THE forthcoming 18th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) that will run on Jan. 3 to Feb. 3, 2013 would present “unique offers” to visitors in line with its slogan “Dubai at its Best”. At a press conference held recently at the Hilton Hotel Jeddah, officials of Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), an agency under the Department of Economic Development and organizers of the DSF, said the 32-day festivity will have a new and gala opening, which will offer a preview about how big and unique the festival is and what it will offer its visitors – from events, activities and promotions to carnivals, fireworks and much more. The festival will also hold raffle draws for gold as well as luxury cars (Nissan, Infiniti and Ferrari), and will feature unique plays and concerts by top international and Arab artists. Ibrahim Saleh, Festivals Coordinator General, DEPE, said: “The GCC has been and remains a core market for DSF not only due to geographical proximity but also for the fact that we share the same values and cultural backgrounds. The festival's marketing slogan ‘Dubai at its Best' signifies the best of everything that the vibrant emirate stands for, especially during DSF, when it offers unparalleled and unforgettable experiences to visitors and residents alike.” “What is also unique about DSF 2013 is that we will be concentrating on celebrations in the main streets of Dubai such as Al Riqqa, Al Seef, The Walk (JBR), Downtown Dubai, Promenade Festival City and the Heritage and Diving Village among others,” he noted. “There will be something special about all these celebrations to reflect the UAE's heritage, culture, fashion, music and other aspects of its day-to-day life.” He said after Dubai was crowned for the second consecutive year the “World Festival and Event City” by The International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA), DEPE is even more keen to provide the best services to tourists and visitors. The UAE has witnessed great development in the past few years, he added, which Dubai and the DEPE are keen to keep up with by offering the highest international standards at events hosted by Dubai. Visitor numbers from Saudi Arabia to Dubai registered unabated growth this year. Records show that 843,568 Saudi visitors came to Dubai in the first 9 months of 2012, a substantial increase of 28 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2011. Meanwhile, figures released for DSF 2011 show 3.98 million people visited Dubai during the month-long event, spending a total of AED15.1 billion in 32 days. — SG
