London, UK, November 5th – A meeting between H.E. Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, and Franco Cuccureddu, Sardinia Regional Councillor for Tourism, took place during the World Travel Market in London. The meeting was organised by H2O Racing and brought together representatives from the Government of Sharjah, local businesses and the Sardinian regional administration.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the future of sport and tourism, explore potential areas of cooperation between the two destinations and identify new synergies between their respective tourism industries, recognising the growing role of major sporting events in promoting destinations internationally.
Both Sharjah and Sardinia share a long-standing commitment to developing tourism through sport and international events. The two destinations also hold a special place in the history of the UIM F1H2O World Championship: Sardinia hosted the opening Grand Prix of the 2026 season, while Sharjah will host, as usual, the season finale in December. This year, Sharjah celebrates its 25th F1H2O Grand Prix, while Sardinia has been hosting races of the Championship since 1994.
Their shared history demonstrates how sport can become a powerful driver of tourism, bringing international visibility, attracting visitors, supporting local economies and creating lasting connections between communities.
The discussions focused on the potential for closer collaboration, the future development of the sport and opportunities to build bridges between the two destinations through tourism, business and major sporting events.
Sport, by its very nature, transcends borders and brings people, cultures and institutions together. In this respect, both Sharjah and Sardinia recognise the value of international sporting platforms not only as competitions, but also as strategic tools for destination promotion and tourism development.
Also attending the meeting were Raimondo Di San Germano, CEO of H2O Racing, and Paolo Di San Germano, General Manager of H2O Racing.
