Ramadan night market to open in Dubai

A night market is set to launch in Dubai during Ramadan with retailers from around the region selling a variety of quirky products and speciality foods.The Ramadan Night Market will host up to 300 independent retailers over 10 days in the Dubai World Trade Centre and will sit alongside the Majlis tent and the Sports World complex. "It's going to be a hustling, bustling place," said Sunil Jaiswal, chief executive of Sumansa Exhibitions, the organiser of the event. "It's going to be a different shopping experience than going to a mall." The market will have a number of different categories of retailers, including food from around world, garments, accessories, electronics and health and beauty. The organisers expect 2,000 visitors per day and have already had double the amount of requests from retailers to open stores than the space available. "We are targeting retailers from the Middle East and further afield because a lot look at this as a good opportunity to come to Dubai when spending is high," said Mr Jaiswal. So far, the organisers have had interest from retailers in the Gulf and the Indian subcontinent. Spending on gifts often increases during Ramadan as shoppers buy presents for loved ones ahead of the Eid-Al-Fitr celebration. The night market is expected to attract customers looking for a bargain on products or for something out of the ordinary. "My gut feeling is that it's going to be the prices that draw people in and the bargains that are available," said Mr Jaiswal. The launch of the market also comes as retail spending in the UAE is on the increase, with retailers reporting sales growth this year of 15 per cent on the back of a buoyant market. "There will be a number of events at [Dubai World Trade Centre]," said Mr Jaiswal. "It's going to be a place to go and we will begin marketing to bring people in."