DUBAI’S annual winter party, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), lights up the emirates after a two-year gap.
Typically, with 3.3 million visitors coming to spend Dh6.67 billion the last time around, in 2005, hotels and airlines have put out some sweet deals.
The event, themed One World, One Family, One Festival, runs December 20 to February 2 and promises 45 days of family fun, entertainment and shopping.
Key sponsor and official carrier for the 11th time running, Emirates Airline, is offering all its passengers hotel deals for as little as $66 per person per night on a twin-sharing basis. Valid through the event with a choice of accommodation from 18 select properties, these must be for a minimum of three nights and are inclusive of breakfast and airport transfers.
Dubai’s JW Marriott Hotel has a special all-inclusive deal, called Shopaholics Escape, with rates from Dh1400 to Dh1600 and valid between December 1 and February 28. Included are deluxe guestroom accommodation and full buffet breakfast for two, complimentary Dh100 Harvey Nichols store voucher, private transportation to a preferred shopping centre, a 30-minute reflexology massage and airport transfers.
Travel distributors further afield are making money off the event, too: UK-based Libra Holidays is currently offering short breaks to Dubai for the January sales with Etihad Airways. A four-night break in January with accommodation for two at the four-star Jebel Ali Golf Resort Hotel and return transfers from Abu Dhabi airport costs £899 ($1721) per person. Pg9: DSF Preview