Saudi Tourism Authority teams up with Indian Premier League

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has roped in the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) as an Official Partner. The multi-year agreement is reported to be worth US$7.24m per year. 

The partnership was announced through a special event, which included the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah, its Vice President Rajeev Shukla, and Honorary Treasurer Ashish Shelar, along with Alhasan Aldabbagh, President of APAC at the STA.

Alhasan Aldabbagh, APAC President at the Saudi Tourism Authority, said:

“As part of our global marketing strategy, the Indian subcontinent region is a key market for STA and we are continually enhancing ways in which we can excite tourists from these countries and welcome them to Saudi. We are delighted to announce our partnership with IPL, because we know how important cricket is to our visitors from South Asia.

“Through our partnership with IPL, we aim to increase Saudi’s presence and appeal in the Indian and South Asian markets. We are excited to show prospective South Asian visitors why they should consider Saudi not only as their next holiday destination, but also as a viable sports destination as we play host to prominent sports and entertainment events such as Formula One, WWE, and the Spanish Super Cup.“

Jay Shah, Secretary of the BCCI, stated:

“Over the years, we have seen the Indian Premier League emerge as a dominant force at the global stage, generating strong appeal in the sporting ecosystem. For us, it’s an exciting prospect that the Saudi Tourism Authority has immense faith in the power of IPL to bring countries together. We believe that the partnership will help promote Saudi’s unique and diverse offering and position it as the leading leisure and tourism destination in the world. This partnership will create newer opportunities for cricket in Saudi and strengthen the sport in the region.“

Rajeev Shukla, Vice President of the BCCI, added:

“We are pleased to welcome the Saudi Tourism Authority on board as an official sponsor for the 2023 edition of the IPL. The IPL partnership is a powerful channel to engage with its vast audience and support Saudi Tourism Authority’s objective of creating brand awareness in India as well as among the fans from the entire cricketing world. We hope that through this partnership, we inspire and grow the cricket fanbase in Saudi and in collaboration with STA, create exciting opportunities for them to engage with the game.“

Ashish Shelar, Honorary Treasurer of the BCCI, said:

“Our association with the Saudi Tourism Authority is a testament to the global appeal of the Indian Premier League. As each season passes by, the league has been consistently registering an uptick in its global fan base, expanding its geographical footprint. We believe this association will offer an opportunity for the sport to strengthen cricketing culture as well as the fan base in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are confident that this collaboration will prove to be fruitful.“