Dubai: The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) started off with a bang yesterday with the longest fireworks display in the event's history.
Dubai residents were treated to a six-kilometre fireworks display extending from Business Bay to the Shindagha area. The fireworks extravaganza was synchronised with the Dubai Danat Ul Dunia (Dubai the Pearl of the World), the DSF theme song.
For those who missed the opening, smaller fireworks displays will take place daily on both sides of the Creek throughout the festival.
Hub of activity
The newly opened promenade at Dubai Festival City was the centrepoint for the DSF opening celebrations, with numerous activities, including performances from celebrity lookalikes and mini concerts from musicians playing the harp, oud, flute, saxophone, tabla and cello, lined up.
The 17th edition of the DSF which is run under the slogan of ‘Dubai at its best' will offer a line-up of international shows, concerts, shopping promotions and raffles.
"In our quest to capture and maintain the spirit of shopping every year, we have been able to make dramatic improvements to the festival over the past 16 years. In the past three to four years, the DSF has attracted on an average three million visitors and registered total spending in excess of Dh10 billion every year," Ebrahim Saleh, Festivals Co-ordinator General and Deputy CEO of Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), said.
DSF has become an engine of growth and diversification for Dubai's retail sector.
"The festival industry has become a major economic factor that can help and support economies all over the world. We take pride that Dubai is one of the pioneers of this industry in the region," Laila Suhail, CEO of DEPE, said.
For the next month, 6,000 participating shops in 70 malls will offer sales discounts of up to 75 per cent, more than Dh100 million worth of raffles and prizes are up for grabs, including luxury cars, gold and cash, and more than 150 indoor and outdoor events.
Entertainment galore
Various areas in Dubai will play host to DSF activities, including Al Rigga Street, Al Seef Street, Emaar Boulevard, Global Village, Heritage and Diving Village. The areas will provide a constant stream of entertainment by street performers and fun outdoor shopping options.
The festival is supported by BurJuman, Jumbo Electronics, Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group, EmiratesNBD and Visa International.
"The annual Dubai Shopping Festival is one of the leading government-backed initiatives specifically focused on the retail and tourism sectors, which are two of the strongest pillars of Dubai's economy," Saif Al Mansouri, Deputy Head of Group Marketing and Branding at Emirates NBD, said. "Over the years, DSF has emerged as a mega tourist attraction that draws visitors from across the globe."
In 2011, DSF attracted around 3.9 million visitors to Dubai, and this year it is expected to further strengthen the retail and tourism sectors in the country," he added.
