts. In regards to the FIFA World Cup 2018, there are two types of ticket categories generally - hospitality packages and general admission tickets.
Dadabhai Travel and its sub-agents are the exclusive hospitality ticket providers in the GCC. “This means that if you want to guarantee your visit to the World Cup through a travel agent, it can only be through us or any of our sub-agents,” explained Adnan.
“General Tickets can only be purchased via FIFA through a lottery system, meaning there is no guarantee until and unless you submit your personal details to FIFA and win the chance to buy up to four match tickets per person.
“Unfortunately we’ve been seeing quite a few advertisements online, and through flyers and other forms of media, of companies offering entire packages to the World Cup including match tickets.
“I just want to bring this to everyone’s attention as I don’t want anyone to get drawn into the promise of cheap match tickets just to end up disappointed and with lighter pockets. There will be many people who are going to try and entice you into buying tickets from them, but as an official agent that liaises with MATCH and FIFA, I can promise you that it is not worth the risk.”
