Dubai unveils expanded 2026-27 promotions calendar with new Electronics Festival

Dubai: Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) has unveiled an expanded promotions calendar for 2026-27, including the launch of a dedicated 10-day Electronics Festival in April 2027, as part of efforts to reinforce the emirate's position as a leading global destination for shopping, tourism and entertainment. The announcement was made during the Dubai Promotions Impact forum, hosted by the Retail, Hospitality & Tourism (RHT) Focus Group of IBPC Dubai. The new Electronics Festival was introduced following industry feedback seeking a platform similar to the former GITEX Shopper event. The initiative forms part of Dubai's broader strategy to support retail sector growth through year-round events and enhanced consumer experiences. The forum brought together representatives from DET, NielsenIQ and leading retailers to discuss consumer trends, Dubai's promotional roadmap and opportunities for sustainable growth in one of the world's fastest-growing retail markets. Integrated approach to growth Mohammed Feras Arayqat, Acting Vice President of Retail Calendar and Promotions at DET, said Dubai's promotional events generate benefits across multiple sectors. “A successful festival brings traffic to restaurants, malls, hotels and attractions. This integrated approach is at the heart of Dubai Calendar,” he said. Arayqat noted that Dubai's events calendar has expanded significantly over the past decade, growing from 12 annual events to more than 80. Among the flagship initiatives is the 29th edition of Dubai Summer Surprises, which includes the Great Dubai Summer Sale, Back-to-School campaigns and the "Win Your Home in Dubai" promotion. He also revealed that DET is working with payment networks and strategic partners to develop an advanced retailer insights dashboard that will provide businesses with deeper analysis of consumer spending patterns, high-growth retail categories, location performance and market trends. Speaking about artificial intelligence, Arayqat said technology should support rather than replace business strategy. “We look at AI as complementary. It supports our wider initiatives,” he said. Retail sector remains resilient Presentations by NielsenIQ highlighted the resilience of the UAE retail sector despite changing consumer behaviour. According to the latest market data: UAE FMCG sales grew by 7.3% E-commerce accounts for 13% of FMCG sales Online channels generate more than 30% of technology and durable goods revenue 46% of consumers are actively monitoring their spending Online retail grew by 23%, compared with 2.4% growth for offline channels The speakers said retailers should increasingly focus on value-driven and targeted promotions rather than broad discounting strategies. Key shopping periods such as Ramadan, Dubai Shopping Festival, Back-to-School campaigns and Black Friday continue to drive consumer demand. They also highlighted continued growth in the UAE's AED8.7 billion consumer electronics market, supported by strong e-commerce adoption, convenience and evolving customer expectations. New retail industry platform Closing the forum, Dr Sahitya Chaturvedi, Secretary-General of IBPC Dubai, highlighted the scale of Dubai's AED228 billion retail economy, noting that visitor spending continues to support growth across sectors including luxury goods, fashion, jewellery, perfumes and food. He also announced the launch of the inaugural IBPC Retail Festival, scheduled to take place on 1st October 2026. The event is intended to serve as a platform for policymakers, industry leaders and businesses to discuss the future of retail in the UAE. “The discussions reinforced that as Dubai's promotional calendar continues to expand and consumer expectations evolve, closer collaboration between government and industry, supported by data, innovation and customer-centric strategies, will remain central to sustaining growth across the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors,” Dr Chaturvedi said.