Times Square Center’s (TSC) participation in the 15th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival culminated with the grand raffle draw, which saw Srinivas Munja from India winning a brand new Chevrolet Cruze. Throughout the duration of DSF 2010, Times Square Center gave away attractive raffle draw prizes including Toshiba LCD TVs, Sony Home Theatres, Dell Inspiron netbook computers and gift vouchers, among others. In addition, popular TSC tenants such as Toys R Us, Sharaf DG, YellowHat and Chillout offered major discounts and promotions.

“This edition of Dubai Shopping Festival was critically important for Dubai’s retail sector after the slowdown witnessed in the previous season, and the outcome of DSF 2010 has certainly been encouraging and positive. At Times Square Center we saw a marked increase in footfall during the festival and we believe this would have positively impacted sales as well. We are confident that this trend will continue in the months ahead,” said Anthony J O’Donnell, General Manager, Times Square Center

• The Dubai Mall records weekly visitor footfall of over 1 million during DSF; 30% increase over regular footfall figures
• All participating outlets of Emaar Malls Group – Dubai Marina Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Gold & Diamond Park record positive footfall and sales during month-long shopping and entertainment extravaganza
• Winners of special ‘Fly from one Fashion Capital to another’ DSF promotion offering trips to international fashion capitals and Mercedes car draw announced

Dubai, UAE; March 9, 2010: The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination, hosted an astonishing 5 million visitors during the one-month Dubai Shopping Festival, setting an all-time record in visitor footfall to the mall. Weekly visitor footfall during the festival month was an average 30 per cent more over regular weeks.

Emaar Malls Group – a key sponsor of DSF 2010, reported positive results across its key retail properties including Dubai Marina Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Gold & Diamond Park with records of strong visitor footfall and sales during the month-long shopping and entertainment extravaganza.   

A total of five lucky winners were awarded from Emaar Malls Group’s key DSF promotion: ‘Fly from one Fashion Capital to Another’ with the last of the weekly draws held on March 1, 2010. For every AED 300 spent at The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Gold & Diamond Park, shoppers received a voucher for the chance to win one of four luxury vacations to the world’s fashion capitals: London, Milan, Tokyo and Paris, and a draw to win a Mercedes C-Class.

The four winners in the ‘Fly from one Fashion Capital to another’ promotion are: Sanda Popa (Romanian), Amr Mohammed Al Sayed Al Najrie (Egyptian), Safa’a Juma Awad Al Azizi (Emirati) and Mithal El Alem (American).

Winners each received a pair of return tickets to the fashion capital destination plus five-days/four nights accommodation near the fashion district. An additional draw was held on March 1 for the Mercedes C-Class courtesy of Al Ain Class Motors, which also showcased 11 of the world’s most luxurious cars at The Dubai Mall during DSF. The winner of the car is Mohammed Noureddin Akbik (Syrian).

Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said the 15th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival and the success of The Dubai Mall’s visitation set a new record-setting benchmark for retail, highlighting the instrumental role played by the festival in driving tourism and retail in Dubai, as is evident in the 30 per cent increase in footfall figures.

“The Dubai Mall was the city’s key shopping, entertainment and leisure destination during DSF, underscored by the record 5 million visitor footfall – and thus setting a new precedent for shopping malls across the region and internationally. The dynamic entertainment and promotions calendar showcased across all of Emaar Malls Group’s retail properties and the extensive array of shopping and dining options reiterate our efforts to reinvent and offer an enhanced shopping mall experience for residents and tourists. Emaar Malls Group brings innovative lifestyle promotions that add value to our visiting guests, as highlighted by the ‘Fly from one Fashion Capital to another’ promotion,” he added.

The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination with 1,200 retail outlets including 160 F&B outlets. Dubai Marina Mall has over 160 retail outlets; Souk Al Bahar, an Arabesque themed shopping centre overlooking The Dubai Fountain, hosts a selection of restaurants and retail outlets; and Gold & Diamond Park has an array of gold & jewellery outlets.

Fiesta fans hungry for more

Dubai, UAE March 9, 2010:  ETA STAR Retail, has announced its plans to further expand Barrio Fiesta – the international casual dining restaurant specialising in traditional and fusion Filipino cuisine.

Ishwar Chugani, Executive Director of ETA-STAR Retail said: “Since its opening four months ago, the response to Barrio Fiesta has been extremely encouraging, which has been instrumental in our decision to open more locations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi this year.”

With its popularity growing, Barrio Fiesta recently introduced its new menu to include more Filipino staple dishes like Kalderetang Kambing (tender mutton stewed with potatoes, herbs and spices, topped with green peas and cheese), Lechon Manok (roast chicken), Tinolang Manok (chicken in clear soup with papaya, lemongrass and ginger), and Ampalaya con Carne (bitter gourd with beef strips), to name a few.

“The restaurant has been especially busy not only with the Filipino community but expatriates as well, ” concluded Chugani

To cater to the lunch time customers, a special value lunch menu has been created that consists of rice, soup, and a choice of vegetables or meat dishes. This will cater to customers who are looking for a complete meal at a more affordable price.

Barrio Fiesta also launched its afternoon fare called ‘Merienda’, which has proved popular among Filipino expat groups for meetings and special gatherings. This typically includes midday snacks such as Arroz Caldo Manok (chicken porridge), Pansit Palabok (rice noodles topped with seafood in shrimp sauce), Champorado at Tuyo (chocolate-flavoured porridge served with dried fish on the side), Palitaw (glutinous rice patty topped with sugar, grated coconut and sesame seeds), and many more traditional Barrio Fiesta Specialities.

Barrio Fiesta is now offering special merienda deals for groups of 10 or more. This is a great opportunity for various business groups, school alumni, clubs and associations to meet up.

Filipino cuisine is a fusion of native flavours mixed with ingredients, recipes and cooking methods from various parts of the world. It is a mixture of Traditional, Spanish, Chinese, and Malay cuisine giving Filipino food a culinary experience unique to South East Asia.

Established in 1952, Barrio Fiesta currently has 50 restaurants in the Philippines and the U.S.A. 

UAE; March 4, 2010: The SUBWAY restaurant chain, the world’s largest submarine sandwich franchise, has named Marwan Abdul Malik Al-Hamar, Development Agent for UAE, as the recipient of its 2009 Development Agent of the Year award for International Developed Markets, during the company’s recent convention in Washington D.C.

SUBWAY Development Agents of the Year are honored for their accomplishments in developing the SUBWAY brand within their territory, the level of service and support provided to their local franchisees, and their ability to communicate and cooperate within the parameters of the SUBWAY franchise system.

“Being named Development Agent of the Year is an honor I was not expecting, it is the ultimate recognition of a job well done,” says Al-Hamar. “I have to thank my team, who works hard and always strives for excellence, and all the Subway family that has helped and guided us through the years.”

A UAE national, Al-Hamar became a SUBWAY Agent in 1999.

“I was looking for a new business venture, as I had always been an entrepreneur. Subway became my new venture,” reflects Al-Hamar. “It was my late father’s idea to bring the Subway brand to the UAE. He believed that this market had potential we could develop, so we opened our first store. Then one year later I became the Development Agent.”

Presently, Al-Hamar oversees 81 SUBWAY restaurants and one satellite location all owned and operated by more than 30 active franchisees throughout the Emirates, with an additional 25 locations in various stages of development. Included in the count are eight locations, with three in development, which Al-Hamar owns himself. His goal is to increase the overall number of SUBWAY locations in the UAE to over 200 by the year 2015.

“One of the many groups that play an important role in moving the Subway business forward is our Development Agent team. They focus on all three main areas of our business: building profits through operational excellence, building sales through effective marketing and building restaurants through smart development. The Development Agents continue to set records in franchise sales, leases signed and restaurants opened time after time. They work tirelessly to implement the programmes and initiatives that are helping our franchisees grow their businesses,” says Patricia Demarais, Director of International for the SUBWAY chain.

With more than 32,300 locations in 91 countries, including more than 250 across the Middle East, the SUBWAY restaurant chain is the world’s largest submarine sandwich franchise. Headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, the SUBWAY chain was co-founded by Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck in 1965. That partnership which continues today, marked the beginning of a remarkable journey — one that made it possible for thousands of individuals to build and succeed in their own business. The SUBWAY brand has been honored as the number one franchise opportunity in Entrepreneur magazine’s “Annual Franchise 500” listing for 16 of the past 22 years, and was ranked “Top Global Franchise” for 2009.

For more information about the SUBWAY chain, visit www.subway.com.

SUBWAY is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc.

Al Ain, UAE, 3rd March 2010: Bawadi Mall, the largest shopping mall in Al Ain, which was inaugurated by H.H. Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Mohammad Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative for Eastern Province, in April 2009, has been attracting lots of Omani visitors since inception.

The 140,000 square metre mall, with a gross leasable area of 110,000 square metres, provides a unique shopping experience to the Omani visitors, according to shoppers from Oman.

Khalid Shraim, Marketing Manager, Bawadi Mall said: “Al Ain’s gross lease area (GLA) is quite low, against other parts of the world, thus making it a fit candidate for absorbing further growth in the shopping and retail industries. A wave of new top brands is still arriving in the Middle East reflecting the vibrancy of the market.”

Abdullah Khalifah Mohd Ismaili, Omani businessman, who was seen touring the mall with his family, said: “We like the luxurious ambience. We were in Tialand and decided to conclude our visit in Al Ain. We found the decoration very distinguished and we will visit it again for sure. The parking space is wide and convenient”.

Adel Ali Abdullah Bloushi, a 39-year-old visitor from Muscat, said: “The mall is so spacious and friendly. Malls in the UAE are bigger than those in Muscat. The children’s facilities are so nice and my children are happy”.

Khalfan Mohd Al Houkmani, another visitor from Muscat, said: “I came with my family. We will definitely come again. The mall is away from the city traffic. We will stay here as long as the children are happy. We loved the Grand Cinema and ski entertainment.”

Mohd Ellawati, 28 years, a married accountant who is staying in Hilton Hotel which is a stone’s throw away from the mall, said: “This is the first time I visited the mall. I loved the decoration and the planning of the stores. Lots of brands are found here than in Oman. We will recommend the mall to our friends”. 

Zahrat Ellawati, wife of Mohd added: “We liked the diversity of stores in the mall not to mention the parking space.”

New brands have made their debut in Al Ain city through Bawadi Mall, such as Zara, Mango, MAX , Marks & Spencer, Kotton, New look, H&M and ACE amongst others. The mall has attracted more than 380 retail outlets, including international names.

Bawadi Mall, developed by Nael & Bin Harmal Inv. Co. L.L.C., houses a mix of international as well as regional retail brands of fashion, food, jewellery and much more, all in a bright, spacious, and inviting environment, distinguished by a wide curved vaulted skylight that soars above the main corridor and its main three spacious courts.

The 10,000 sq. m. “Family Entertainment Center” features a varied mix of fun, ranging from the “Roller Coaster” to the “Fun Ski Village”, amongst many other attractions. Eight movie theatres including Grand Class Hall, a bowling alley, a distinctively rich food-court and several casual dining alternatives offering delicious varieties of cuisines makes a visit to Bawadi Mall a worthwhile and exciting experience.

• Among the most popular attractions at the indoor theme park in The Dubai Mall

SPIN GEAR at SEGA Republic

Dubai, UAE; March 2, 2010: The popular SPIN GEAR roller-coaster ride at SEGA Republic, the first of its kind indoor theme park in the region located on Level 2 of The Dubai Mall, has completed an astounding 30,000 kilometres in just five months!

Among the most popular attractions at SEGA Republic, SPIN GEAR occupies nearly 20% of the total area of the theme park. With a total track length of 363 metres, SPIN GEAR travels up and down over 50 metres and twists and turns a minimum of 2,790 degrees, assuring an unmatched adventurous journey for guests.

Mr Joe Gibbons, General Manager, Emaar Retail, which manages SEGA Republic, said the sense of adventure and fun offered by SPIN GEAR is unparalleled in the region, making it one of the most popular attractions among visitors.

“The popularity of SPIN GEAR is reflected in the distance covered by the roller coaster ride in a short span of five months. Emaar Retail will introduce a series of gift ideas linked to SPIN GEAR to further encourage the adventurous,” he added.

Unlike the usual roller coasters, SPIN GEAR comes with a themed story that adds to the interest of participants. The themed ride is based on story of the evil plans of Dr. Eggman, who is Sonic the Hedgehog’s arch nemesis.

Dr. Eggman has taken over an old factory facility and has developed a prototype weapon, SPIN GEAR, for capturing Sonic the Hedgehog. Now all he needs are ‘test subjects’ and there is only way to escape his evil plans - on a rollercoaster ride that will have everyone’s head spinning.

The ride features spinning Sonic Gondolas and operates in both day and night environments. With a track width of 25 metres and depth of 56 metres, SPIN GEAR operates at two lift speeds – 2.5 metres per second and 2.3 metres per second – and has the fastest speed of 45 km per hour.

The 76,000 sq ft indoor family theme park at The Dubai Mall is designed by experts at SEGA® Corporation, the world leader in indoor entertainment. SEGA Republic features five zones – Speed, Sports, Adventure, Cyberpop and Redemption - offering an array of everything from action packed motion-simulators to simulated sports games, classic carnival games and one of the region’s largest selections of prize-winning redemption games. There are more than 200 amusement games that will appeal to all. In addition to SPIN GEAR, other adrenaline-pumping attractions include SONIC HOPPER, LET’S GO JUNGLE! SPECIAL, HALFPIPE CANYON, WILD JUNGLE, STORM-G, WILD JUNGLE, OUTRUN 2 SPECIAL TOURS SDX and INITIAL D4 LIMITED.

The theme park operates from 10am to 11pm Sunday to Wednesday and 10am to 1am Thursday to Saturday.

Other leisure attractions at The Dubai Mall include the recently opened KidZania®, an edutainment centre for children offering 70 role-play opportunities; the 22-screen Reel Cinemas; Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo; and the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink.

Serving Cuisines of the North West Frontier Province and Northern India

Dubai, UAE, February 24, 2010:  Master chefs fired up the ovens, whilst powerful aromatic flavours filled the air, as ETA-Star Retail today officially opened Copper Chimney restaurant, a culinary landmark in India, at the Emirates Hills Town Centre in Dubai.

Present at the opening ceremony were Mr. Syed Salahuddin, Managing Director of ETA-ASCON Star Group, Ishwar Chugani, Executive Director, ETA-Star Retail Group, Sunil Kapur, Chairman of the Copper Chimney Group and Shikha Nath, Brand Director for Copper Chimney Group.
 
“Copper Chimney enables our group to reach another milestone and proves our continued commitment in expanding our business.  With Copper Chimney’s strong brand reputation, heritage and good following, we expect this venture to be successful,” said Mr. Syed Salahuddin, Managing Director of ETA-ASCON Star Group. 

Serving flavourful and robust Indian dishes since its establishment in 1972, Copper Chimney has been India’s foremost culinary landmark for over three decades and continues to set new industry standards and benchmarks in Indian cuisine and hospitality.
 
Commenting on the opening, Chugani said, “ETA-Star Retail welcomes the addition of the original Copper Chimney restaurant to our portfolio.  With the opening of the restaurant, we hope to satisfy our customers’ cravings for traditional and authentic Indian cuisine.”

Tucked in quaint Emirates Hills Town Centre, Copper Chimney accommodates 90 seats and has a private dining area for families and groups.  The ambience is enhanced by the rustic design of the restaurant.  Adding authenticity and old world charm to Copper Chimney are the copper bells handcrafted by artisans from India which adorn one of the walls of the restaurant.

One unique feature of the restaurant is its show kitchen wherein chefs are seen flipping the Roomali Rotis and preparing kababs and Indian breads in the traditional tandoor clay ovens. Copper Chimney is known to be one of the first to introduce the tandoor show kitchen in India.

“Customers of Copper Chimney are assured of the same quality that we have in our restaurants in India and we remain true to the flavours and tastes that we are known for.  Our presence in the UAE strengthens our plans to expand globally,” said Sunil Kapur, Chairman of the Copper Chimney Group.

The restaurant’s menu consists of culinary extravaganzas of Grand Moguls in the past and brought to life again by its master chefs from India who have been with the restaurant for over a decade. Copper Chimney serves food from the North West Frontier Province and cuisine of Northern India.  The original menu on which many have grown up to are still being offered today in all its restaurants. 

Signature dishes include the succulent and mildly spiced chicken Reshmi kabab and richly-spiced lamb Burrah chops .

While there is a diverse selection of meat and vegetable curry dishes, the immensely popular butter chicken Murg Makhani, house specialty Paneer Masala and the earthly and luscious black Dal are unique to Copper Chimney and are must-haves.

Desserts are also a splendid treat especially with Muzzafar, a crunchy and creamy Lucknowi creation with rich, thick rabdi, topped with golden roasted vermicelli and the freshly prepared hot and crisp Jalebi, Copper Chimney’s master-crafted dessert.

Enjoying Copper Chimney dishes will also be extended outside the restaurant as residents of Springs, Meadows and Emirates Hills will be able to order for home delivery soon.

Customers can now dial one dedicated number - 600 5 2222 4 – to place orders at any BK® restaurant anywhere in the UAE

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: As part of its continuing efforts to better serve customer needs, BURGER KING® today announced the opening of the BK® Call Center, a centralized service point that allows customers in the UAE to dial one dedicated number – 600 5 2222 4 – to place orders at any BK® restaurant anywhere in the country.

Equipped with an integrated database of customer contacts, the BK® Call Center provides customers an easy and convenient way of placing orders for takeout or home delivery. The BK® Call-Center provides support in both English and Arabic, and is staffed with dedicated agents to take customer orders, answer queries and receive complaints.

“With the launch of this call center, BK® customers in the UAE now have to remember just one easy number to place orders for their favorite flame-grilled burgers - irrespective of the restaurant location. Not only does this eliminate the hassle of finding the appropriate landline number for a particular BK® restaurant, it also minimizes the chance of the customer calling to find the line busy” said Yasser Abdel Azim, General Manager of First Food Services L.L.C., the BURGER KING® franchisee in the UAE.

BURGER KING® is celebrating the launch of the Call Center with an exciting ‘Remember the Number’ competition that invites customers to stick two specially developed BK® Call Center stickers - with the number 600 5 2222 4 emblazoned on them - in daring and weird places, and then take a photo of the applied stickers and upload the same on the “BURGER KING® UAE” Facebook fan page, where entries will be voted upon by members.

Two winners will be selected every week based on the number of votes received and will receive exciting prizes which include a Sony Cyber-shot digital camera and BK® money booklets worth AED 200 each. The BK® Call Center stickers are available in all BURGER KING® restaurants and in all home delivery bags, and can also be downloaded from the website www.rememberthenumber.com.

Dunkin’ Donuts, the largest coffee and baked goods chain in the world, has been recognized as number one in customer loyalty in the coffee category.  The brand had completed setting up its 60th store in the UAE and recorded AED 50 million in revenue in 2009.

The recognition was given by the Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index as number one in customer loyalty in the coffee category for the fourth consecutive year. The recognition came as the brand commemorates its 60th “Birth Day.”

“The unbeatable combination of superior blend of coffee, a wide range of donuts available in our shops more than any other coffee shop and superior customer service wins more and more customers for our brand,” said Mr. David Rodgers, General Manager Dunkin’ Donuts UAE. “We opened a series of new outlets across the country as our products continue to expand their appeal in the region. Within a decade of commencing operations in the UAE, we have become one of the most established players in the coffee and donuts sector, catering to a multi-national community of customers across the UAE.”

The 13th annual national survey by Brand Keys identifies brands that are best able to engage consumers by meeting or exceeding their expectations, which creates loyal customers. The report accurately predicts which products consumers are most likely to purchase over the next 12 to 18 months. In the coffee category, consumer preferences were based on consistently meeting customer expectations for taste, quality, and service.

“This great honor is a tribute to our franchisees’ commitment to our guests. Through their tireless efforts, Dunkin’ Donuts has become a daily ritual for millions of people who start their day with America’s favorite coffee and look to Dunkin’ Donuts to keep them running in the afternoon with a wide variety of beverages and snacks,” said John Costello, Chief Global Customer and Marketing Officer at Dunkin’ Brands. “We are thrilled to have earned the top ranking for customer loyalty four years running, and look forward to continuing to provide our guests with simple, delicious, affordable food and beverages.”

Brand Keys is the only research consultancy in the world that specializes in customer loyalty. The Customer Loyalty Engagement Index identifies category brand leaders — those most likely to demonstrate the highest levels of consumer loyalty and profitability over the coming two years.

“In what has turned into a more and more competitive category, it is a tribute to the Dunkin’ brand that it has been able to meet the expectations consumers have when it comes to their coffee,” said Robert Passikoff, Founder & President, Brand Keys.

Dunkin’ Donuts is the largest coffee and baked goods chain the world, selling more than one billion cups of hot and iced coffee and more than 900 million donuts and Munchkins(tm) donut hole treats every year. The company has set the standard for offering a superior grade of coffee, and in 2008, an independent taste test showed that Americans preferred Dunkin’ Donuts coffee over Starbucks. Today, there are more than 6,500 restaurants in 35 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and more than 2,600 international restaurants in 29 countries.

Dubai, February 20, 2010: The Department of Economic Development (DED), in cooperation with Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) and Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) will launch an intensive consumer awareness campaign from February 21, 2010.

The campaign, covering retail outlets including shopping malls, aims at strengthening the awareness of consumers about their rights, and highlights the UAE’s directives on Consumer Law No. (24) 2006.

The campaign reflects DED’s continuous efforts to strengthen awareness among consumers, and follows the success of the retailers’ training programme conducted during the last two weeks.

To complement the campaign, the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division in DED will launch a special website, www.consumerrights.ae - that acts as a reference guide on consumer protection by March to coincide with the Gulf Consumer Protection Day.

The website will provide specific instructions for consumers, including general information specifying the areas whereby DED or any other concerned government departments can help consumers. It also presents extracts regarding the UAE’s directives on Consumer Law No. (24) 2006, the responsibilities of consumers, shopping advice, and pointers to consider before making complaints on purchases. The site will include steps to help resolve consumers’ problems with a retailer / seller.

“DED is committed to launching initiatives and services to keep pace with the commercial growth of the emirate. Through the consumer awareness campaign, we want to strengthen our communication with consumers and retailers regarding the framework of related laws and regulations. The Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division seeks to ensure high levels of consumer satisfaction by protecting them in every possible way,” said Omar Bushahab, CEO, Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection Division, DED.

Laila Suhail, CEO, DEPE, said: “This initiative is undoubtedly one of the most important initiatives witnessed by Dubai’s Retail Sector in recent years. We are very confident that through the joint cooperation of the three entities involved we would be able to raise the services provided by the sector to consumers and traders equally to a higher level of excellence, thus strengthening consumer confidence locally and regionally to boost market competitiveness.”

“We are extremely pleased with the overwhelming response that the consumer rights awareness campaign for retailers has witnessed in the past few days, and we hope that the consumers would interact with the 21st Feb campaign in the same way,” added Laila. 

The Department of Economic Development adopted a new mechanism to connect with consumers and ensure their requirements and complaints are addressed adequately. Consumers can register a complaint at DED by sending an email to consumerrights@dubaided.gov.ae, or by calling Ahlan Dubai on +971 600 545555.

“DED has opened all channels of communication with consumers to obtain their feedback and guarantee to respond accordingly. DED adopts a transparency policy in dealing with consumers with regard to their observations and suggestions,” added Bushahab.

DED coordinates with other concerned government bodies to strengthen awareness regarding consumer rights, which is in line with continuing efforts to end disputes that might arise between consumers and traders.