Nakheel, a Strategic Partner of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), and the organisers of Dubai Shopping Festival, provided visitors a diverse range of shopping opportunities, prize giveaways, travel packages to various international locations and numerous family-friendly opportunities throughout the 32-day shopping extravaganza.

During DSF, Nakheels Ibn Battuta Mall recorded an increase of 40% in consumer spending generated through increased footfalls by visitors from different parts of the world as well as residents.

In an interview with the Media Centre of DFRE, Mr. Omar Khoory, Director of Nakheel Retail, said that as the first major event each year, DSF is key to Nakheels annual business plan and that DSF-themed activities and events organised during the period draw hundreds of thousands of people to the mall.

To Ibn Battuta Mall, DSF means bringing people together as the festival brings together Ibn Battuta Malls customers, retailers, F&B outlets, Dubai residents and tourists to celebrate the first big event in Dubais annual calendar, he added.
Speaking about the retail categories that are most popular during the festival, Mr. Khoory stated that fashion, electronics and F&B usually fare well during DSF.
Excerpts of the interview

In relation to your annual business plans and strategy how important is the DSF period to the success of your business?
DSF is key to our annual business plan. Being the first major event in the Dubai retail calendar, DSF sets the tone for the year ahead by placing Ibn Battuta Mall firmly on the map from the beginning of the year. We look forward to participating in future DSF events at Ibn Battuta Mall and at other malls under development by Nakheel.
What special initiatives, promotions and customer engagement strategies have you implemented for the 20th anniversary edition of DSF?
Ibn Battuta Mall showcased a diverse range of shopping opportunities, prize giveaways, travel packages to various international locations, entertainment and wholesome family fun throughout DSF. These proved a big draw for Dubais residents and visitors, with hundreds of thousands of people visiting Ibn Battuta Mall throughout the event.
If you could sum up in just one phrase what DSF means to you as an organisation what would that phrase be?
To Ibn Battuta Mall, DSF means bringing people together. The event brings together our customers, retailers, F&B outlets, Dubai residents and tourists to celebrate the first event in the Dubai annual calendar.
Can you estimate how much of your annual sales in the Mall happen during the DSF period?
DSF led to increased footfall in Ibn Battuta Mall, and we look forward to this trend continuing in future years.
How much of an impact do the different promotions held during DSF have on the purchasing decisions of your shoppers?
DSF led to an increase of around 40 per cent in consumer spending at Ibn Battuta Mall.
What are the most popular general areas for retail spending during DSF what are people most planning to buy?
We found that the most popular areas for retail spending during DSF are fashion, electronics and F&B.
Do you see a major increase in international and regional visitors during the DSF period and where are most of these visitors coming from?
During DSF, around 75 per cent of our customers are UAE residents and about 25 per cent are tourists visiting Dubai.
Do you have any plan for developing your mall?
A major extension is already underway at Ibn Battuta Mall. This will add 150 shops to the existing mall. In addition, we recently announced a second expansion, adding 640,000 square feet of retail space to Ibn Battuta Mall and bringing the total leasable area to two million square feet.