F1 in the GCC: How motorsport is driving tourism, investment and city branding

CAIRO: Across the Gulf, Formula 1 has become more than a race on the calendar. It is a tourism accelerator, a branding machine and, increasingly, a tool of economic strategy. From Jeddah to Abu Dhabi, governments are leveraging the sport’s global reach to drive hotel occupancy, attract high-spending visitors and position their cities as world-class destinations. The bigger question is no longer whether F1 creates a race-week boost. It is whether that boost can translate into long-term value.