Dubai has introduced the Dubai Cycling Pass, a new initiative by GDRFA in partnership with tourism and sports authorities to encourage healthy living and enhance sports-focused tourism. Branded “From the Airport to the Track”, the programme guides residents and visitors across nine cycling routes showcasing the emirate’s diverse urban, coastal and natural landscapes.
Dubai has unveiled a new initiative designed to make sport not just an activity but a defining part of city life. The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), in partnership with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and the Dubai Sports Council, has launched the Dubai Cycling Pass under the slogan “From the Airport to the Track”, offering residents and international travellers greater access to organised cycling experiences across the emirate.
The initiative positions cycling as both a lifestyle and tourism driver, reinforcing Dubai’s ambition to be recognised globally for sport, wellbeing and quality of life. Integrated directly into the arrival experience, the Dubai Cycling Pass invites visitors to explore the city in motion, making it easier for them to connect with cycling infrastructure soon after they land.
Central to the initiative are nine approved cycling routes spanning the emirate’s most distinctive landscapes. The curated tracks lead cyclists through contrasting environments, weaving between coastal corridors, modern urban districts and the rugged tranquillity of desert and natural trails. This range offers visitors and residents a chance to embrace Dubai’s diversity beyond its architecture and attractions, showcasing a city where movement, nature and infrastructure coexist.
Officials behind the initiative emphasise that the Dubai Cycling Pass is as much about community wellbeing as it is about tourism. By embedding physical activity into everyday life, the programme supports the city’s health priorities and reflects growing demand for active travel and experiential tourism. Cycling has been rising in global popularity among business travellers, leisure tourists and residents who view exercise as an essential part of lifestyle rather than a separate pursuit.
His Excellency Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said the initiative aligns with the city’s long-term strategy of positioning healthy living as part of Dubai’s identity. He noted that strengthening sports infrastructure not only enhances residents’ quality of life but also elevates Dubai’s tourism value proposition at a time when international visitors increasingly seek destinations that support wellbeing, fitness and sustainable urban mobility. According to Kazim, integrating sports into the tourism experience presents “high-impact opportunities” that complement Dubai’s global reputation as a city shaped by innovation and world-class planning.
The Dubai Cycling Pass comes at a moment when cycling culture in the emirate is accelerating. Over the past decade, Dubai has invested heavily in dedicated tracks, rental options, community races and international cycling events. This momentum is part of a wider urban vision that enhances accessibility, encourages mobility alternatives and reinforces the city’s reputation as a destination for large-scale international sporting competitions. From high-performance racing circuits to recreational beachfront trails, Dubai’s cycling infrastructure accommodates both elite athletes and casual riders, allowing different audiences to engage with the sport at their own pace.
Beyond infrastructure, the initiative also signals a shift in how Dubai designs its tourism and lifestyle offerings. Rather than viewing sport as a standalone event category, authorities are increasingly integrating it into broader cultural and economic strategies. The Dubai Cycling Pass embodies this approach by linking tourism development with public health, environmental sustainability and community engagement. This multi-layered strategy mirrors global trends in cities where physical activity and outdoor leisure are used to attract talent, enhance civic identity and boost liveability scores.
Its launch further complements Dubai’s positioning as a hub for year-round international sporting events, from marathons and fitness festivals to triathlons and world championship tournaments. The emirate has cultivated a reputation for events that combine spectacle with participation, appealing to both spectators and athletes. Cycling has been particularly central to this narrative, driven by marquee events that draw professionals alongside tens of thousands of amateur competitors.
For travellers, the Dubai Cycling Pass offers an alternative way to explore the city, one that encourages slowness, observation and engagement with landscapes seldom experienced from cars or public transport. For residents, it reinforces community health ambitions and encourages a more active daily routine. For the city itself, it strengthens Dubai’s positioning as a forward-thinking global centre for wellbeing, sport and tourism.
By linking the airport to the cycling track, the initiative symbolises a city that invites its visitors not just to see Dubai, but to move through it.
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