Dubai shoppers can win 12 homes with Dh500 spend in new Summer Surprises campaign

Dubai: Dubai shoppers will soon have the chance to win a home simply by spending Dh500 during this year’s Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), as the city launches one of its biggest-ever retail promotions to boost summer shopping and tourism activity.

Officials from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) announced the new DSS campaign during the department’s first stakeholder meeting of the year, revealing that 12 homes will be given away over a 12-week period.

Under the promotion, shoppers who spend Dh500 at participating malls and retail outlets across Dubai will automatically qualify for the weekly draw through a digital receipt scanning system.

The campaign is being organised jointly with Dubai Chambers and supported by property developer Binghatti.

"We are also taking retail promotion to a different level. For the first time, you can win a home in Dubai, and not only that, we can win home in Dubai every week for 12 weeks," announced Ahmed Alkhaja, the CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE).

"For 12 weeks, we're going to have 12 homes that 12 lucky people that will win homes in Dubai," he said.

DET officials said the initiative is part of a wider strategy to drive footfall across malls, increase retail spending and support tourism, hospitality and entertainment businesses during the summer period.

“For the first time, you can win a home in Dubai every week for 12 weeks,” officials said during the presentation.

The promotion comes as Dubai prepares for an expanded edition of Dubai Summer Surprises, which begins on July 2 and will feature shopping discounts, hotel offers, live entertainment events, gastronomy promotions and family activities across the city.

Officials said this year’s DSS calendar has been expanded with additional promotions and events following the slowdown in regional travel demand caused earlier this year by the US-Israel-Iran conflict.

DET said Dubai had introduced several new retail and tourism initiatives in recent months to maintain business activity and consumer demand during the uncertainty.

The department also revealed that retail promotions this year would be “more than what we have ever put in the calendar”.

Alongside DSS, Dubai is also preparing for a busy summer events season that includes GameExpo at Dubai World Trade Centre, restaurant promotions, esports events and entertainment programmes across major venues in the city.

DET also revealed that Dubai Restaurant Week generated more than 55,000 covers this year, with daily participation levels nearly tripling compared to previous editions.