Emirates secures Roland Garros sponsorship deal

Emirates Airline has secured a lucrative five-year deal that will see the carrier sponsor the Roland Garros Tennis Tournament in France.The company will endorse the next edition of the competition, which will take place from May 21st to June 9th 2013 and the agreement could have a hugely positive impact on Dubai's tourism figures.Emirates' amazing rise has been a major factor behind the unprecedented growth seen at Dubai International Airport in recent years and high-profile sponsorship arrangements such as this one will only work in the city's favour.The firm has already got a presence in France and its logo can be seen on the front of Paris Saint Germain's football strip.Jean Gachassin, president of the French Federation of Tennis, said he was proud for Roland Garros to be associated with such a high-powered brand as Emirates.As part of the deal, Emirates will have “significant branding” throughout Court Philippe-Chatrier and will also have panels on competition courts.This is the company's third tie-in with a European tennis tournament, as it has already secured deals with the Barcelona Open and Internazionali BNL d'Italia (Italian Open).President of Emirates Airline Tim Clark thinks this latest agreement is a “natural extension” of the carrier's existing tennis sponsorship portfolio.”Watched by millions around the globe, this acclaimed clay court championship is the perfect platform with which to align our brand,” he remarked.”The global following for tennis is extensive. You don't have to play tennis to be a fan of and appreciate the dedication needed to be one of the world's best players.”As well as boasting one of the fastest-growing airlines on earth, Dubai also has a reputation for staging important tennis events.Earlier this year, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships were held in the city and the tournament was a great success.It was eventually won by top seed and world number one Novak Djokovic, who had previously said that the finest players on the planet love performing in the UAE. Taylor Scott International