DSS set to ride on recovery signs

Dubai is pulling out all stops to ensure Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2009 keeps the momentum witnessed during last year's summer shopping festival, which hosted 2.1 million visitors, according to a top executive. Laila Suhail, CEO, Dubai Shopping Festival, told Emirates Business: "Two weeks into the retail registration, more than a thousand retail outlets have registered for the four-month long shopping promotion that will include DSS, the Back-to-School season, Ramadan, and 'Eid in Dubai', and this number is expected to increase as process of registration is ongoing. We had about 4,000 retail outlets registered during DSS 2008." This year's DSS will be run for 65 days from June 11 to August 14. The shopping festival is focused on family entertainment with special promotions for children and young people. Asked if the early signs of the economy reviving have encouraged the various stakeholders, Suhail said: "Definitely. Despite the current challenging circumstances, the government is in complete co-operation with various private sector industries to come together and create an environment for visitors and residents to make the most of what Dubai offers." She said: "The DSF Office has led many initiatives, especially in the retail sector, to discuss how various entities can benefit through mutual co-operation." A key sponsor for the 12th edition of DSS this year, Emirates airline has recently launched the "Kids Go Free" promotion for families from select destinations when they visit Dubai with Emirates. The promotion, which will run up to September 20, has been developed to further attract international visitors to Dubai for DSS, by having one child under the age of 16 years fly free and up to a maximum of two children stay, eat and play in Dubai for free when travelling with two paying adults. "We believe this promotion will further push up travel to Dubai," said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates' Senior Vice-President Commercial Operations, Gulf, Middle East and Iran. Thirty-three hotels in Dubai are participating in the promotion with a hotel to suit every family's budget and preference, from a six star luxury hotel to serviced apartments, according to the DFS Office. Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (Emarat), along with its partners, will be participating in a promotion, which will be launched among the activities of the shopping festival. Hussain Kazim, Emarat's spokesperson, said the firm has recorded a satisfying increase in its sales during the DSS last year. "This increase was achieved through unique promotions and valuable prizes which were offered to our customers," he said. Retailers in Dubai are also gearing up for the shopping festival. Tom Miles, Director- Shopping Centres, Al Futtaim Group Real Estate, told Emirates Business: "We once again expect an influx of domestic and regional visitors to a slew of family entertainment programmes to further enhance the unique shopping experience. While we are part of the city-wide promotional activities, the Festival Centre has its own innovations in the form of special events for all age groups." He said: "The growth in footfall at Festival Centre in the first quarter of 2009 as well as the healthy increase in our entourage of brands by 40 new stores leads us to believe that the Centre will remain a very attractive proposition for DSS visitors as well as the residents of UAE." Shahram Shamsaee, Senior Vice-President, Shopping Malls at MAF (Majid Al Futtaim) Properties, said: "DSS attracts and promotes huge tourism. We expect a lot but are also cautiously optimistic that it will be a successful event like previous years while keeping in mind the realities of the marketplace." The Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre will form a part of MAF's DSS promotions and activities. Nakheel Retail Shopping Malls has a number of events scheduled for the DSS 2009. "We have a strong line-up of promotions throughout the nine weeks of summer, which have been developed on the theme of celebration," said David Thurling, Managing Director of Nakheel Retail Shopping Malls. "Our focus is on adding value, and are launching initiatives designed to entice new local customers as well as tourists and visitors, such as Dubai's first roller rink to be launched later this month at Ibn Battuta Mall," he said. Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the daily Emirates Business 24|7 newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here .