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Dubai: The Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) Office is expecting a 20-25 per cent increase in consumer spending from last year's Dh3.2 billion, officials said yesterday.
The summer event saw two million visitors last year and estimates are that the number will increase by eight to ten per cent this year. Only the retail expenditure in 2007 reached Dh825 million.
Laila Suhail, chief executive of DSS says the main reason for the growth is 'Dubai', which has become a brand name.
"The majority of consumer spending is on shopping and restaurants followed by the hospitality sector," Suhail said.
Suhail told Gulf News that the DSS Office is spending Dh85 million for DSS 2008. "The investment goes for events, marketing, promotions, all the expenses for DSS events, as well as activities related to Modhesh," she said. She added that 70 per cent of the income comes from the private sector through sponsorship support, retail participations and events sponsorship.
In the past 10 years of DSS, the total number of visitors was 13.16 million, while the total consumer spending was calculated to be around Dh16 billion, according to official reports.
In the first year of its launch, DSS 1998 saw 600,000 visitors, spending Dh850 million.
"The event was launched with the objective to boost tourism and the economy. In 1998, Dubai had several malls which used to be empty during the summer. DSS has changed that trend and converted the summer season with the shopping season," said Suhail.
Officials say that DSS is adding more value to Dubai during the normally lean season.
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