Dubai: Starting tomorrow, September 20, Dubai will be rolling out the red carpet for some visitors in UAE by slashing the cost of entrance tickets to several attractions in the city, including the Burj Khalifa.
Property developer Emaar has announced it is offering 20 per cent to 50 per cent discount on entrance fees to Reel Cinemas, The Top of Burj Khalifa, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, Dubai Ice Rink, VR Park and Kidzania from September 20 to 23.
The discounts are open to visiting Saudi nationals and are in celebration of the Saudi National Day, which falls on September 23.
The emirate has lined up a number of activities to mark the 88th national day of the Gulf state, including a fireworks display at La Mer and lights show at the world’s tallest tower.
Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest source of tourist traffic for Dubai. The number of visitors from the kingdom reached 1.5 million in 2017, the second highest after India, data released by the Department of Tourism and commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) showed.
“Dubai is like a second home to Saudi citizens – 85 per cent of Saudi travellers consider Dubai as a preferred destination while 46 per cent of Saudi visitors were repeat visitors in 2017,” the Dubai Tourism said in a statement.
The UAE’s telecom operators du and Etisalat changed their network names to “UAE KSA Together” last year to mark the same occasion.
Aside from the discounts, Saudi nationals will also be welcomed with sweets, flowers and coffee once they arrive at the Dubai International Airport.
They will also enjoy hotel discounts ranging between 10 per cent and 25 per cent, especially when they book at the Armani Hotel Dubai.
Here are the discounts that await Saudi nationals:
At the Top, Burj Khalifa
20% off on guided tours to Level 148, inclusive of complimentary refreshments
20% off on self-guided tours to levels 125 and 124
Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall / Dubai Marina Mall
50% off Dolby Cinema, MX4D, Dine-In Movie Tickets
50% restaurant bill for Guy Fieri’s Kitchen – The Dubai Mall
Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo
50% off Dubai Aquarium and Explorer tickets (excluding promotional tickets)
KidZania
50% off Economy Tickets – Adult/Child
Dubai Ice Rink
50% off all sessions – Adult/Child
VR Park
50% off Unlimited Pass tickets – Adult/Child
Activities that UAE residents can also enjoy to celebrate the National Day of Saudi Arabia:
Concert
September 22, City Walk
Saudi singer Dalia Mubarak and Emirati star Shamma Hamdan will perform in a special concert on the evening of September 22 at City Walk. The concert starts at 6.45pm.
Fireworks
September 23, La Mer
A fireworks show will be held on September 23, 8:30pm at the urban beachfront development La Mer. Traditional Saudi folk dances and a display of supercars will also take place at this location from 20 to 23 September.
Events
Traditional band: September 21 to 23
Saudi Arabian folk dancers will also perform at malls across the city, including The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dragon Mall, City Center Mirdif, Dubai Festival City Mall, and Al Seef.
Dubai Fountain: September 21 to 23
Dubai Fountain will “dance” to songs by popular Saudi artists from 12 to 22 September, with a special display in tribute to the Saudi national anthem taking place on 23 September.
Dubai Mall: September 20 to 23
A traditional band will perform at the Souk Atrium, ground floor, while visitors enjoy Arabic coffee. There will also be giveaways to visitors including a booklet of vouchers, scarf and mementoes.
Dubai Festival City Mall: September 20 to 23
Dubai Festival City Mall will host a Saudi National Day show at Festival Bay and an exclusive edition of Imagine, a laser and light show.
The Beach: September 20 to 23
The Beach will host a grand parade on September 22 at 6:00pm with horses marching along to Saudi national melodies. From September 20 to 23, the destination will screen a selection of award-winning short films by Saudi directors at Roxy Cinemas daily at 7pm and 8.30pm as part of the Saudi Cinema Weekend.
Dubai International Airport celebrations: September 20
Dubai International Airport will accord a water salute to aircraft arriving from Saudi Arabia while flowers, Arabic sweets and coffee will be offered to Saudi visitors arriving in Dubai. Saudi national songs will also be played in the arrivals section of Terminals 1, 2 and 3.
