DUBAI — Organizers Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) worked closely with retail partners to create a new festival that focuses on the Emirate’s growing homeware sector. From offering design inspiration to showcasing the city’s array of local interiors talent and global brands, Dubai Home Festival, which runs until May 1, 2019, is a unique opportunity to further attract retail tourism to the region.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, said: “We are very fortunate to work with such pioneering industry partners who have fully supported our plans to launch a brand new festival here in Dubai. We are confident that focusing on the homeware sector will help increase footfall to our shopping locations and drive increased retail tourism, and together with our esteemed partners, look forward to seeing the success of the first edition of Dubai Home Festival.”

Mohamed Al Jasmi, Senior Mall Manager, City Centre Mirdif, Majid Al Futtaim – Properties, said: “We are grateful to Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment for spearheading Dubai Home Festival 2019, and for putting a spotlight on home furnishing and bringing together key players. The home segment is an important cornerstone of City Centre Mirdif and all Majid Al Futtaim malls with its vast offering of international world-class furniture, homeware, and appliance stores. This is a brilliant initiative that will undoubtedly invigorate the furniture and homeware segments with a host of special promotions, activities and offers taking place throughout the city.”

Omar Khoory, Managing Director, Nakheel Malls, said: “We congratulate Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment for creating another event that further strengthens Dubai’s position as a leading retail destination. As a strategic partner of DFRE, Nakheel Malls is committed to offering unparalleled experiences at Ibn Battuta Mall and Dragon Mart.

“We are excited to be part of the inaugural Dubai Home Festival (DHF), a novel addition to Dubai’s retail calendar that showcases the Emirate’s furnishing and homeware industry. Ibn Battuta Mall and Dragon Mart are both well known for their extensive offerings in this sector and, to add to the excitement, we have a number of grand prizes and offerings, including brand new cars and home makeovers lined up to celebrate this new event.”

Usama Qasem, Head of Marketing, Robinsons, said: “We here at Robinsons are committed to offering an exceptional customer experience, through fun store activations, amazing offers and new exclusive product ranges. Continuing our efforts to cater to our clientele, we are pleased to be part of Dubai Home Festival this year. To celebrate, we will be offering shoppers exciting prizes.” — SG

including a room makeover in collaboration with Dubai Festival City Mall and up to 60 per cent off a selection of products in-store.”

Interior Design Manager, IKEA UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, said: “IKEA has been a part of many success stories in the UAE for the past 26 years and our participation in this event reiterates our commitment towards contributing to the UAE’s growth in this sector. The UAE is a key market for us and we are keen to collaborate with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment to offer exciting offers and activities to our customers during Dubai Home Festival.”

Atif Rahman, Director and Partner, Danube Properties, commented: “We always believe, at Danube, that we are in existence and in growth because of the support we receive from the Government of Dubai.”

Raed Dibs, General Manager, Interiors LLC. said: “As one of Dubai’s oldest home stores, we are very pleased to see the homeware sector coming to the forefront of Dubai’s retail landscape. We know this will be a very exciting sales period in our shops and welcome residents and tourists to come and discover the many premium pieces on display.”

Joshua Placer, Senior Operations Manager, Al Shaya, commented: “Taking part in the first edition of the Dubai Home Festival will bring further awareness of our brands to the residents of Dubai who are passionate about home decorating.’’

Jens Ravnbøl, CEO, JYSK, said: “At JYSK, we are very excited about the first edition of Dubai Home Festival. It is a great opportunity for us to showcase our offering and we are confident that such a festival will further boost our sales.”

Rebecca Jobo, Head of The Dubai Mall, said: “The launch of the first dedicated home festival by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment serves as a fantastic opportunity for home furnishing brands in the region and The Dubai Mall to grow their business, while offering exceptional value for customers. Dubai is home to spectacular shopping events, and a focused initiative on home products will add to the lifestyle experiences of residents and also attract more visitors to the city. We strive to offer innovative lifestyle experiences to our customers and our partnership with DFRE for the home festival underlines our commitment to promote the event at The Dubai Mall and position it as the go-to retail destination for this season.”

Thomas Lundgren, CEO and Founder, THE One, commented: “As a home grown home fashion brand, with 23 theatres (stores) in seven countries across the Middle East, as well our online store presence with theone.com, THE One Total Home Experience is proud to be part of the inaugural Dubai Home Festival. It is a great way of celebrating home furnishing retail in the region.

In this millennial era where on-line presence is essential, bricks-and-mortar furniture stores are even more important now for home shoppers of all ages. Customers want to be able to experience, see, touch, test and feel before they purchase. At THE One, we pride ourselves in just giving that: a Total Home Experience with a magical touch.

A designated Dubai Home Festival in the annual retail calendar provides a great platform for home furnishing brands in the region overall and will play an equally important role in the future of home shoppers purchasing journeys.”