Qatar Airways serves as partner for Volvo China Open golf event

Qatar Airways served as the official airline partner for the recent Volvo China Open 2019, reflecting its continuous commitment to supporting Asia's premier sporting events, according to the company.

With its awards totaling 20 million yuan ($2.96 million), the 25th anniversary edition of the Volvo China Open was held at the Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen, Guangdong province in South China from Thursday through Sunday. The event is considered the jewel in the crown of Chinese golf, sanctioned by the China Golf Association as well as the European and Asian Tours.

As China's national open golf championship, the event pitched the country's top 45 qualifying players against a top-class Asian and European field on the par-72 Valley Course.

"As the Volvo China Open comes to its 25th anniversary, we are looking forward to celebrating this prestigious international event and supporting China's open golf championship," Joshua Law, vice-president of Qatar Airways' North Asia region, said ahead of the event.

"One of the most anticipated events on China's sports calendar, it strengthens our extensive global sporting (support). We look forward to welcoming millions of golf fans around the world to Shenzhen to enjoy the Volvo China Open 2019."

The national carrier of Qatar has sponsored premier sporting clubs around the world. It recently revealed multi-year sponsorship agreements with several global sports entities, including leading German football team FC Bayern Muenchen, Italian football club AS Roma and Argentinian club Boca Juniors.

In addition, Qatar Airways is the official airline sponsor of CONMEBOL professional football competitions across South America, including the Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores, Copa CONMEBOL Sudamericana and the CONMEBOL Recopa.

In May 2017, Qatar Airways announced a groundbreaking sponsorship deal with FIFA, which saw the award-winning airline become the official partner and official airline of FIFA until 2022.

The partnership, one of the biggest sporting sponsorships in the world, will give the Qatari airline extensive marketing and branding rights at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.

The agreement also sees Qatar Airways become the official airline partner of the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, the FIFA eWorld Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup, taking place in France this summer.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named "World's Best Business Class" in the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organization Skytrax. It was also won the categories of "Best Business Class Seat", "Best Airline in the Middle East", and "World's Best First Class Airline Lounge".

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport, to more than 160 destinations worldwide.

The airline will add a number of new destinations to its extensive route network in 2019, including Izmir, Turkey; Rabat, Morocco; Malta; Davao, the Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; and Langkawi, Malaysia.