Mumbai: The first Dubai Festival in Mumbai (DFM) will be a 10-day extravaganza to showcase the various facets of the global city with a vision to promote and leverage bilateral ties between these mega metropolises.
To be held from April 8 2016 onwards at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), this trade festival is expected to bring to life the entertainment, cultural, hospitality and business experiences of Dubai through interactive events, spectacular shows and facilitation of business. It will have dedicated zones related to tourism, hospitality, culture and other businesses like real estate, electronics among others giving Mumbaikars a chance to know about Dubai right here in their own backyard.
“The Dubai Festival in Mumbai has been organised to provide both countries opportunities tailored to meet the market needs,” said Mohammad Kaif Hungund, managing director, Hungund Entertainment & Events Pvt, Ltd, at the announcement of the DFM in the city on Friday evening.
“We aim to bring an extravaganza of culture, trade, entertainment, food and tourism to Mumbai. Our festival will be spread over 25,500 sq metres allowing us to give a platform for the B2B and B2C commercial and trade exchange.”
Hamdan Mohammad Al Murshidi, President and Chairman of the Board of Arab Business Club, said, “It is our pleasure to be associated with the Dubai Festival in Mumbai. Trade between the UAE and India has been on for years and we are proud of this association and will strive to make it more profitable for both countries. The Arab Business Club focuses on becoming the leading business networking club worldwide and targets the elite business circle in the Arab world.”
Indians have emerged as important investors in the UAE and the India-UAE trade, valued at US $180 million (Dh661 million) per annum in the 1970s, has gone up to around $60 billion. India’s major imports from UAE are petroleum and petroleum products, precious metals, stones, gem and jewellery, minerals and chemicals.
DFM sponsor, Kulwant Singh, Managing Director, Lama Tours, and President of Indian Business and Professional Council, responsible for promoting business ties, said that India has long been a significant contributor to the UAE tourism sector “with more than 1 million Indians now visiting the emirate annually for leisure or business tourism purposes or to see and spend time with friends and relatives. Dubai is becoming a must-experience destination for India’s outbound tourists with leading UAE premium-experience travel websites running campaigns to promote Dubai among Indian travellers.”
