Roshin George
My first trip to the UAE as a tourist was in the summer of 2014, when my expat spouse took me on a sightseeing spree of its glitzy and gleaming malls. After gazing at the sharks in the Dubai Aquarium Zoo, marvelling at the immense dinosaur fossil from Wyoming, USA, and absolutely loving the sculptures of divers in the indoor fountain of the gargantuan Dubai Mall, I indulged in the favourite pastime of every tourist to this middle-east paradise – shopping like crazy for international brands that were then unavailable in India. So much so that my suitcases were bursting at the seams on the return journey!
‘Shop till you drop’ is the mantra of a good many resident of the Emirates, save those driven by the sole intention of saving for a rainy day – rather, saving enough to enjoy retired life back in their homelands after slogging it out in the Arabian desert for a decade or two. But let us talk now about those whose feet itch to rush to malls Friday after Friday especially during the numerous sales that have one fancy name or the other.
For instance, the Dubai Summer Surprise (DSS) that began on July 8 is a seven-week gala fest that will see discounts and promotions that are hard to resist. That it is the 23rd season of the annual summer sale proves its popularity. From the never-ending expanse of the Dubai Mall ¬¬– the world’s largest — and Mall of the Emirates to the iconic Ibn Batuta mall and the sleek Mirdif City Centre, these world-class spaces for retail adventure beckon shopaholics and the frugal buyer alike during sale seasons that follow one after the other. Then there is the 3DSS or 3-Day Super Sale that comes twice a year in May and October, followed by the heady sales during the National Day weekend in early December. GITEX, the five-day electronics fair at the Dubai World Trade Centre in October, is another perfect time for bargain buys. The greatest event of course is the DSF or Dubai Shopping Festival that runs from December 26 to February 1; it has the distinction of being the world’s largest indoor shopping festival that is pepped up by outdoor fireworks and raffle draws for big buyers.
In a desert, malls offer solace and succor during summer while the nearly four months of winter is a time for outdoor carnivals, picnics, desert safaris and sightseeing. The customer gets the royal treatment from shop assistants, who sing out a sugary sweet “Hello ma’am, how can I help you?” whether you plan to buy or not. Some hang out in malls to enjoy its cool environs, gape at those dressed outlandishly or just for a glimpse of the make-believe world before they return to their bunk beds, capping their Friday out with an AED 1 cone ice cream from McDonald’s – one of the cheapest delights in Dubai like the abra ride across the Dubai Creek.
COVID-19 however warranted the unprecedented step of closing all malls across the country in late March, which bore fruit, and we now return to them excitedly and in obvious relief. We have turned wiser about personal hygiene and more careful around that random twerp who sneezes into your face. Masks and gloves are the new compulsory accessories, in the league of malls regulations that instruct visitors to be decently clothed in a conservative yet modern society where public displays of affection are not acceptable. Sanitisers and temperature checks instill a feeling of safety in mall-goers, who are longing for the old Dubai before the virus scare.
Dubai’s annual Retail Calendar will be busy after the brief hiatus, and its economy set to flourish once again. The DSS has coincided with the opening up of the emirate to international traffic and tourists from July 7. The Burj Khalifa, which lights up with a message to honour national days and events across the world, flashed a “Welcome to Dubai” message to tourists and residents on Day One.
Dubai has something for everyone. The emirate sees a surge in Asian and African visitors during shopping festivals. While some are the cash-rich looking for foreign brands for themselves, others are small business people who plan to resell them in their own countries. Being strategically placed between Africa and South and South-east Asia, the UAE is the perfect leisure destination for inhabitants of the developing world. A four to five-hour flight can ferry them to the country, which offers flexible one- and three-month tourist visas.
For residents and the locals, mall hopping has become part of the lifestyle. The careful and cautious ones use the sales and discount seasons to refurbish their wardrobes, change furniture or stock up on essentials. Many also plan gifts for dear ones back in their homelands during such promotions. If non-sale periods see minimal footfall or only window-shoppers, a 50-70% sale is the trick that will bring people by the hordes to malls. “Up to 90% off”, some shops scream though one will be hard-pressed to find those particular items.
Even as I write this, SMS after SMS prompt me to examine in person sizzling savers in global brands. The wisdom earned from the numerous “How to save money in the UAE” can wait. As Scarlett O’Hara says, “Tomorrow is another day”. Today, I will shop till I drop!
