History and Concept

DSF was launched at a time when people thought of coming

to Dubai mainly for business purposes. In those days, in
1996, family tourism was not the city's strengths.
Aim was to take the load off from oil supply being the key of
the countrys economic balance.
Was intelligently aligned with the holiday season.
Success of the first DSF highlighted the unique business
model of public-private sector partnerships that made a
strong base for the overall development of tourism in the
city.

History and Concept

In the recent years, DSF has become the worlds
must visit family attraction with something to
offer for everyone across all age groups.
DSF has created a benchmark for the world on
how to organize a shopping festival on a global
scale.
From massive discounts to great deals and
introduction of latest global brands, DSF has
become a global phenomenon in the past 20
years.

Aim and Schedule

To strengthen Dubais position as a leading tourist
destination and to stimulate the economic and tourism
sectors.
Highlight the cosmopolitan nature of the city.
Long-standing universal theme, One World. One Family. One
Festival.
20th edition of DSF, ran from January 1 to February 1, 2015.

Highlights of the Event

Year 2015 marks a special moment for DSF: It celebrates 20

years of success, becoming "the longest running and the
largest shopping festival in the world.
Its
contribution
to
economic
growth
has
been
mindboggling; attracting 56 million visitors to date and
leading to a total spend of over Dh145 billion in retail,
hospitality and entertainment.

Uniqueness of the Event

The organized integration between shopping from retailers in

Dubai and rejoicing and rejuvenating experiences through multiple
entertainments and events is a key point of differentiation as no
other international festival has managed to create a full
integration as Dubai shopping festival.
The initiative of DSF was differentiated by three major elements:
shopping, family entertainment and winning. Dubai would simply
transform into a festive city and offer customers a full season.

Visitors to the Event

The 20th edition of DSF is expected
to attract 4-4.5 million people
This year, they targeted the key
markets of China, Russia and India as
well as countries in the Middle East
and North Africa.

Key Sponsors for the Event

Brands associated with the Event

Brands associated with the Event

Brands associated with the Event

Raffle Draws and Bumper Prize

The Infiniti Mega Raffle gives one DSF shopper the opportunity to take
home a whopping prize worth AED 500,000 every day
The Nissan Grand Raffle will offer shoppers the opportunity to win a Nissan
car every day and as a DSF 20th Anniversary Special, a Nissan Patrol every
week
The Gold and Jewellery Mega Raffle is the biggest ever gold and jewellery
promotion, offering shoppers spending AED 500 at any of the participating
outlets the chance to win up to AED 15 million in prizes including 100 kg of
gold and 40 carats of diamond across 32 days of DSF
Shoppers spending a minimum AED 200 at participating malls have the
chance to win up to AED 1 million in prizes that will be given away in the
form of cash and shopping vouchers in this promotion run by the Dubai

Activities, Events and

Entertainment
Highly acclaimed Welsh National Opera with 75 seasoned
musicians to usher in the Event
Famous Filipino on-screen couple Daniel Padilla and Kathryn
Bernardo Live in Dubai
Arijit Singh, highly acclaimed Indian playback singer performing
with a 50-piece symphony orchestra
Sonu Nigam, in a 4-hour non-stop Bollywood musical
extravaganza
Award-winning, Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain; Bansuri player
Rakesh Chaurasia; percussionist Navin Sharma joined by Celtic
artistes
Traditional wear Fashion show called Abbati to put spotlight on
both regional and local abaya trends

Activities, Events and

Entertainment
The International Festival of Fashion Photography from Cannes
Celebrity Pop-up Shop for a unique shopping experience with celebrity
brands, celebrity appearances, autograph signings, photo opportunities
with stars and an interactive on-the-spot styling session.
Market Outside the Box, first sustainable fashion and lifestyle
marketplace featuring retailers operating out of stylishly refurbished
shipping containers
World premiere of Smurfs Live on Stage
Ripe Food & Craft Market for talented local artisans and small business
owners to showcase their businesses in an informal market environment
The Global Village, unique shopping experience at several pavilions,
each representing a different country
Carpet & Art Oasis, exhibition of some of the rarest and most unique
carpets and rugs from various well-known carpet producing countries of
the world (sales of more thanDh98 million)

Activities, Events and

Entertainment

9th longest-running musical Broadway show, MAMMA MIA

Romeo & Juliette- A classical Ballet performance performed by the
most acclaimed ballet company in Europe
Spectacular fireworks shows
Dubai International Kite Fest (DIKF) to break the Guinness World
Record for the most kites flown simultaneously
5th Gr8! Women Awards in the Middle East
Hankook 24H Dubai, 24-hour motorsport endurance race with over
80 touring and GT cars
A 3-day Theatre Fiesta, written by internationally acclaimed,
Bollywood writer, Gulzaar
Poetry evening to celebrate the Indian Republic Day with a host of
prominent Hindi and Urdu poets
Latin Art Fest

Key Venues
Al Seef Street
-this street lured everyone to its carnival-like vibe with firework and parade.
Al Rigga Street
-packed with amusing fun fair area, circus, astounding street performances,
great culinary delights
Promenade at Dubai Festival City
-fun fair, international dance shows and culture-oriented performances
Night Souks
-put up on the streets of Al Rigga and Al Seef provide entertainment
activities for children and family with fresh food and drinks and unique
gift items depicting local art and heritage

Key Venues
Al Fahidi Fort
Dubai Museum with audio-visual presentations and various other
art effects.
DSF Desert Camp
focuses on the Emirati heritage with appealing factors like camel
and horse rides along with barbecue facility and local food court
offering.
Carpet and Arts Oasis
Dubai Airport Expo with art pieces, carpets and other things of
artistry from all over the world.
Asianet Film Awards
- film festivals
Global Village
-Specialities of 50+ countries along with open air theme park and
talent shows

Challenges Faced
One year gap between the editions, resulting in the loss of
consumer engagement
Extensive coverage by media, pressure on organizers
Mega scale event, thus, integration and coordination between
different stakeholders
Keeping the event concept new and fresh in an increasingly
competitive market, where customer is educated about latest
international offerings
Funding of the Event, since the main department only funded the
initial marketing campaign, from where the private sector took over

Challenges Faced

2015, had been one of the toughest years for retail

business, sentiments were down
High-end brands had witnessed the steepest drop, affecting
the average transaction value of customers and the
margins retailers make
Geopolitical uncertainty, economic downturns in the
neighbouring countries translated into an unenthusiastic
outlook

Impact of DSF in positioning

Dubai at global scenario
Boom in business across key economic sectors including retail, aviation,
hospitality, and ancillary services like money exchange houses and travel
agencies.
Dubai's retail landscape has matured from traditional shops to more organised
consumer sales featuring local and international brands, chain stores, and
many others. "The influx of tourists during the Dubai Shopping Festival has
played an important role in turning "flyers into buyers" in the emirate.
18 % increase in Dubai Shopping Malls visitors
Travel sector 5 % growth
Money exchange house 10 % rise
9.8 million Visa card transactions of $1.5 billion
The upsurge in economic activity during DSF is also testament to the retail
sectors contribution to Dubais economy and the Dubai governments strategy
of using festivals and events to support tourism growth, as envisaged in Dubais
Tourism Vision 2020.

Conclusion

DSF is one of the most successful international retail

festivals and the success can be attributed to the
systematic planning and scientific approaches of Dubai
Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE)
One of the most distinguishing factors of this event is the
integration of different stakeholders and the successful
management at a micro and macro level.
The governments support to the festival and its system
actually motivates the participation of all retailers in the
event, which enhances the chances of a win-win result both
to DFRE and the participating stakeholders.

DSF 2015 in
Numbers