Known as ‘Layali Dubai’ in Arabic, Dubai Shopping Festival was first held in the year 1996 in the month of February.
2007 Dubai Shopping Festival is scheduled between 21st June – 31st August. The Government of Dubai promoted the Dubai Shopping Festival with the intention of inducing trade in Dubai. Since then the shopping festival of Dubai has become gala annual event. This annual shopping bonanza adds a new dimension to the tourism industry in Dubai as the Dubai shopping festival has become a major occasion when people from all around the world gather in Dubai to enjoy this cultural extravaganza.
Dubai Shopping Festival heralded the beginning of a new kind of shopping cum entertainment festival and this type of a mega event was completely new to the world. With the co- operation between the public and the private sector the shopping festival in Dubai became one of the biggest carnival in the world.
Dubai is known as a shopping paradise but it is during the Dubai shopping festival ,with the red carpets laid out,that the true glitz and glamor of the place is revealed. With around 2,300 retail outlets offering different kinds of items from gold, perfumes to cars and electronic items the festival continues for a whole month. However,the Dubai shopping Festival is not restricted to shopping alone and there are other Dubai events including fashion shows, film festivals,road side shows,children’s events etc.