Dubai Shopping Festival 2012

The annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has emerged as the leading shopping and entertainment event in the region since its start in the year 1996. It’s the largest and longest running shopping and entertainment extravaganza attracting millions of shopping lovers from Middle East countries, UK, Germany, Russia, India and other countries of the world. The inaugural DSF attracted around 1.6 million shopping lovers from across the world. The number increased to over 3.35 million visitors in 2009 who spent a staggering 9.8 billion UAE Dirham, making Dubai Shopping Festival as the leading shopping event in the world. As planned by Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), the DSF has been playing a major role in boosting the emirate's tourism industry and the retail sector year after year.

After the grand success of Dubai Shopping Festival 2011, DSF 2012 promises more fun, excitements and shopping discounts to visitors. In the last edition of DSF, a new record was created both in terms of number of visitors and business it generated for retailers. According to Visa, one of the lead sponsors of Dubai Shopping Festival 2011, over US$406 million was spent on internationally-issued Visa cards in the UAE by overseas visitors during the 32-day long event, compared to US$297 million during DSF 2010.

Dubai Shopping Festival (5 January – 5 February 2012)

Earlier the dates for Dubai Shopping Festival 2012 was announced by DEPE, the official organizers of the event. The colorful shopping mega event was held from January 05, 2012 with entertaining street performances and fireworks display. Shoppers enjoyed highly discounted shopping and colorful events organized throughout the festival. During the events, participating shopping malls and retailers offered discounts of up to 75% on a wide range of items including branded electronics, watches, jewelry, perfumes, textiles, carpets, and handicrafts. They can also win a number of daily and weekly prizes through lucky draws organized by participating shopping malls and retail outlets. The prizes include luxurious LX570 car and AED 100,000 cash daily in the Lexus Mega Raffle. Every year the Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group also comes with exciting Dubai Shopping Festival promotions offering customers a chance to win 21 kilos of gold worth Dh 4.5 million through raffle draws. It's estimated that around 6000 retail outlets and 50 shopping malls participated in the 2012 Dubai Shopping Festival.

The DSF 2012 also organized a number of colorful and exciting cultural events that include spectacular fireworks at opening and closing ceremonies, International concerts, Lexus Mega Raffle, Nissan Grand Raffle, Creations (Fashion Show), DSF Desert Camps, Night Shopping and Heritage events providing wholesome entertainment to tourists. The theme of the Dubai Shopping Festival 2012 was "One World One Family One Festival" where participating countries set up their pavilions at the famous Global Village.

Tax Free Shopping in Dubai Shopping Festival 2012

Dubai Shopping Festival is a celebration time for shopping lovers who thronged to this charming and scintillating city from across the globe. One can shop for items like electronics, watches, perfumes, clothing, carpets, art and crafts, jewelry by leading world-renowned brands at a discount ranging from 5 % to 75 % at DSF 2012. The tax free discounted rates are not the only attraction of Dubai Shopping Festival, as you can win fabulous free gifts, bargain offers and raffle tickets. Dubai has rapidly emerged as the tourist capital of the Middle East and in the effort shopping in Dubai has been made largely tax free and merchants have been allowed to import products from other countries with very low or no custom duties.

Dubai Shopping Festival Packages 2012

Local travel agencies, tour operators and airlines that operate services to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), offer especially designed discounted tour packages to tourists looking to enjoy the memorable shopping extravaganza in Dubai. Emirates, the national airline of Dubai, has been a major sponsor of the Dubai Shopping Festival for years now. Last year, the Airline came up with attractive tour packages for Dubai Shopping Festival 2011. Emirates was offering a discounted 'Stay 4, Pay 3' DSF 2011 promotion package that offered accommodations in top rated beach and city hotels in Dubai for 4 nights for the price of 3. The package also included complimentary airport transfers to and from the hotel by private car, and an Arabian Adventures welcome pack, apart from numerous other benefits.

Where to go for Shopping in Dubai

Cultural Events at Dubai Shopping Festival 2012

Besides the shopping, a number of entertaining events has been planned at Dubai Shopping Festival 2012. The mega event will open with spectacular firework display and colorful cultural programs throughout the festival. You can enjoy live in concerts and jazz World by some of the world-renowned artists. For kids, the Dubai Dolphinarium will be putting up an exclusive show during Dubai Shopping Festival 2012. The Sound and Light Show on the pattern of renowned sound and light show in Egypt has been planned. The DSF Desert Camp offers you opportunities to enjoy exciting adventure activities like camel rides, quad bikes, and horse riding. 'Creations' will be organizing a number of fashion shows. You can also participate with your family in the Cartoon Shows featuring Pokémon, Casper, Tarzan, , Alligator and Dolphin; Fashion Week, Global Village; Carpet Oasis, Al Rostamani Aqua Fantasia and Children of the World Olympiad. Circus shows are other attraction of DSF 2012. Dining is also a major attraction of DSF where gourmets can satisfy their taste buds from delicious cuisines from all corners of the world. Sports lovers can also participate in sporting events including Open Tennis Championship, Hockey on Synthetic Surface, Ice Hockey, Football Tournament, Russian Ballet on Ice, and Skating and Rowing Championships.

Dubai Shopping Festival is not all about bargained shopping, but it also organizes a wide range of special events like business conventions, seminars, exhibitions, book fairs and Hope Opera for the Handicapped. The fascinating festival comes to an end with extravagantly magnificent closing ceremonies. With so much on offer, Dubai Shopping Festival 2012 promises to be a truly memorable shopping experience for residents and international visitors. Dubai Shopping Festival 2012 is expected to be even larger than DSF 2011 edition.

Dubai also organizes the famous Dubai Summer Surprises or Dubai Summer Festival in June-August every year which is regarded as the summer counterpart of Dubai Shopping Festival.

Dubai Shopping Festival official website: http://www.dubaievents.ae