Article:
ISSUE No.5 July - August 2007

Ten Years of Dubai Summer Surprises
The Shopping Festival takes off with numerous highlights during its 10th Anniversary

The first Summer Surprises Festival took place in May of 1998 and has since grown into one of the largest and most successful events of the Gulf States. It celebrates its 10th Anniversary this summer and wants to surprise visitors with a special ambience.

For 72 days, from June 21 until August 31, numerous sports-and entertainment venues will lure visitors from the region and abroad to Dubai. This successful concept has been a huge factor in making the hot summer months an economic success for the past several years. In 2006, the festival welcomed 1.875 million visitors which showed an increase of 25% in comparison to 2005. These visitors spent a total of 2.57 billion dirhams. These figures should be topped during this year’s Anniversary celebration. Ten special events, actually called surprises, are planned to excite visitors over the ten weeks of festivities, among them are Water Food and Sports Surprises. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al Maktoum, President of the Office for Civil Defense, Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates Airline, Chairman of the Dubai Shopping Festival as well as Dubai Summer Surprises Committee has announced his ambitious goals for the upcoming big event. The entertainment is geared for visitors of all ages, backgrounds and social standings. At a press conference during the Arabian Travel Market in May, he told reporters that a study on the Dubai Summer Surprises emphasized the need to design and market the type of event that caters to all. It has also been noticed that the Dubai Summer Surprises Festival has become a real tourist attraction. During the hot summer month this festival offers a welcome distraction for travelers especially the ones from neighboring states. Tourists from Europe and the USA have been attracted by this ten week celebration. Dubai Summer Surprises happens mostly in the many shopping malls but there will be special events all over the city.

The festival is sanctioned by the government with the cooperation of the private sector. Dubai Summer Surprises is able to combine shopping with entertainment and to use this to market our city and its unlimited shopping possibilities. The coming weeks will be accompanied by Modesh, our happy mascot. Modesh embodies what the Dubai Summer Surprises Festival is trying to express: fun, anticipation, brilliance and limitless fun for children.

One of the main places for Dubai Summer Surprises Festival with Modesh will be Modesh Fun City. It will be open twelve hours daily and offers different areas for art, technology and theater. The Modesh Fun City offers events like Ice City and Safari Adventure which attracted numerous tourists last year. Dubai Summer Surprises Festival promises to be an unforgettable experience for young and old alike.