Expat Holidays Secures Major Agreement With Lions Rugby Travel

Expat Holidays, the UAE’s leading bespoke travel agency and specialists in sport-related tourism, has today announced a major new agreement with Lions Rugby Travel. The exclusive deal will see the travel firm become the Official Reseller of Lions Rugby Travel for the coveted British & Irish Lions v Barbarians match, taking place in Hong Kong in June 2013.

This is the first time that a company in the Middle East has secured the ‘official reseller’ status for this major sporting event and it will allow rugby enthusiasts from the UAE access to fully escorted tour packages, which include flights, accommodation and official match tickets.The British & Irish Lions is one of the world’s most iconic and supported rugby teams and boasts thousands of fans worldwide.

The Lions will play the Barbarians in Hong Kong, in what promises to be a historic curtain raiser to the anticipated Australian tour.

Alan Holt, Managing Director of Expat Holidays, said: “We are all delighted to have secured an ‘official reseller’ status for such a prestigious sporting event. Having specialised in sports travel for many years, we have forged strong partnerships with various official sporting bodies worldwide, as well as major airlines and hotel groups. This latest agreement is a significant milestone for us and highlights our commitment to offering our customers easy access to global sporting events from this region”.

Alan continued: “Over the past few years, we have found that the number of residents in the UAE visiting international sporting events has notably increased, with bookings up by almost 40 per cent so far this year. Our team has worked extremely hard to develop good working relationships within the sporting community, providing team travel arrangements for many sports clubs. With the UAE having a long-term strategic plan to develop sports tourism, it will enable us to open up even more travel opportunities in the future.”

Lions Rugby Travel is the Official Travel Company for The British & Irish Lions.

Justin Hopwood, Head of Sales & Marketing at Lions Rugby Travel, commented: “Lions Rugby Travel is pleased to appoint Expat Holidays as an official reseller of The British & Irish Lions v Barbarians match in Hong Kong. I’m sure that Expat Holidays will bring the game to a wide audience, and no doubt many fans will be part of what promises to be a memorable occasion.”