Dubai Shopping Festival (2008)

At the time of this article's publication, the 13th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) would have taken off to an all-round applause. The festival, which is being held from January 24 to February 24 (2008), is billed to attract 3.5 million visitors from all over the globe. The 32-day long festival is expected to be a boom period for Dubai's retailers and hoteliers, apart from other industry segments. One can expect to see a choke-a-block scenario developing across most shopping malls, Dubai hotels, resorts and Dubai hotel apartments during these four weeks. During the last year's DSF, Dubai hotels had announced record occupancy rates. The belief that Dubai can garner handsome returns by organizing this year's festivities, despite the fact that the world as a
whole was going through an economic slowdown, is a significant issue in itself.

The 13th Dubai Shopping Festival gains even more significance since the local administration has set a target of receiving 15 million visitors by the year 2010. With the beginning of some awe-inspiring projects in the shape of Dubailand, Dream Works
Animation theme park, and the Universe, which are bound to benefit the retailers, Dubai hotels and Dubai hotel apartments in a major way, the crowning glory of the Arabian skies - Dubai - is set to become one of the most visited places on earth in the near future. The emirate is bound to be further pushed by the festivities like DSF into garnering its set targets for the year 2010, i.e. to annually receive 15 million or more visitors, thereafter.

One should remember, however, Dubai's amazing rise in the map of world tourism did not take place overnight.
Much planning and material support had to be invested in before acquiring the city's present status. Billions got invested into the coveted projects like Burj Al Arab or Palm Islands before Dubai hotels, resorts and Dubai hotel apartments started showing
heightened activity. Money charms more money, one should say, and Dubai has mastered this art well, one might add further by looking at how speedily the city's landscape grew during the past few years.

Visitors can hope to be entertained by high-profile artists from all over the globe during this year's festivities. Fashion events, music concerts and fireworks displays will be held at various centers throughout the festival time. The festival will include Jazz music festival from February 21 at Dubai Media City, a concert by Carlos Santana at Dubai Festival City on February 15, and some young Indian performers - Shaan, Sunidhi Chauhan, and Sukhwinder Singh - at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on February 17.
Besides, the legendary Asha Bhosle, K.J. Yesudas, and S.P. Balasubramaniam are slated to entertain the audiences on January 25 at the Dubai Tennis Stadium again.

Dubai hotels, resorts, Dubai hotel apartments and flights landing in and taking off from Dubai are jam-packed with tourists these days. Airlines are flying extra sorties to lessen this burden. Travelers from all over the globe are converging at Dubai's international airport with each passing hour. The world had listened a lot about Dubai's wealth and charm. Now is the time to personally experience it.

Alessandro Dubaldo is the managing director at Dubaifurnishedapartments offering a wide selection of Dubai hotel apartments and Dubai apartments on short term rental on daily, weekly or monthly basis.