The Festival started in 1996 as a retail event aimed to promote trade in Dubai, but in recent years it’s turned in to an annual shopping, entertainment, and cultural extravaganza that continues to promote tourism in Dubai and draws people from around the world .

In previous years the Festival has featured over 2,300 retail outlets, selling everything from gold, perfume, haute couture, cars, electronics to handicrafts and textiles.

The majority of hotels and apartments will join in by offering attractive discounts as well as running raffles for cars among other great prises, last year 72 Lexus cars, 43 Nissan cars and 32 kilos of Gold were won.

The Emirates and most other airlines flying out of Dubai even offer discounted airfares and much needed excess baggage allowances during the Dubai Shopping Festival!

No doubt more details will be published on their official web site.