Hot deals to attract more tourists this DSF

As the 17th Dubai Shopping Festival gets under way, hotels are enticing tourists with attractive promotions and discount rates. While Hotel Pullman Dubai, Mall of the Emirates, is offering a Shopping Getaway package, the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City, Arabian Courtyard and Spa, Al Manzil Hotel Old Town, and Qamardeen Hotel have come up with special room rates. Burkhard Wolter, general manager of the Kempinski Hotels and Residences, Palm Jumeirah, says he expects no less than 300 occupied rooms per night during the shopping festival, referring to the hotel's Stay 4 Pay 3 offer to all GCC residents. Last DSF, the occupancy at city hotels rose to 100 per cent. This has led experts from Dubai's hospitality industry to predict yet another huge boost to occupancy figures this year. Article continues below Ebrahim Saleh, Coordinator General and Deputy CEO for Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment, says, "In the past three or four years, the DSF has attracted on an average three million visitors and registered total spending in excess of Dh10 billion every year. DSF has become a magnet for tourists as it offers value for money deals in every sphere of activity, whether it is retail, hotel or tourism." "We predict this will be quite a busy period again for us, as the Dubai Shopping Festival has always attracted tourists from all over the globe. As DSF coincides with the GCC school holiday period, we expect occupancy rates of 80 per cent in Dubai," says Leonard Theng, director of sales and marketing, Hotel Pullman Dubai, Mall of the Emirates. Abdo Kayali, complex director of sales and marketing, Southern Sun Al Manzil and Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotels, says, "We have scheduled a free shuttle bus service every hour to take shoppers to the Dubai Mall, Ibn Battuta Mall and Mall of the Emirates." It's not just the malls. Travel agents and airlines too have jumped on board the DSF boat. Dubai Link Tours is offering discounted room packages for tourists at select hotels. Emirates Holidays has also unveiled their special packages for tourists.