Sunday, Nov 16, 2008
Gulf News
Dubai: Dubai is all set to welcome Eid in Dubai - the new initiative by the Dubai Shopping Festival Office as various sectors look to replicate a successful season of economic and social activity witnessed during Eid Al Fitr.
The inaugural edition of Eid in Dubai saw the retail sector come up with an array of shopping promotions and the event itself was lauded within social and economic circles as a pioneering effort in bringing together a multi-cultural society to celebrate a festive season.
"As an addition to our existing portfolio of world-class events, Eid in Dubai is part of our strategy in line with Dubai's aim to attract 15 million visitors by 2015. This endeavour has been the result of the DSF Office's effort to position Dubai as one among the preferred destinations in the world," said Laila Suhail, chief executive of Dubai Shopping Festival Office.
"Eid in Dubai will be a prominent addition to regional and international visitor itineraries due to the nature of high-quality events and the short period of festivities, which is one of the deciding factors looked into by tourists and visitors today," she added.
Government and private sector participants in Eid in Dubai have affirmed their support and expressed their eagerness to be part of Eid Al Adha celebrations after the huge response they received during Eid Al Fitr.
Alya Al Mutawa, general manager of marketing and corporate communications at wasl - the asset management group owned by Dubai Real Estate Corporation said, "As part of our corporate social responsibility programme, wasl is committed to participating in events that significantly enrich our communities and underscore our deep-rooted values."
Fouad Sharaf, vice president of Mall of the Emirates, stressed the impact of the event on Arab visitors and especially those from GCC saying Eid in Dubai acted as a catalyst to bring together different people from many regions for one celebration. He also stated that the cultural impact of the event was evident from the increasing number of foreign visitors who were keen on exploring Arab customs and traditions.
Gulf News 2008. All rights reserved.
