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Shopping Festivals could Play a Role in Boosting Tourism

Hoteliers, mall managers and tourism officials have been working together to develop an incentive package, the details of which are unclear.

Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) in 2006-7 attracted 3.5 million visitors, and it is believed that a larger event will be planned to encourage more people to visit Dubai.

Few would be willing to give details of the content of the plans, other than confirm that they were being drawn up.

“We are in discussion with all the sectors of the industry,” said Essa Ibrahim, Chairman of Burjuman Centre. “We are talking about how to encourage more people to come here to Dubai. The retail sector can play a large role. A lot of people come to the DSF and it has been very successful in promoting tourism.”

According to figures provided by the World Trade Organisation, tourism to the Middle East grew by 17 per cent from January to August. More recent figures are not yet available.

“Tourism across the world will suffer during the economic crisis,” said spokesman for UK-based World Travel and Tourism Council, a body which monitors global tourism trends. “However, it may be that tourism to the Middle East will suffer less than it does elsewhere.”

Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, marketing manager for DTCM, also said that no official update of the statistics were available, but that tourism had not yet suffered markedly.

“We all know that the world is in a recession,” he said. “The question is how are going to be ready for that recession. This is why we are working on a large marketing effort, so we can be ready when it comes. The plans should be out soon, maybe by next week. We will reveal details then.”

martin@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE