The annual shop-a-thon finished in Dubai on Sunday (15 February 2009) and reports suggest that sales are down significantly.Raed Rafi writes in the LA Times:
“Sales are down at the city-state's annual shop-a-thon, usually a celebration of conspicuous consumption. Even bringing in Iron Maiden to lure customers didn't seem to help much.”
“Authorities and businesses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, are going the extra mile this year to spur cash-strapped tourists to loosen their purse strings during what has become an iconic fete of conspicuous consumption.”
The LA Times article says that the annual Dubai Shopping Festival have offered free makeovers, car and home giveaways, and big discounts on plane tickets and hotel rates.
To read the full report:
Dubai: Even the Dubai Shopping Festival is Feeling the Effects of Economic Slump, LA Times, 13 February 2009.
Dr Geoff Pound
Image: Dubai Shopping Festival 2009 logo.
