Dubai’s Biggest Corporate Entities to Play Significant Role in Ensuring Success of Dubai Summer Surprises

As the spotlight falls on the 21stedition of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), the organisers, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has drawn up plans in collaboration with leading corporate groups to ensure the success of the region’s most famous summer shopping season. The festival is part of efforts to keep up business momentum in the retail sector and further enhance the emirate’s position as a summer destination of choice for families from around the world.

The much-awaited DSS runs this year from 22 June to 4 August, offering an exciting six-week programme of events and activities aimed at offering residents and visitors the opportunity to take advantage of numerous retail promotions and unbeatable deals from an extensive range of top home-grown and international brands. There will also be a wide range of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of DFRE, said:“Since its inception in 1998, Dubai Summer Surprises has capitalised on the fast paced prosperity and development of the city of Dubai to become one of the most awaited summer events in the region that helps keep the emirate attractive to visitors and shoppers. This has been possible mainly due to the outstanding support of leading business groups that have consistently contributed with great passion and zeal towards the success of such government-driven initiatives. For the 21stedition of DSS, we are delighted to continue our close collaboration with our Strategic Partners and other stakeholders to ensure that retailers, residents and visitors have a memorable summer season, which started with Ramadan in Dubai and Eid in Dubai, followed by Modhesh World.

“This year too, the support of our partners is immeasurable and this is evident in the line-up of unmissable sales, super deals of the week and launches by top brands, as well as exciting promotions and diverse engagements that we have developed for families and children at participating malls. A noteworthy feature of this DSS is the Dubai Pass, an incentive to encourage more people to participate in, and enjoy the summer extravaganza, as it offers a 60 per cent discount on over 30 attractions across Dubai”.

DSS is supported by Strategic Partners which include; Emirates Airlines, Emaar Malls (The Dubai Mall), Majid Al Futtaim Properties, AW Rostamani Group, Al Futtaim Group (Dubai Festival City), Nakheel Malls (Ibn Battuta Mall, Dragon Mart 1, Dragon Mart 2), Dubai Duty Free, ENOC, Al Zarooni Group (Mercato), Meraas and Etisalat. 

Dubai Summer Surprises is part of Dubai’s annual Retail Calendar that features major retail-based festivals, new season launches, mega sales and exclusive retail experiences and attractions aimed at further enhancing the retail sector, a main contributor towards Dubai’s economy.

Emirates Airlines

Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Centre, said:  “We are happy to see a strong debut of Dubai Summer Surprises this year with a robust range of activities resulting in bustling shopping malls, exciting events and promotions happening around the city. Visitors that Emirates is bringing to Dubai from the GCC, Germany, the UK, India, Australia, New Zealand and Africa during this period are coming to avail the best deals or simply enjoy their summer, and this further establishes Dubai as a centre of a broad range of events that appeal to a wide spectrum of travellers and visitors.”

Emaar Malls (The Dubai Mall)

Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Malls, said: “In its 21st edition, Dubai Summer Surprises 2018 brings forth yet another season of exciting activities across all Emaar Malls destinations including The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall. Our shopping malls and community centres have readied to welcome families and assure that children have the most memorable time during this much-awaited summer extravaganza. Emaar Malls is committed to the initiative that is line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a year-round destination. Our malls have witnessed robust activity during Dubai Summer Surprises in the past and we are confident of a great response this year as well. “

Majid Al Futtaim Properties

Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Managing Director for Majid Al Futtaim Properties, Shopping Malls (UAE, Bahrain & Oman), said: “Dubai Summer Surprises is the highlight event of Dubai’s entertainment and culture calendar. Every year, we offer exciting and innovative shopping and leisure experiences that has attracted millions of visitors to our six malls in Dubai during this six-week period. This year too, the key driver of footfall to our malls will be our exclusive promotions during DSS.  We’ve also found that during summer, our visitors are looking for a destination that provides a holistic experience indoors for the entire family. DSS is the ideal platform for us to deliver novel experiences, such as our 12-hour sale, football-inspired activation and games and international live shows, which we are certain will boost our footfall during the festival

AW Rostamani Group

Michel Ayat, CEO of Arabian Automobiles, the flagship Company of AW Rostamani Group and the exclusive dealer for Nissan, INFINITI and Renault in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, said: “Arabian Automobiles is always proud to be contributing to the annual Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) fiesta. The occasion affords brands the opportunity to identify their loyal customers and establish relationships with first-time buyers.   Though the season had only just begun, we are already receiving valuable feedback that is helping us adjust our strategies to best cater to our customers and their needs, and improving upon our efforts of aligning with the long-term vision of DSS. 

“Our partnership with DSS is valuable because it contributes to turning new buyers into brand enthusiasts, and this year, we have incorporated unique offers that feature additional savings and benefits for our customers, whose validation of our efforts is of the utmost importance for us. We are proud of our long-lasting partnership with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), which consistently promotes Dubai as a favourite tourist destination which in turn helps in the growth of the Dubai economy.”

Al Futtaim Group (Dubai Festival City)

Steven Cleaver, Director – Shopping Malls, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate said, “As DSS is one of the most popular shopping festivals in the UAE, we have worked closely with our retailers to make sure that we wow our shoppers with incredible offers and, over 200 hundred winners will get the chance to take away prizes from Dubai Festival City Mall. To entertain our shoppers, we are bringing a first-of-its-kind Lego Ninjago experience to Dubai along with a full schedule of exciting events and activities for all family members. Together with Dubai Tourism, we will bring shoppers six weeks of the best on-ground entertainment and drive great sales in Dubai.”

Nakheel Malls (Ibn Battuta Mall, Dragon Mart 1, Dragon Mart 2)

Omar Khoory, Managing Director, Nakheel Malls, said: “I am delighted to confirm Nakheel Malls’ continued support for DFRE as a strategic partner for Dubai Summer Surprises 2018. We are proud to present a wide range of exciting family entertainment, activities and attractions at Ibn Battuta Mall and Dragon Mart for the 21st edition of DSS. These include live shows, interactive workshops and prizes that capture the spirit of the festival. We look forward to a successful DSS that will further consolidate Dubai’s positioning as a leading global retail destination.”

Dubai Duty Free

Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, Dubai Duty Free, said:  “We are proud to continue as a Strategic Partner of this annual summer event which is usually accompanied with a lot of local expatriate travel through Dubai International and Al Maktoum International Airport and shop at Dubai Duty Free. We will see a great increase in passengers specially as the busy summer season picks up a notch and our aim is to sustain the momentum by selling to about half of the people passing the two airports.”

ENOC

His Excellency Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC, said: “We are honoured to be part of the 21st edition of Dubai Summer Surprises. DSS brings a diverse range of retail offerings, hotel stays, indoor attractions, events and celebrations at significant discounts and savings during the summer. Our commitment to offering our customers and visitors of Dubai outstanding services and products is aligned with DSS objectives, and demonstrates Dubai’s positioning as the best summer destination for all family members.”

Al Zarooni Group (Mercato)

Ms. Nisreen Boustani, PR & Corporate Communications Manager of Mercato said: Mercato is pleased to be a Strategic Partner of DFRE and has been associated with Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) since its inception. With the 21stedition of DSS back this year, Mercato has an array of activities and events to make summer thoroughly enjoyable including dazzling entertainment, irresistible sales and the chance to win amazing prizes.

“Mercato will run an exciting DSS ‘Shop and Win’ promotion and host a variety of fun events and activities for shoppers to enjoy. Starting from 22 June until 4 August, the mall will be transformed into a mini-World Cup arena with football inspired decor, a carnival theme with dedicated entertainment zones, and for the first time in the region, adults and kids can slide from our first floor into a goal to experience the ultimate adrenaline rush. What’s more, shoppers who spend AED 200 get the chance to win a brand-new Yukon Denali or a dream family holiday to Thailand.” 

Meraas

Sally Yacoub, Chief Malls Officer at Meraas said: “Meraas is a strategic partner of DFRE and we are thrilled to participate in this edition of Dubai Summer Surprises 2018. Our destinations are an integral part of  Dubai’s dynamic retail landscape and we are excited to contribute to the overall objective of making Dubai a great summer destination. We will continue to offer an exciting array of surprise discounts, entertainment and value added offers for visitors and shoppers to City Walk, Boxpark, The Beach, The Outlet Village, Al Seef and La Mer through the six-week-long summer shopping bonanza. We have no doubt that DSS will be a massive success, with shoppers enjoying amazing experiences” 

Etisalat 

Abdullah Al Mana, General Manager, Dubai Region – Etisalat, said: “Dubai Summer Surprises, which is now on its 21st year, continues to attract local, regional and international visitors to the UAE and Etisalat is proud to be at the heart of one of Dubai's biggest and most popular events. As part of our corporate responsibility and strategic partnership with Dubai Festival and Retail Establishment, we are delighted to be part of the DSS, which has been a strong contributor to the city’s tourism and retail sector growth. Residents and visitors can expect special packages and our wide portfolio of services and offers, giving them a memorable experience of the event.”