Shopping festival to draw people to Dubai

The spectacular Dubai Shopping Festival 2013 is expected to draw huge numbers of tourists to the UAE this month.Running throughout January, the retail extravaganza will see even more people exploring the city's many upmarket stores and shopping malls.In order to cater for the huge demand, Emirates will put on extra flights between Dubai and Jeddah on four days.The airline already operates two daily services between the destinations and bosses at the firm have announced that an extra A380 flight will be added on January 16th, 17th, 25th and 26th.Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates' vice president of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, said: "The A380 has received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Saudi market since it was introduced onto our Jeddah route in February 2010."He added that Saudi Arabia is an "incredibly important market" for Emirates and he hopes that people will take advantage of these extra offerings."With the range of amenities we have on board, including the world's first Onboard Shower Spas in first class, we are sure they won't be disappointed," Mr Al Ghaith continued.Saudi Arabian tourists are always keen to scour Dubai's most exclusive stores and they generally spend plenty of money when they visit the UAE.Jewellery, clothes and electronics merchants will be offering significant discounts throughout the shopping festival, so it will be easy for visitors to find a bargain or two.The festival has gone from strength to strength since it was first established in 1996 and it gets bigger and better every year.It was originally introduced by the Dubai government in order to encourage trade and now people flock to the emirate from all over the world.As well as the obligatory fireworks displays, street performers, jugglers and light shows, the event will feature a number of fashion parades, where some of the most talented designers on the planet will be able to showcase their latest garments to the appreciative public.