Dubai: With 31 pavillions representing over 70 countries, 12,000 shows and culinary attractions from all over the world, the Global Village is the ultimate family and entertainment destination in the UAE. At the helm of it all is Ahmad Hussain Bin Essa, Chief Operating Officer of the Global Village, who ensures the annual fair meets the expectations of the endless stream of visitors flocking the place year after year. He tells XPRESS what’s new in this edition (November 6, 2014-April 11, 2015) and sheds light on other features of the Village:
What are the new features you have added to Global Village this year?
We are continuously trying to improve things here. This year, we added 500 additional parking spaces, a new water fountain, fitted more benches and toilets and increased the size of the stage to accommodate various cultural shows. Overall, we have added 330,000 square feet of space.
Going forward can we expect more such enhancements?
We are working on a strategic five-year plan to improve infrastructure and the guest experience.
What is the footfall so far this year?
In the first month we recorded more than a million visitors, which is 15 to 20 per cent higher compared to last year. On the first and second day of DSF, 200,000 people visited the Global Village.
How many people does Global Village employ every year?
More than 10,000 people including exhibitors, staff, workers and support service personnel are working at the Global Village.
What efforts are you taking on digital and social media to reach out to people?
We have been regularly posting news on the Global Village in social media. We have also launched a brand new iPhone and Android application which gives detailed information on daily events, shows, restaurants and more. In addition, we have installed a car tracking system for visitors where people can pin the location of their vehicle on the application.
Tell us about the internal survey you have conducted with your partners.
The survey was a result of feedback we received from 3,000 people during the first month of the Global Village. It was an eye-opener and an opportunity for us to improve in certain areas where people felt we needed to do more. Overall, people rated us 8.9 out of 10. However, according to the survey, people voted us less in their ticket buying experience. Heeding to their concerns, we have now introduced self-ticketing machines and soon will enable people to buy tickets online.
Can an investor own multiple pavilions?
Yes, they can. However, in order to encourage more people to be involved in the Global Village, we allow an investor to own a maximum of three pavilions.
How do you choose investors for the pavilions?
We have a tendering process in place to choose an investor for pavilions. A committee evaluates the bids and awards the contracts. This process is repeated every year.
What are some of ther policies towards pavilion owners?
We are a process driven organisation and we follow certain norms with our partners. One of the criteria we lay down is that the façade should depict a major landmark of the host country. Product diversity is another important element we encourage investors to bring in their pavilion.
Tell us about the CSR initiatives undertaken by Global Village this year.
We have launched a ‘Dallah’ (an Arabic coffee pot) project to contribute to the UAE’s Compassion Campaign to help Syrian refugees. We distributed 3,000 dallahs across 100 schools in the UAE for students to hand-paint and decorate them. More than 15,000 students have taken part in the campaign. We are selling these dallahs at the Global Village for Dh100 each – proceeds of which are going to the campaign.
We are also encouraging the creative skills of Abu Dhabi and Dubai jail inmates and have set up a dedicated stall to showcase their creative products.
