DUBAI — In three weeks of fun and giveaways, the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) has turned itself into a festival of dreams and reality.

Shoppers and families dreaming of  luxury cars have made it a reality.

Those wanting in finances have become thousands of dirhams richer. The participating malls hoping to gain in the DSS fever have gained total sales of more than Dh440 million.

Majid Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG), said the increase in sales is a reflection of growing consumer confidence in the economy and the success of  the DSS campaign.

“The prospect of winning two new BMWs every week, mall wide bargains and entertainment activities have turned shopping into a must do activity this summer. We expect a weekly sales growth of 10 to 12 per cent for the rest of the promotion period.”

To the lucky winners, DSS paves the way for a dream come true.

Among them is a four-year-old Emirati girl and an Indian driver, who has been working in Dubai for the last 30 years. They were the first two winners of DSMG’s  campaign for this year’s DSS. Both will receive a stunning BMW 3 Series Sedan.

Last week’s winners Khulood Khalid and T Assainar, a 30-year-old resident of Dubai will receive keys to their BMW at the end of the campaign.

The DSMG raffle draws for the BMW 3 Series will continue for four more weeks.

Khulood’s father couldn’t hide his surprise and excitement. He said, “I can’t believe this! This is just beyond my dreams, my little girl has won a BMW! She is too small to understand the significance but she is excited that she is getting a new gift!” This is the first time that Khalid’s family has won a DSS raffle draw.

Assainar too was absolutely stunned when he was informed of his surprise win: “I don’t know what to say, this surpasses my wildest expectations. I can’t believe I am the owner of a fabulous BMW! My family will be so excited, I can’t wait to tell them. I have worked in Dubai as a driver for 30 years and this is the best thing that has happened to me.”

Two more lucky winners, Kevin Cairas, British resident of Dubai, and Tabarintseva Nutu, a Russian tourist, will also get to drive their BMW 3 Series Sedan home.

When informed about his win, Kevin exclaimed ‘unbelievable!’. “I have lived in Dubai for the last four years and, this is the first time I have won a raffle during a DSS. I was shopping for my new home and decided to try my luck at the raffle draw. Now I have both — a new home and a brand new BMW! This is just the best summer ever.”

Tabarintseva, who was in Dubai recently as a tourist,  said: “I simply love Dubai, the shopping bargains and options are the best in the world. I can’t believe I won a BMW! This makes Dubai even more special for me. I intend to come back very soon!”

Some 21  member malls of DSMG are participating in DSS 2010. They are Al Bustan Centre, Al Ghurair City, Al Manal Centre, Al Mulla Plaza, Arabian Center, Burjuman, Century Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Marina Walk, Dubai Outlet Mall, Gold & Diamond Park, Hamarain Centre, Lamcy Plaza, Mazaya Centre, Mercato Mall, Oasis Center, Palm Strip, Reef Mall, Souk Al Bahar, The Dubai Mall and Town Centre.

• The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Gold & Diamond Park roll out ‘All that Glitters is Gold’ promotion
• The golden theme across all malls offer customers prizes in gold
• A perfect complement to the rich selection of gold and jewellery stores at Gold Souk in The Dubai Mall
• The Dubai Mall to host Sheila & Abaya Show and Min Bladi Show exclusively
• An array of entertainment activities, festive deals and raffles liven up this summer

Dubai, UAE; June 16, 2010: Golden opportunities to win prizes in gold and more await shoppers at the four retail and leisure destinations of Emaar Malls Group in Dubai, during this summer.

As a key sponsor of Dubai Summer Surprises, the shopping mall subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC is celebrating the shopping and leisure spectacle with an ‘All that Glitters is Gold’ campaign. Customers stand to win jewellery, gold bars, and Business Class tickets to a ‘golden city’ in Europe including Prague, Madrid and Amsterdam. 

The ‘All that Glitters is Gold’ promotion will be held from June 17 to August 7 at The Dubai Mall, the flagship project of Emaar Malls Group and the world’s largest shopping destination; Dubai Marina Mall; Souk Al Bahar and Gold & Diamond Park.

All the malls will sport a golden theme, and the campaign further complements the rich offering of gold and jewellery at the Gold Souk in The Dubai Mall and the Gold & Diamond Park.

By spending AED 200 at any of the four malls, customers get a coupon from the customer service desk. For the first time in a mall, Emaar Malls Group is adding to the convenience of shoppers with an SMS campaign open for Etisalat, Du and international subscribers, whereby customers only have to SMS the coupon number to enter the draw. They stand to win weekly prizes including one return Business Class ticket to a European destination, two gold bars and a Longines gold watch.

The three Grand Prizes, to be drawn on the last day of DSS, are as glittering as it gets with the winner taking home a Longines gold watch, two return Business Class tickets to a European destination and a luxury gold and jewellery set worth AED 50,000. Shoppers can also participate in exclusive online promotions on The Dubai Mall’s social media networks Facebook & Twitter (@dubaimallnews). 

Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “Retail is a key pillar of Dubai’s economy, and the Dubai Summer Surprises has energised the city’s retail sector. Emaar Malls Group is partnering in the governmental initiative to drive retail growth this summer by offering customers a value-added offering. The in-mall entertainment activities and range of prizes will give a refreshing experience for families and visitors to our malls.”

The winning deals are only part of the excitement with The Dubai Mall also offering a veritable spread of entertainment events that appeal to all. Among the highlights are the Sheila & Abaya Fashion Show (July 8 to 11 at the Fashion Catwalk); Mini Bladi Exhibition (July 17 to 26 at the Gold Souk Atrium); Kids Wonder Talent Show (June 17 to 19, June 24 to 26 and July 12 to 14); Tap & Hip Hop Dancers (June 21 to 23); Circus Fera Show (June 28 to 30 and July 15 to 16); Butterflies Show (July 27 to 28 and August 5 to 7); and Yellow Speed Team (July 29 – 31 and August 3).

A music concert by Centre of Musical Arts (June 18) will be held in the Gold Souk Treasury Dome and add to the buzz. A special Father’s Day Event will be held from June 16 to 20 while Bloomingdale’s will host a beauty event outside their store from June 9 to 19. Additionally, The Dubai Mall will host Oud & Qanoon shows, saxophonists, Spanish guitarists, mime artists and living statues.

Emaar Malls Group is partnering with several key organisations for the ‘All that Glitters is Gold’ campaign including Emirates Airlines and Rivoli Group. The four malls are also taking part in the Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) ‘Shop & Win’ promotion during DSS. To participate in the DSMG raffle, customers only have to shop for AED 200 for the chance to win luxury cars throughout DSS.

The Dubai Mall, the must-visit retail and leisure destination in the city, features over 1,000 retail stores and 160 F&B outlets. With Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale’s as the anchor stores, the mall has a dedicated Fashion Avenue hosting 70 of the world’s leading names in haute couture. The dedicated Gold Souk has 220 stores offering the latest in gold and diamond jewellery. Leisure attractions at the mall include Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo with over 30,000 aquatic animals; the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink; SEGA Republic, the largest of its kind indoor theme park in the Middle East; KidZania®, a unique children’s edutainment destination; and the 22-screen Reel Cinemas.

Souk Al Bahar is an Arabesque shopping and entertainment development located near The Dubai Mall with 100 stores including more than 22 food and beverage outlets framing the souk’s waterfront promenade. Waterfront dining at Souk Al Bahar offers some of the finest views of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building; and The Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain. 

Dubai Marina Mall, a lifestyle shopping destination for residents and visitors of the Dubai Marina community, has 160 stores. The mall provides an exciting mix of tenants including supermarkets, fashion wear, accessories, jewellers, boutiques, book and toy shops and music centres and children’s entertainment.

The Gold & Diamond Park, on Sheikh Zayed Road, has 90 retail outlets dedicated to the gold and jewellery trade. A sought-after shopping destination, it also has several cafés and a restaurant to cater for shoppers and neighbouring businesses. Jewellery enthusiasts have the option of commissioning their own designs and have them handcrafted within a short time frame at the onsite manufacturing site.

Making shoppers richer by the week, the Dubai Shopping Malls Group’s (DSMG) weekly raffle draw will take place at the Oasis Centre shopping mall this Thursday. Read the full story

• Bargain deals and mall-wide entertainment

• Participation in the Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) raffle promotion Read the full story