Dubai Shopping Festival boosts Emirates business

Dubai - The 21 year-old partnership between Emirates and the DSF has been one that has seen much growth and benefit for both entities.

The ongoing Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has boosted the Emirates airline number of passengers five per cent this year, according to its top official.
The 21 year-old partnership between Emirates and the DSF has been one that has seen much growth and benefit for both entities, especially with Emirates growing its airline business at a high rate in a short space of time.
During an interview, Shaikh Majid Al Mulla, Emirates' senior vice president Commercial Operations Centre, reaffirmed the importance of DSF where it essentially created a special season designed for tourists.
Al Mulla stated that DSF has contributed to a five per cent increase in the number of passengers on Emirates airline flights when compared to the same period last year.
"Our goal as a company is to support all initiatives that help in strengthening Dubai's position as an international hub for shopping, trade and business. This helps us continue to grow and expand into new markets while being able to promote the amazing attractions that are in Dubai to the rest of the world. We are stronger when we all work together for a common cause," he elaborated.
Responding a question, he said: "The DSF has certainly had a positive impact on increase in visitor traffic to Dubai, especially from India and the GCC. In fact our passenger occupancy rates have been high throughout the month, reaching an 85 per cent average. Other new promising markets are Sweden and Spain which have seen a decent sized group of tourists travelling to the UAE."
As for bookings, there are a number of countries with notable increases including Sweden which has increased by 55 per cent; Qatar by 50 per cent; Spain by 25 per cent; US by 20 per cent; Russia by 15 per cent; China by 12 per cent and Saudi by six per cent.
Festivals and events, whether they are centered on shopping, culture, sports, social or even artistic, play a huge role in attracting different demographics of tourists. Since Dubai is a prime tourist destination, such festivals are a really important factor in encouraging footfall as it gives visitors another facet to enjoy and derive value from during their stay.
Emirates airlines started flying to a total of six new destinations in 2015, including - Bali in Indonesia; Multan in Pakistan; Orlando in the United States; Mashhad in Iran; Bologna in Italy and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Turkey. There is no doubt that new destinations lead to increased tourism in Dubai. We are keen on creating job opportunities for individuals and corporations in the UAE, especially Dubai.
"The GCC is one of our most important markets with customers of high purchasing power. In January, we added extra flights to GCC destinations due to the increase in demand," he said.
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com