Things to do: sports and outdoor activities

Dubai is all season golf destination thanks to its year-round sunshine. Annual European tour events include the Omega Dubai Desert Classic championship, the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic and the DP World Tour Championship – the finale of the season-long Race to Dubai, which spans 46 tournaments in 31 countries across four continents. All events draw the world’s top players and are huge spectator events.

For delegates keen to hit the fairways there are eleven world-class courses in the city, including those designed by Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman. All have first-rate clubhouses and state-of-the-art training facilities, offering coaching from PGA-qualified pros to players of any ability.

Explore these world-class golf clubs such as Arabian Ranches golf club, Dubai Creek golf and yacht club, Emirates golf club, JA Jebel Ali golf resort, the Montgomerie golf club, Trump golf club, Jumeirah golf estates and Dubai Hills golf club by Jumeirah.

Characterised by miles of pristine sand beaches and high-end hotel beach clubs, Dubai’s coastline is a big draw for visitors to the city.

Most beachside hotels offer adventure sports activities that include scuba diving, snorkelling, sailing, parasailing, kitesurfing, water-skiing and wakeboarding. Some water sports are also available on public beaches. Kite Beach, a popular destination for kite surfers, also has a 14km running track and multiple food outlets for al fresco snacks and dining.

Jet skiing is also popular and there are companies that organise jet ski tours and rental from many locations such as Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR). Both these locations offer a relaxing day out where you can promenade at the water’s edge and choose among the dozens of eateries and cafés along the way. There are also several companies in Dubai Marina that offer yacht tours, or you can take a tour around Palm Jumeirah in a traditional wooden ‘dhow’ boat.

For a snapshot of rural life in the UAE, visitors can head to the northeast coast where they will discover countless settlements nestled within the Hajar mountains.

Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah or Masafi can be reached by car in around one hour to 90 minutes, or take an organised tour for a more in-depth guide to the area. Tours leave from Dubai and follow a route that takes you to wadis (dried river beds) and through the mountains to historical sites such as the Al Badiyah mosque – the UAE’s oldest and smallest. If you take the tour on a Friday, you’ll experience the Friday market where you can browse local crafts including pottery and carpets. Lunch at a beachside hotel is included, and, if time allows, a dip in the Indian Ocean.