Dates confirmed for 19th Dubai Shopping Festival

Hotel owners in the UAE can start to prepare for the 19th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) after organisers confirmed the dates for the event.

The month-long retail extravaganza will get underway on January 2nd and is expected to be bigger and better than ever.

According to Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, the previous 18 instalments of the event attracted 47 million visitors, who pumped an additional AED 114 billion (£19.95 billion) into the city's economy.

With a multitude of stores spread across the emirate's record-breaking malls, Dubai is a haven for shopaholics all year round, but there is a noticeable upturn in purchasing activity when the festival is taking place.

Laila Suhail, chief executive of DFRE, explained why the body has decided to release the dates of the event so early.

'By announcing the dates now four months before DSF 2014 commences, we can provide everyone involved in organising the event - from retailers to hotel operators and travel agents here and overseas - adequate time for planning, preparing and implementing an extensive lineup of high-quality events and shopping promotions,' she remarked.

Ms Suhail added that - with the help of sponsors and partners - organisers of the event can follow through with their promise to deliver an 'unforgettable experience' to millions of people from all over the world.

Events of this nature are crucial if Dubai's government is to achieve its target of attracting 20 million people to the city annually by 2020.

Aside from the DSF, tourism chiefs also came up with the Dubai Summer Surprises festival, which encouraged a greater number of people to visit the sheikhdom in the warmer months. 

Visitor numbers tend to drop off during this period, but the summer festival - coupled with the Eid celebrations - helped to attract a new wave of holidaymakers this year.

No doubt many of Dubai's hoteliers will have already started to take bookings ahead of next year's festivities.