Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

The 2020 marks a landmark year for the United Arab Emirates and specifically Dubai as the city celebrates the milestone 25th edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and prepares itself to host the highly anticipated Expo 2020.

The latest edition of DSF, which will start on 26 December 2019 and will run until 1 February 2020, will not only commemorates the launch of the global retail festival in 1996 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, but also celebrates the accomplishments of the city to date, signifying a time for reflection of the glorious past, as well as looking ahead to increase the momentum. Dubai’s annual calendar is packed with an array of activities, festivals and events throughout the year, and will reach a crescendo with the opening of the mega Expo 2020 in October.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) said: “As 2020 shapes up to be a pivotal year, we are committed to fostering synergies and ensuring ongoing collaboration amongst all stakeholders and entities to consolidate and further strengthen Dubai’s position as a global retail hub. With the emirate expected to host millions of visitors, our Retail Calendar 2020 featuring a wide range of distinct festivals and events including the iconic Dubai Shopping Festival is set to provide year-round activities and special experiences for everyone to enjoy. To be able to develop a robust Retail Calendar, which is synchronised with global cycles as well as conforming to the city’s strategic vision, we have continued to work closely with our Strategic Partners in the retail industry to ensure that they are all aligned with, and are able to benefit from the various plans and initiatives for the successful delivery of festivals and events and to help further boost Dubai’s retail sector.”

The 25th edition of DSF will kick off with remarkable celebrations to commemorate the special edition, and will include a series of concerts by Emirati and international singers, cultural and family-oriented performances, stand-up comedy shows and street carnivals, as well as sales of up to 90 per cent across more than 3,500 retail outlets. In addition to the daily chances to win life-changing prizes and spectacular firework shows, the entire city will come alive and be at its best to celebrate the momentous occasion.

The shopping festival will take place across 38 days and all retailers and malls will come together to offer great promotions and sales to provide residents and visitors a rewarding experience during the milestone edition. DSF has evolved immensely over the years and contributed to the positioning of Dubai as a global shopping destination. The enormous success achieved by DSF year after year has encouraged retailers and partners to invest in building more malls and expanding existing ones, making it even more attractive for global brands to set up shop in the city. DSF is also instrumental in attracting international visitors who wish to make the most of the promotions and world-class events that are held in Dubai, and participate in the daily raffles offering incredible prizes.

DFRE CEO Ahmed Al Khaja stressed that the collaborative efforts undertaken by the private and public sectors contributed to the rapid development of Dubai’s retail sector. DFRE also strives to ensure that Strategic Partners and retailers meet regularly to discuss important retail initiatives and leverage all efforts to achieve the goals of Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-2025.

DSF is the flagship event of DFRE’s ever-evolving annual Retail Calendar, which features 18 festivals, events, season launches, holiday periods and sales throughout the year.

The programme offer retailers the opportunity to run customer-centric promotions and activations, which in turn drive footfall and increase sales. The  Retail Calendar 2020 will reaffirm Dubai’s continued international standing as a must-visit shopping destination, enabling continued growth of the retail sector which is expected to reach an estimated Dhs160.7 billion by 2021. Commenting on this, Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of DFRE said: “The Retail Calendar is a collaboration between the Department of Economic Development and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, as well as the private sector.