Average of 28 per cent increase in footfall witnessed in jewellery shops during recently-concluded festival
Many long-time UAE residents are among 100 winners who won a collective 25 kilograms of gold from the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG) during the 27th edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) which ran from December 15, 2021, to January 30, 2022.
Among the winners are an eight-year-old Indian boy T. Shashank Reddy, whose family has been taking part in the DSF raffles for the last 17 years and Syed Faizulla, also an Indian national, who resumed construction of his dream home after winning 250 grams of gold in the DSF raffle.
“We have been living in Dubai for 17 years and participated in DSF once again this year by purchasing gold from a Jewellery shop in Karama. We received a call telling us we won and we are very happy and thankful to the Dubai Government for bringing initiatives like DSF to the city. We enjoy taking part and are joyful to receive such a prize,” said Shashank’s father.
Syed Faizulla has been a resident of the UAE for 16 years. “It was my first time taking part in a DSF raffle. I received a coupon when I purchased some jewellery and then won 250 grams of gold! I had previously started construction work on my home, but I had to stop the work because I didn’t have money. When I won the prize, by the grace of God, I started the work once again,” he added.
As a result of a strong response from the DSF promotion campaign, footfall into jewellery stores increased by an average of 28 per cent in the latest edition as compared to its previous edition.
Another winner Lakmal, who hails from Sri Lanka, said: “I have been living in Dubai for 14 years and this year purchased some gold jewellery from one of the jewellery shops in Al Barsha… This prize is so helpful for me.”
Dileep Atimulla, another winner has been living in the UAE for 12 years and had not taken part in a DSF raffle before.
“I purchased jewellery for my daughter who is in India and won 250 grams of gold. At first, I did not believe it. But after communicating with the organisers further, they confirmed that I won a prize. The first thing I did was call my family and tell them about the prize. They also did not believe it! The happiest moment was to see my family’s happy faces after this news,” said Atimulla, an Indian national.
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Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said DSF was created to enhance the city’s retail proposition and drive footfall from citizens, residents and visitors alike. “Today, the festival plays a major role in supporting Dubai’s economic and tourism development goals and we are grateful for all the support we get from our partners to make each year of DSF an unforgettable experience,” he added.
“Not only was this year’s DSF bigger and better, but it also showcased Dubai’s true innovative spirit and role as a leading destination for jewellery retail,” said Tawhid Abdullah, chairman, Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG).
Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.