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Finding
a hotel room anywhere in Dubai during the months of
January and February is indeed a daunting task.
Travellers need to book well in advance and be prepared
to pay premium rates. Last-minute bookings are
impossible as all hotels and furnished apartments, from
the relaxed seaside resorts in Jumeirah and the trendy
Sheikh Zayed Road locations to less popular hotels in
the remote parts of town, are fully booked.
The inflow of
tourists at this time of year has become a common
occurrence in the past decade and is explained by the
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), the region’s premier
entertainment and shopping event.
It all started in
1996, when the event was launched under the patronage of
HH General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown
Prince of Dubai and UAE Defense Minister. Initially
conceived as a pure retail event with the primary goal
of revitalizing the emirate’s retail sector, the
Festival soon grew into a comprehensive tourism product
with various entertainment features designed to attract
families from far and wide.
Back in 1996, the
event cost its organizers the staggering amount of
Dhs.2.5 billion. This generous budget meant the Festival
provided world-class entertainment with leading Arab and
international artists performing in Dubai. There was a
city-wide carnival with Street Entertainment by Disney’s
Magic Memories and great sporting events including the
Dubai World Cup Horse Race. Another attraction was a
mega-raffle which gave participants that chance to win
43 luxurious Lexus GS300 cars and some 43 kilos of
gold.
Despite the hefty
price tag, the returns for Dubai’s retail and
hospitality sectors were overwhelming. The event proved
to be a huge crowd-puller with some 1.6 million visitors
arriving in Dubai for its first edition. Hotels
registered 100 per cent occupancy and sales in some
outlets rose by 600 per cent. The gold trade also
benefited with jewellery shops registering sales worth
Dhs10 million each day. The electronics sector did
business worth Dhs.800 million, while the Carpet Oasis,
one of the many Festival features, recorded sales of
more than Dhs.400 million. Overall, visitors spent
Dh2.15 billion in Dubai’s shops, restaurants and hotels
during the first edition of the Festival.
It’s been a
decade of success ever since. Visitor figures have been
growing steadily each year with a record number of 3.1
million tourists arriving in Dubai for the event in
2004. Not only are more tourists coming in, but what is
even more important, they are spending more money in the
emirate’s restaurants and shops. Total visitor spent has
more than doubled since 1996, reaching Dhs.5.8 million
in 2004.
A concept unique
for the region, Dubai Shopping Festival has become so
popular that other Gulf countries have also launched
events similar in format. The event’s appeal, however,
transcends the borders of the Gulf region and has helped
put the emirate on par with major global
destinations.
Dubai Fashion 2004, for example, brought the latest
trends from Christian Dior, Emanuel Ungaro, Christian
Lacroix and Givenchy, who showcased their latest lines
and creations in Dubai, en route from Europe to the USA.
Last year, events such as the World Wrestling
Championship put Dubai on the world sporting map, while
global stars such as Bryan Adams and Whitney Houston
delivered the latest in entertainment.
According to
Saeed Al Nabouda, DSF CEO, it is the cooperation between
the public and private sectors that is responsible for
the event’s outstanding success. “Thanks to the team
work of the organising committee and the Key Sponsors,
Patrons and Support Sponsors, the shopping festival
today is a brand icon in its own right and is moving
along with the country’s image of a growing economy,” he
said.
Projections for
this year’s event, which starts on 12 January, are
equally encouraging and the organizers are promising an
opulent celebration. The number of participating retails
outlets is set to be much higher than in previous years
with
2,000 entities
offering bargains for every pocket.
The Global
Village is one of the main festival attractions. Ever
since its launch in 1996, it has become increasingly
popular, with visitor numbers reaching a staggering 5.2
million last year. This year it is not only moving to a
bigger and better location, but will also run for longer
– from 12 January until 31 March. Leaving its
traditional Creek-side venue, the Global Village is
moving to a new location at Dubailand, one of the
emirate’s most exciting tourism and leisure projects,
which is currently taking shape along the Emirates Road
by the Arabian Ranches project. The relocation means the
Global Village will grow more than twice in size to take
up a total of 17.2 million square feet.
The number of
country pavilions is expected to reach 45 this year.
While the Global Village has always been a place where
different cultures mix, this year the offering is going
to be event better. For the first time countries such as
Australia, Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Greece, Iraq,
Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar,
Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will be
represented by national pavilions.
The organizing
committee is also upgrading the range of facilities
available to visitors in 2005, with foreign exchange
booths, a business centre with Internet and other
communication facilities and even a Lost & Found booth,
making visits to the fair more hassle-free.
Facilities also include
a beautiful man-made lake and a 6,000-seat amphitheatre,
which will be a focal point of the Village with various
performances drawing in the crowds each evening.
The Festival’s
events calendar is packed with activities for high-brow
art connoisseurs and those looking for more popular
entertainment alike. Dubai’s streets and shopping malls
will come alive with exciting carnivals,
performances and children’s events.
Cultural events
from Broadway and West End musicals to traditional
Middle Eastern and Indian cultural shows will reflect
Dubai’s cosmopolitan character.
For the third
year in a row, the Philips Dubai International Jazz
Festival will take place during the Shopping Festival
month. Kicking off on 2 February, the two-day music
extravaganza will feature genres as diverse as blues,
funk, swing, acid, rock and fusion. Some 25,000 music
enthusiasts are expected for the event which will give
the audience an exhilarating line-up of over 75 top
performers from around the world.
Glitz and glamour
will be the order of the day during Dubai Fashion 2005,
which will serve up an even bigger helping of
world-class fashion this year. Along with the big global
names, budding local designers will be given platform to
present their creations to the fashionistas of the
region.
Visitors and
residents interested to learn more about the region’s
rich cultural heritage will be given the chance to do
just this at the Heritage and Diving Village in the old
quarter of Shindagah. Visitors will be able to
appreciate traditional music as well as observe
recreations of centuries-old wedding customs in a
traditional setting. The traditional Al Zarooni
Fireworks and the Aqua Fantasia shows will also keep
spirits high.
The Night Souq,
held during the leisurely hours of 8pm and 3am, is
another major attraction. As in previous years, shoppers
can hunt for a variety of bargains, including fashion
accessories, garments, shoes, electronics, make-up
items, jewellery, textiles and watches available at
unbelievable wholesale prices.
Raffles have been
a major attraction of the Festival ever since its
inception. Some 390 kilos of gold have been given to
lucky winners so far, as well as 962 high-range cars and
millions of cash prizes and various other gifts, making
this one of the world’s richest raffles to date.
This year there
is an even more exciting line-up of goodies to be won.
One lucky winner will be given the chance to take home a
staggering Dhs.10 million by simply purchasing a Dhs.250
Lexus raffle ticket. Another promotion organized by the
Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group will give one person the
chance to win 100 kilos of gold as a grand prize, while
five kilos of gold will be given away on a weekly basis.
Other
mind-blowing prices include three Lexus vehicles, the
Lexus LX 470, RX 330 and ES 300. In addition, the Nissan
Grand Raffle will offer a choice of a car in the daily
draw for the winner to pick up from a fleet of 10 cars.
The final prize is a line-up of ten cars for one winning
ticket. All these are besides the Key and Support
Sponsors’ scratch and win prizes and discounts.
With a varied events programme, Dubai Shopping Festival
caters to a variety of tastes and ages. Both children
and their parents can have their fun and relax and this
makes the event an all-round winner.
Amazing as it is, the Festival is not the emirate’s only
bet when it comes to attracting overseas visitors. Dubai
is also host to a huge line-up of other
internationally-acclaimed events. On the sports side,
there is the
Dubai Desert Classic on 3-6 March. Taking place at the
Emirates Golf Club, it is fast becoming one of the most
popular events on the European Tour, attracting many of
the world’s leading golfers. A few weeks later, the
world’s richest horse race kicks off. The best horses,
jockeys and trainers as well as an audience of
jet-setters are all going to be flocking to the Nad Al
Sheba Racecourse for an unforgettable day of speed and
glamour at the annual Dubai World Cup. Other big
sporting events include the Dubai Tennis Championships,
the Rugby 7s as well as the final round of the world
powerboat championship, which is the sport’s equivalent
of Formula 1. Another popular family event is the Dubai
Summer Surprises, which kicks off in June each year and
is a big hit with families from around the region. | 
