As a Key Sponsor of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and organisers of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), WAFI has been continually offering residents and visitors from around the world a unique shopping experience.

In an interview with the Media Centre of DFRE, Mr. Abdullah Ibrahim Local Affairs & HR Director, WAFI, highlighted the significance of Dubai Shopping Festival in positioning Dubai as a leading travel hub and top shopping destination with a line-up of one-of-a-kind activities, promotions and offers and valuable prizes that make DSF a truly unforgettable experience.

He added that the festival plays a vital role in energising the retail sector especially at the shopping malls, which consider the festival to be a very important period when they roll out exciting promotions and activities to attract higher volume of customers and visitors.

As a Key Sponsor of the 20th edition of DSF, WAFI has hosted many events and promotional offers to give an added value to the entertainment agenda of the festival.

Speaking about WAFIs expansion plans, Mr. Ibrahim said that the management has decided to build a new Rotana hotel featuring 50 floors and plans are also in place to expand the existing parking area to include 2500 new spots, to introduce 18 unique cinema theatres and to expand the retail space to offer new choices for visitors.

1 - What are the major changes and impacts that the Dubai Shopping Festival has had on your organization over the past 20 years?

WAFI Mall is considered to be a special destination that attracts a large number of people and tourists, given the diversity of choices it offers to cater to the tastes of one and all. WAFI has been a Key Sponsor of DSF since many years and has organised many retail activities and promotional offers that have encouraged visitors and shoppers to enjoy the malls eclectic offerings. This in turn has resulted in a positive impact, with the mall registering an increase in the number of visitors and sales during the festival.

2 - In relation to your annual business plans and strategy how important is the DSF period to the success of your business?

Given its importance in the retail and tourism sectors, DSF is considered to be an important season for us, for which we plan much in advance and dedicate a lot of time towards creating an exciting agenda for our visitors. Retailers and shops always look forward to rolling out promotional offers which attract a large number of shoppers. The tempting array of shopping elements make WAFI an ideal destination for both residents and visitors alike.

3 - What special initiatives, promotions and customer engagement strategies have you implemented for the 20th anniversary edition of DSF?

For the 20th edition of DSF, our wider communication strategy included enhanced engagement with our audiences through our social media channels. Our goal through these strategies was to ensure an unforgettable experience for our shoppers throughout the length of DSF.

4 - How important has DSF been to the overall economic development of Dubai and promoting the Emirate around the world over the past two decades?

Dubai has witnessed an urban revival which has truly exceeded everyones expectations and in the process it became an example for many cities worldwide. DSF, as a strategic initiative, has had a tremendous impact on Dubai in a very positive way and helped the city become one of the most important tourism destinations of the world.

There is no doubt that the festival has played an important role in attracting tourists from around the world, given its attractive promotional offers and creative marketing campaigns.

5 - If you could sum up in just one phrase what DSF means to you as an organization what would that phrase be?

DSF is a gateway to the world since it attracts tourists and also captures the interests of locals and residents.

6 - Can you estimate how much of your annual sales in the Mall happen during the DSF period?

DSF has positively affected many sectors, especially retail. This sector plays an important role when it comes to the growth of the national economy. At WAFI Mall, we record an increase of around 20% in sales at our shops, restaurants and cafeterias, during each edition of DSF.

7 - How much of an impact do the different promotions held during DSF have on the purchasing decisions of your shoppers?

Our promotions play an important role in attracting visitors from the GCC countries in addition to locals and residents of the UAE. The purchasing decisions of our shoppers depend a lot on the DSF season due to the promotional offers and the wide variety of sales and prizes that are available to them during this period.

8 - What are the most popular general areas for retail spending during DSF what are people most planning to buy?

For us, the sectors that witnessed the largest number of visitors were fashion and jewelry shops as well as restaurants and cafeterias.

9 - Do you see a major increase in international and regional visitors during the DSF period and where are most of these visitors coming from?

DSF attracts shoppers of various ages who come from different countries. And because of the ongoing vacations in the neighbouring countries, we have welcomed many visitors from the GCC nations and other tourists visiting us come from Europe, in addition to the locals and residents from the UAE itself.

10- What do you have during DSF in terms of promotions, events and prizes?

We have an exciting offer for our WAFI Rewards Card holders and a weekly draw in addition to special promotions at WAFI restaurants. Visitors who spend AED 500 throughout the DSF period will receive a coupon to enter into a daily raffle which will take place from 13 January to 1 February. There will be 20 winners winning 20,000 points on their WAFI Rewards Cards.

11- Do you have any plan for developing your mall?

We have decided to build a new Rotana hotel featuring 50 floors and plans are also in place to expand the existing parking area to include 2500 new spots, to introduce 18 unique cinema theatres and to expand the retail space to offer new choices for visitors. These plans will be ready at the beginning of 2017.

12- What are the activities and events that WAFI Mall offers during DSF?
Roaming performers inside malls are considered to be one of the most attractive activities for tourists and visitors. WAFI Mall organised various performances in the last few weeks such as: Lady Marionettes, Tuto Tul, Roaming Carousels, Rococo and Parade Balloons in addition to a lineup of stage performances including Perch Creek, Fantesca and Acro-Violin Duo.