By Staff www.khaleejtimes.cz
DUBAI – Shoppers never had so good. Leading shopping malls in Dubai have extended their shopping hours to midnight in line with a joint initiative announced by the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), an agency of the Department of Economic Development and the organisers of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), and Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) in the wake of a huge influx of visitors to the malls in the first week of festival.
The joint initiative is aimed at giving extra shopping hours to DSF visitors in the malls and also help boost sales at retail outlets. It also reflects the close cooperation that exists between the DEPE, which is a key agency under the Department of Economic Development (DED), and the DSMG, an umbrella organisation of shopping malls in Dubai. More than 70 malls in Dubai are participating in the 32-day DSF.
Leading malls have now extended by two more hours their shopping hours during the weekends, a temporary departure from their regular mall timings of 10am to 10pm. Some of these malls will stay open till midnight everyday for the duration of the DSF, which ends on February 5, while some malls will keep their food courts open till 1am.
Commenting on the new mall timings, Laila Suhail, CEO of the DEPE, said: “We are pleased at the response of malls in Dubai to the initiative from DEPE and DSMG to extend their shopping hours. The DSF plays a pivotal role in influencing tourists to visit Dubai, and at the same time serves as a platform for retailers to showcase their offerings to a diverse audience. There are also numerous DSF events and activities that are being hosted by the malls, in addition to those taking place at main DSF destinations like Emaar Boulevard, Festival Promenade in Dubai Festival City and Global Village. Based on the fact that visitors from all over the world have been flocking to the malls in thousands right from the start of the DSF, it was crucial for the DEPE and our long-standing partner in the private sector, the DSMG, to take measures aimed at meeting the needs of both shoppers and retailers at these malls.
“These measures also fall in line with a key mandate of the DEPE, which is to ensure that the vibrant retail sector continues to be the engine of growth in Dubai. More mall hours would help increase sales at retail outlets located in the malls, generate more competition amongst the outlets, and make them offer superior quality products and the best deals. Excitement is running high among shoppers, and by keeping their doors open for a few more hours beyond their normal closing times, these malls will also help visitors enjoy their DSF in a relaxed ambience.”
Majid Al Ghurair, chairman of DSMG, said: “Dubai Shopping Malls Group is delighted to be a part of the DSF and play a role at bringing this shopping carnival to the people of Dubai. Leading malls across Dubai have extended shopping hours to the late hours of the night to ensure that customers have ample time to enjoy the sales, discounts and promotions brought to them by the various stores.
Weekend shopping hours have been extended to midnight in many malls including Al Ghurair Centre, Arabian Mall, Deira City Centre, BurJuman Centre, Reef Mall, The Dubai Mall, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Marina Mall, and Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta, Wafi, Mercato and Lamcy Plaza. Many of these malls will also remain open until midnight for the entire duration of DSF 2012. We salute the DEPE in this venture to position Dubai as the shopping capital of the world.”
