If you are a true shopaholic, not just a wannabe, Dubai is the place to be!
Since 1996, Dubai has been the host of the annual Dubai Shopping Festival. The event lasts for just over a month, and the actual dates of the Dubai Shopping Festival can range between December and February.
The Dubai Shopping Festival was launched with two goals in mind: by creating world class events and retail promotions, to promote Dubai as the ultimate global shopping and tourist destination, and to set the benchmark for events and festivals around the world.
The Dubai Shopping Festival operates with the overall theme of “One World. One Family. One Festival,” and aims to give every member of every family the best shopping and entertainment experience available in the region. In 2008, the Dubai Shopping Festival saw more than 3,500 retail shops and 40 state of the art shopping malls offering huge discounts on international brands. With so much to see and do, it’s no surprise that attendance was in the 3.5 million range!
Malls and jewelry outlets offer promotions, prizes – including cars, cash, and gold – events and entertainment. And the fun is not just to be had in the malls and gold shops! The city’s streets come alive with bazaars and the authentic souq atmosphere.
If the Dubai Shopping Festival isn’t enough, since 1998 Dubai has also hosted the Dubai Summer Surprises shopping festival, which operates on a “10 weeks and 10 Surprises” concept. In 2007, 2.1 million visitors spent more than US$3 billion at the Dubai Summer Surprises!
This event pays particular attention to keeping the kids entertained, and with venues such as the Modhesh Fun City, where kids can enjoy entertainment and games, it adheres to the slogan “Big Fun for Little Ones.” Modhesh, which means “amazing” in Arabic, is a bright yellow creation that has been the popular, kid-friendly mascot of the Dubai Summer Surprises since 2000. (And yes, mom and dad can leave the kids while they head off to shop!)
So if you’re up to joining the other few million shopaholics that attend the Dubai shopping festivals – ladies and gentlemen, grab your credit cards!
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