With the DSF shopping season in full swing, shoppers from around the world are descending on the Gold Souk to upgrade their jewellery collection, to invest their savings in the form of gold or to simply pamper themselves and their families with beautifully designed products of the precious metal.

The Gold Souk shines brighter during Dubai Shopping Festival, offering huge discounts and promo-tions. This DSF, shoppers can win up to AED 15 million in prizes including 100 kg of gold and 40 carats of diamond in the Gold and Jewellery Mega Raffle, which is the biggest ever gold and jewellery promo-tion.

Dubai Shopping Festival is a great help for retailers like us, amidst a tough competition in the market says Vishal Dhakan of Dhakan Jewellers, a family business that started in 1980 in India. Sales of gold and diamonds have seen an upsurge in the past few weeks and it is because people are more interested to buy during DSF because of exciting promotions and a chance to enter the raffle draw where they can win huge prizes

Buying gold is one of the best investments in this world. We all know that the value of gold appreciates and Dubai has the most competitive prices globally, even cheaper than India says Naresh Vij, 46 year-old from India who came with his wife Pooja, son Love and his two grand children. I feel like this is the best gift that I can give my family, apart from my love and care for them, because gold lasts for a very long time, Naresh added.

It is the best decision that we took to visit Dubai during Dubai Shopping Festival, particularly the Gold Souk. It is amazing to see thousands of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, pendants and even cos-tumes made of pure gold and sparkling diamonds, displayed and exhibited just like candies on a clear glass window said Sophia Macagno from Argentina. However, my favourites are diamonds because it is truly a girls best friend added Sophia, who went shopping for the best priced diamonds with her husband Luciano, their 3 kids and her in-laws, Luis and Viviana.

DSF 2015 is organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and will run until 1 February 2015.