DUBAI // A cultural initiative has been launched to establish Dubai as a leading tourist destination during the Eid festival. The Eid in Dubai event will feature concerts, musicals and plays during Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha, which is expected to begin on Dec 8. The scheme will help establish Dubai as a year-round tourist destination and is an "important step" in the emirate's aim to attract 15 million tourists by 2015, said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the supreme committee of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office, which organised the initiative.
While on a smaller scale to the Dubai Summer Surprises and Dubai Shopping Festival, Eid in Dubai is expected to attract shoppers from GCC countries and bridge the gap between the emirate's two major shopping schemes. "Eid in Dubai has the propensity to further push retail sales and increase the volume of business done during Eid," said Eesa Adam, the head of the Dubai Shopping Malls Group, who described the latter half of Ramadan as a retail "high season".
"Shopping malls in Dubai witness constructive competition during this festive period and draw in a diverse range of shoppers through demand for goods such as garments, perfumes and cosmetics." Several shops will offer promotions under the Eid in Dubai banner, while hotels and shopping centres have been encouraged to set up Eid decorations and offer visitors traditional sweets. All have been urged to welcome visitors and shoppers with the traditional greeting: "Eidakom mubarak."
Gold and jewellery stores are expected to launch the most aggressive promotional campaigns. "It's all about showing the world Dubai's unique way of celebrating Eid," said Laila Suhail, the chief executive of Dubai Shopping Festival. "We will be highlighting some of the true traditions of celebrating Eid, in addition to presenting a comprehensive festivities programme to attract celebrating families locally and regionally."
Organisers were keen to play down reports of the initiative being designed as a purely shopping festival, insisting that the emphasis is on entertainment and spreading the "Eid spirit". "The social aspect of Dubai is no less important than the economic aspect," said Ms Suhail. Although the schedule of events is still being finalised, Eid in Dubai organisers said the initiative would include a musical performance by the Rahbani family from Lebanon, in addition to children's plays and several fireworks displays.
The events will take place at Dubai Airport Expo, Dubai Festival City and the Heritage and Diving Villages. The next Dubai Shopping Festival will be held from Jan 15 to Feb 15 next year, while Dubai Summer Surprises will next take place from June 11 to Aug 14. Neil Tunbridge, the head of retail services at the Dubai-based consultancy GRMC, said the festivals were initially organised to provide family entertainment during two key shopping phases - summer and the new year.
They have largely proved successful in attracting tourists from the GCC and boosting retail spending, he said. According to figures released by Dubai Summer Surprises organisers, the shopping scheme attracted 2.1 million visitors to shopping centres during the three-month event, compared to 600,000 in 1998. Dubai Summer Surprises visitors spent Dh3.21 billion (US$870 million) in 2007 compared with Dh850m in 1998.
Meanwhile, 3.5m people visited shopping centres during the most recent Dubai Shopping Festival, spending Dh10.2bn. rditcham@thenational.ae