Volvo Ocean Race team meets in Abu Dhabi to plan 2014 festivities

ABU DHABI // Preparations are under way for next year's Volvo Ocean Race, which promises an action-packed two weeks of events.
A team from the Volvo Group has met in the capital to take the Abu Dhabi stopover, scheduled for December next year, "to the next level".
Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, sponsor of the stopover, is planning to expand the event, spreading activities over two weeks across the city.
Events will include a return of the Destination Village and entertainment programmes, including New Year's Eve concerts, family activities, schools programmes and cultural and heritage festivals.
"Abu Dhabi was a standout stopover experience in the last race," said Karin Backlund, director of global sponsorship at Volvo Cars. "We know this time around it will leapfrog to whole new level.
"Abu Dhabi is one of our key 'show and tell' markets for international customers and partners, so we are expecting to significantly increase the number of guests we will bring in for the next stopover."
Ms Backlund said the unveiling of a new model Volvo would take place during the Abu Dhabi event.
The Volvo Ocean Race stopover will be in Abu Dhabi from mid-December next year until January 3, 2015, at the Destination Village on the Corniche.
osalem@thenational.ae