Dubai: The UAE’s biggest retail extravaganza, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), will be running for one more week, it has been confirmed.
The Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai Tourism, announced on Tuesday that this year’s DSF will be extended by another seven days, now running from December 26, 2018 until February 2, 2019.
This will make this year’s 24th edition of the major retail event the longest in the DSF history, offering shoppers more time to shop for bargains or enjoy deals, promotions and other shopping rewards, as well as more chances to scoop a major prize, from luxury cars to gold and cash.
With the new dates, residents and visitors in Dubai will be able to enjoy DSF for 39 full days or nearly six weeks.
“We’re bringing it back bigger and better than ever before with an elongated, five-week programme of events, promotions and family entertainment,” said Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of DFRE.
“From deep discounts on a host of top-name brands, to life-changing opportunities to win and a packed calendar of world-class entertainment, Dubai will be a truly special place to be this Dubai Shopping Festival.”
DSF is a regular fixture of Dubai’s retail calendar. During the extravaganza, there will be retail sales, deals and discounts from top global brands. There will also be mega prizes up for grabs.
Organisers have also lined up activities to up the ante in entertainment, further cementing the event as a global attraction. There will be fireworks displays and family-oriented activities in malls and other venues that will be free of charge.
DSF has been regarded as a key driver of consumption in the UAE. Since it started in February 16, 1996, consumer spending during the retail event has been on the rise.
Studies have shown that people tend to swipe their cards or open their wallets more during the shopping festival.
Data from Network International showed that card spending volumes during DSF increased by 6.75 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017.
Prizes to be won in the latest edition of DSF include 75 brand-new cars and cash that could reach approximately Dh5 million.
Two of DSF’s prize campaigns, the popular Infiniti Mega Raffle and the Nissan Grand Raffle, have already kicked off.
Cash prizes to be won:
Dh150,000 daily
Dh100,000 weekly (to be given away to five winners at Dh20,000 each)
Dh500,000, which will be given to one winner at the conclusion of the festival
Nissan raffle
In the Nissan grand raffle, seven brand-new cars will be given away. Up for grabs will be a Nissan Sunny sedan, Sentra, KICKS, Altima, Xtrail, Pathfinder and Patrol.
To get the chance to win, shoppers only need to spend Dh20 on non-fuel purchases at Enoc, Eppco petrol stations and Zoom stores.
A Nissan Sentra will also be given away every weekend for four weeks starting December 1 in the lead up to DSF, totaling to four Sentras.
The winners of the two daily DSF mega raffles will be announced at the Global Village and broadcast live from 9pm to 10pm daily on Sama Dubai TV.
