Khaleej Times

RESIDENTS RUSH TO TRY THEIR LUCK

- Angel Tesorero angel@khaleejtim­es.com

There are music, fireworks display and, of course, the prices of many shopping items are very tempting.” Li Zhu, Chinese national

Shoppers rushed to various malls for their year-end shopping needs as the 23rd edition of the annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) kicked off across Dubai on Tuesday.

On Tuesday noon, the roads leading to some malls started experienci­ng heavy traffic, parking spaces were hard to find and some Metro stations registered higher footfall as shoppers took advantage of the huge discounts ranging between 25 and 90 per cent. The participat­ing malls are Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira, City Centre Me‘aisem, City Centre Barsha and City Centre Al Shindagha.

The supersale, which started from 12pm and ran until midnight, gave customers the chance to get their hands on amazing deals. Moreover, shoppers who spent Dh300 during the 12 hours ent-ered a lucky draw to grab the grand prize of Dh50,000 worth of shopping vouchers.

Shoppers were also treated to in-mall entertainm­ent. At The Dubai Mall, drummers, harpists and musical waiters provided music and cultural programmes.

Chinese national Li Zhu, who is visiting Dubai for the first time, told Khaleej Times that he is amazed with the colourful shopping tradition in the emirate. “There is music, fireworks displays and of course, the prices of shopping items are very tempting,” he said.

Shoppers looked for the best deals in jewellery, gold, fashion merchandis­e and gadgets. Some also planned to redecorate their homes for the coming new year while others bought late Christmas gifts for their families and friends.

Staff at malls also showed their excitement about the annual shopping festival. Filipino expat Aimee Payoyo said the DSF means more sales for their company and more sales means bonus for the staff. At night, the Dubai skies were lit with spectacula­r fireworks over Al Seef, La Mer and The Beach opposite JBR. The shopping extravagan­za will run daily until January 27,2018, offering tourists and residents five weeks of incredible shopping experience.

 ?? Photo by Shihab ?? Stilt walkers and performers with the DSF’s opening fireworks in the background at Al Seef, Dubai, on Tuesday. —
Photo by Shihab Stilt walkers and performers with the DSF’s opening fireworks in the background at Al Seef, Dubai, on Tuesday. —
 ?? Photos by Mohammad Mustafa Khan ?? Shoppers throng the Mall of the Emirates on Tuesday, the first day of the shopping festival. —
Photos by Mohammad Mustafa Khan Shoppers throng the Mall of the Emirates on Tuesday, the first day of the shopping festival. —
 ??  ?? The roads entering and exiting the Mall of the Emirates in Barsha witnessed heavy traffic as the shopping festival kicked off.
The roads entering and exiting the Mall of the Emirates in Barsha witnessed heavy traffic as the shopping festival kicked off.

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