With Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) now over for another year, the annual retail festival’s key strategic partners are celebrating one of the best editions yet.

Held over 10 weeks of family fun, incredible shopping and unforgettable moments, DSS thrilled residents and visitors from 1 July to 4 September. More than 625 unique and exciting events and activations took place during DSS, while the festival’s great final sale weekend saw 589 brands and 1,972 stores drop prices by as much as 90 per cent over three days of supercharged shopping.

Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), this year’s DSS promoted Dubai as a fun, open, welcoming and safe destination with all of the participating venues, stores and malls following the important health and safety procedures, including social distancing and the wearing of masks at all times.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said “This year’s DSS will live in the memory as one of the festival’s best ever editions. For 2021, DSS expertly showcased Dubai as the number one summer destination for shoppers, families and everyone who enjoys great experiences, fun activities and life-changing prizes. The annual retail event is eagerly anticipated each year, and the line-up of promotions, sales and more did not disappoint with residents and visitors able to explore every part of the city, from tourist landmarks to much-loved local restaurants and cafes. DSS is proud of its status as a main economic driver for the city and a major part of Dubai’s calendar of events that attracts visitors from around the UAE, the region and further afield. We’re proud to have once again worked so closely with our strategic partners, including retailers and key national champion companies, to create 10 weeks of wonderful moments for families and shoppers that has served as the ideal build up to the start of Expo 2020 Dubai in October and the UAE’s Golden Jubilee in December.  We all look forward to hosting the 25^th edition of DSS next year.”

Michel Ayat, CEO of AWR Automotive, said: “This year’s Dubai Summer Surprises marked 24 years of exceptional customer satisfaction, happiness and service. Our annual partnership with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment once again stands as a testament to our continuous commitment to meet and surpass the desires of our customers for over 50 years and toward the next 50, in line with the vision of our wise leadership, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Customer sentiment towards DSS was extremely positive, and we pledge to continuously raise the bar of customer experiences and services in pursuit of their happiness and satisfaction. For the 2021 edition of the festival, Nissan and Renault offered great prices on their line-up, including 2021 and 2022 models, while six INFINITI cars were raffled by DFRE to lucky winners. We are grateful to our loyal customers and look forward to welcoming everyone again next year for another season of savings, happiness, and special offers.”

HE Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO, ENOC said: “The 24th edition of DSS witnessed positive response across our retail outlets with customers enjoying value-added offers. The success of DSS has reiterated that Dubai is safe and ready to welcome everyone and offers a comfortable shopping environment for residents and tourists alike. ENOC is committed to supporting the DFRE activities and we congratulate them for delivering yet another successful edition of Dubai Summer Surprises which continues to catalyse Dubai’s retail sector.”

Abdullah Salem Al Mana, General Manager, Dubai Region – Etisalat, said: “As a key sponsor, Etisalat is proud to be associated with Dubai Summer Surprises, a significant contributor to the UAE’s retail and tourism economy. This summer, we received an overwhelming response to our special offers and wide portfolio of products and services. This is indeed a great indicator that successful events such as DSS have a positive impact on the retail sector and continue to enhance Dubai’s position as a year-round tourist destination.”

Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand, Emirates Group, said: “Dubai continues to feature on many travellers’ must visit list this year, with endless shopping, incredible experiences for every taste and a myriad of new attractions, all while safeguarding the health and wellbeing of visitors. Emirates has been a key sponsor of DSS since its early days, helping to position our home city as an exciting getaway for summer. With another successful conclusion to DSS, we’re committed to our ongoing support for Dubai as it continues to demonstrate to the world why it’s one of the top leisure and business destinations.”

NisreenBoustani, PR and Communications Manager of Mercato and Town Centre Jumeirah, said: “Dubai Summer Surprises has been a great success, with residents and visitors enjoying the summer and safe shopping in the city. Throughout DSS, we witnessed a remarkable recovery, with a 50 per cent increase in footfall and 35 per cent increase in sales at both malls as customers ventured out to spend. Shoppers have taken advantage of great promotions and mega-sales during DSS, with a return to spending on homeware, fashion and entertainment. In addition, our exciting line up of events brought people together to enjoy the international circus fiesta, Mercato’s giant slide and a weekly cash prize worth AED 10,000. We look forward to welcoming Expo 2020, the UAE’s biggest event, as Dubai brings the world together in 2021.”

Shahram Shamsaee, CEO, Merex Investment, said: “Dubai Summer Surprises has always been a time for citywide celebration representing a fun-packed summer for all. This year, visitors across City Walk, The Beach and La Mer were delighted to dive into exciting, family friendly experiences in a safe and controlled environment. At City Walk, we hosted Hotel Transylvania and the Smurfs activations, both of which were hugely successful with kids and families; the campaign had a significant impact on footfall as families lined-up to meet the popular cartoon characters. At The Beach, we kicked off ‘The Summer Code’, which featured great deals for the family, and launched ‘Splash fest’ at La Mer, an epic outdoor inflatable waterpark that was an absolute treat for kids. As a destination operator with a finger on the pulse of the community’s evolving needs, we are already looking forward to next year’s edition.”

Omar Khoory, Chief Assets and Hospitality Officer at Nakheel, said: “We congratulate Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment for yet another successful edition of Dubai Summer Surprises. Every year, Nakheel leverages DSS as a platform to engage with customers in innovative ways, spotlighting special offers and activations, and rewarding visitors with compelling cash prizes. With one of the largest prize pools for the festival, our Spend & Win campaigns at Ibn Battuta Mall and Nakheel Mall at Palm Jumeirah attracted a record number of shoppers this year. As DSS 2021 draws to a close, we look forward to introducing our line-up of exciting experiences for Q4, including the upcoming festive season.”

At Al Khawaneej Walk, families, friends and people of all ages enjoyed a host of exciting activations including the Modesh and Dana Maze while a unique styling competition at The Outlet Village and incredible offers at Bluewaters, Al Seef and Souk Madinat Jumeirah delighted residents and visitors. Citywide activities highlighted how DSS’s strategic partners effectively catered to a diverse range of regional and international visitors as well residents from across the UAE, with Dubai once again proving that it can successfully and safely host unforgettable events.

Dubai Summer Surprises is supported by Key Sponsor RAKBANK MasterCard and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Group (Dubai Festival City Mall and Dubai Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Group, Dubai Holding, Emirates Airline, ENOC, Etisalat, Majid Al Futtaim (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira), Merex and Nakheel (Ibn Battuta Mall, Nakheel Mall and Circle Mall).

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