The 21st edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival will open on January 1 offering extraordinary experiences to residents and visitors from around the world.

The 32-day festival, running till February 1, will feature internationally renowned events , global celebrities and special family-oriented activities.  Millions of dirhams in prizes await shoppers in raffle promotions being launched by various establishments.

DSF 2016 will run under the tagline “Unwrap The Exceptional”  with visitors being offered the opportunity to rediscover their sense of wonder, happiness and excitement from a line-up of over 150 events and activities, said a statement from by organisers, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

DSF 2016 will elevate the festival’s three main pillars of shopping, winnings and entertainment through a range of events and activities for the whole family with its all-embracing slogan “One World. One Family. One Festival”,  bringing together people from different nationalities in a reflection of the cosmopolitan character of Dubai.

Helal Almarri, director general of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing (DTCM), said: “Dubai Shopping Festival is a highlight in the emirate’s year-round calendar of diverse and attractive events and a key driver of tourism growth. Returning for its 21st year in 2016, the festival is intrinsic to attracting tourists from close-proximity markets including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, other GCC neighbours and India in addition to visitors from further afield, especially those from China, Africa and Russia. Driving high tourism numbers at the start of the year, Dubai Shopping Festival also profiles the Emirate’s year-round retail and entertainment offering – one of the core pillars of Dubai’s overall tourism offer – and is a significant contributor to the economy of Dubai."

Laila Mohammad Suhail, CEO of DFRE, said: “Dubai Shopping Festival 2016 will refresh the experience for visitors by showcasing it as an extraordinary shopping journey rather than a mere sales season. Hence, our line-up of events, activities and promotions are built around the festival’s 2016 tagline “Unwrap The Exceptional”, which defines everything at the festival as a gift that is waiting to be uncovered and cherished. The tagline also reaffirms the fact that Dubai is at its best at this time of the year with an inspirational celebration that rewards by delivering exceptional experiences. – TradeArabia News Service