Residents And Tourists Alike Soak Up Festival Atmosphere At Deira City Centre During DSF 2011

 Visitors to Deira City Centre, one of Dubai’s most popular malls, embrace the spectacular shopping and entertainment options this Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) 2011. Residents and tourists alike are soaking in the festival atmosphere at Deira City Centre with its retailers’ special offers and promotions, including its own weekly prize draws for AED 300,000 and solid gold bars for shoppers who spend AED 300 or more. Add to this, arts and crafts workshops for kids, roaming entertainment and live cultural dance shows on Centre Stage.

So far, 4 shopping sprees and 4 solid gold bar winners have been awarded, with further winners to be announced up to 20 February when DSF officially ends.

“Each year we try to create something unique that also excites visitors far and wide for the Dubai Shopping Festival, and 2011 is no exception. This year we combine cultural dance acts from around the globe, ultimate shopping promotions from retailers and kids activities so that we cater for the entire family. Our ultimate aim is to show the international appeal of the Dubai Shopping Festival not only through our international retailers but through the entertainment & cultural shows on offer,” said Deira City Centre VP Fuad Al Najjar.

(Record crowds flock Centre Stage at Deira City Centre during DSF 2011) Kid’s activities run from 10am until 4pm daily on Centre Stage before live performances take over from 5pm until 9.30pm. In partnership with the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE), the mall also offers roaming entertainment featuring parades, percussion groups, carnival acts, dancers and street performers. All these activities really bring home the Dubai Shopping Festival spirit that is in its 16th year, which Deira City Centre, as part of Majid Al Futtaim Properties, has supported since its inception.

With over 115,000 square meters of retail space and over 370 diverse retailers, Deira City Centre is known by residents and tourists as a the place you love to shop most. Shoppers can expect the perfect balance of international brands and local favorites, ensuring that everyone’s taste and budgets are met. To this end, our retailers are going the extra mile this DSF preparing special promotions and gifts for shoppers to further increase their shopping value and experience.
 

Phase One Of Deira Waterfront Development Project Launched

Deira Waterfront Development LLC, the wholly-owned real estate subsidiary of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), today announced the launch of Phase One of the Deira Waterfront Development Project, which includes a Fish Market and a Pets Market, in Dubai. The new fish market will replace the existing one and will be located next to Hamriyah Port. It will feature a retail fish sales hall, and a fish auction area. The new facility will offer a wide array of fresh food items such as vegetables, fruits, meat and poultry sections as well as dry goods shops.

The marketplace is designed as a new addition to Dubai’s attraction sites. It will feature a souq where visitors can buy souvenirs and commercial products. It will also host a diverse range of food and beverage outlets to serve customers and visitors. A waterfront promenade will allow shoppers to browse around various restaurants and cafes, attracting tourists and residents alike. Office spaces will be available on the first floor of the building. Expected to open to public in 2013, the market will have more than 1,000 car parking bays for customers. The Fish Market will have a direct access to the sea, where a port will be built to allow fishing boats to dock. The marina will have a berthing facility for up to 100 boats.

Khalifa Al Daboos, Executive Chairman of Deira Waterfront Development LLC, said: "Fishing is a traditional industry that’s woven into the texture of our history. This project will provide fishermen, traders and customers with a better environment which will help promote the business and support the industry." "We would like to thank our partners, Dubai Municipality and the Fisherman Association in Dubai, for their cooperation in designing and constructing the new facility which is inspired by the country’s heritage all the while reflecting the modern image of Dubai and United Arab Emirates. Construction will begin in 2011 and is expected to be finalized within two years," he added. With a built-up area exceeding 1,000,000 square feet, the market will be equipped with latest technologies that guarantee highest levels of food safety and meet international hygiene standards. The new facility will be fitted with chill rooms and cold storage areas and will have a capacity to meet current and future expansion requirements.

The new project will also include a pet market that will serve as a destination for families and students, offering visitors a rare opportunity to gain more knowledge about pets. Considered as the first of its kind in the region, the market will provide healthcare and grooming services for various pet species based on best international standards of safety and hygiene.

With more than 100 outlets, the pet market will feature a petting zoo, an aviary, a veterinary clinic, and a pet hotel. The new facility will enable pet owners to select among a wide range of food and care products and services.
 

Exciting Changes In-Store Deira City Centre

Shoppers will have yet more reasons to love one of Dubai’s most popular shopping destinations in 2011 as the Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ flagship mall Deira City Centre, has exciting updates ‘in-store,’ this year. Redevelopment enhancements include an expansion initiative which will recreate an additional 30,000 square feet of new retail space, renovation and addition of 55 new stores. Special features and brands being added to the mall include Marks & Spencer, Toys ‘R’Us and a new fitness facility.

Additional elements of Deira City Centre’s enhancement include a new entrance from the Metro Station, new prayer room, redevelopment of the current Jewellery and Textile Courts, and the introduction of a new bridge link to enhance the traffic circulation in the mall and offer new lifestyle services and amenities. The year-long initiative will see the pioneering Deira City Centre welcome flagship brands from Al Futtaim including Marks & Spencer and Toys ‘R’ Us along with other international retailers such as Aeropostale and American Eagle, while extending the size and scope of a number of existing retail partners with up to 55 new stores and retail offerings.

“Al Futtaim Retail is excited by the opportunity to introduce two of our key brands to a flagship centre such as Deira City Centre, one of Dubai’s longest standing and hugely popular mall. We feel this will offer our strong loyal customer base a convenient, central destination in Dubai.” said Jonathan Price, Managing Director Marks & Spencer, Al Futtaim Retail.

A key aim of Deira City Centre’s enhancement initiative is to make more efficient use of the mall’s well-lit and convenient layout, while adding new retail space. Majid Al Futtaim Properties is very excited about the new plans for Deira City Centre this year. “Research has demonstrated that Deira City Centre retains a loyal following among a significant proportion of Dubai residents and visitors, and our 2011 enhancement is an opportunity to welcome new destinational brands, while improving ease of access and traffic flow in and around the centre, as well as introducing new services and amenity upgrades for our shoppers. Over the last 15 years, Deira City Centre has continued to retain its strong position in the market despite new competition and one of the main reasons for its success is its continual evolution to meet changing market demands” said Fuad Al Najjar, Vice President Deira City Centre.

Venture To The Land Of Make Believe With Deira City Centre

Every Sunday to Wednesday from 10am to 10pm, in addition to each Thursday and Friday from 10am to 11.45pm, Deira City Centre plays host to ‘The Land of Make Believe’.

Up to the 20th April, children visiting the mall’s Centre Stage can let their imagination run wild as they play dress up and listen to magical stories. Arts & crafts, balloon bending and face-painting are also on offer – letting kids explore their creativity while parents enjoy the mall.

Additionally, magic shows will run exclusively on Thursday & Fridays with special meet-n-greet opportunities with Barney and special story time with our resident Princess.

This event is sponsored by Iconic Kidz.
 

An International Carnival Flavour Welcomes Visitors To Mirdif City Centre, Mall Of The Emirates And Deira City Centre As DSF 2011 Officially Opens

Visitors to any of Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ three flagship malls in Dubai from 20 January – 20 February will feel an infectious carnival atmosphere from specially-trained entertainment troupes bringing the flavours of South America, China and other geographies to these retail centres throughout Dubai Shopping Festival 2011.

Shoppers keen to bag a bargain from more than 1300 combined stores will enjoy a global mix of music, dance and entertainment as roaming groups bring a uniquely Asian and Latin form of sound and movement to Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre and Deira City Centre. Light and stilt walkers and large-scale puppets will bring smiles to visitors throughout DSF, while shoppers who spend a combined AED 300 across the three malls will be eligible to win a weekly AED 300,000 shopping spree.

“Music and movement from around the world reflect the truly international status of Dubai and the regional and global appeal of the 16th DSF, which Majid Al Futtaim Group has supported since its inception. In additional to some fantastic retail bargains, and chances to win shopping sprees and bonus draws at our centres, every shopper can enjoy the carnival atmosphere generated at Deira City Centre, Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre this DSF,” said Yousif Al Ali, VP, Mirdif City Centre.

Two lucky shoppers, South African Isobel O’Connor and Indian national Chandan Chhabra, were rewarded each with an AED 300,000 shopping spree by getting a head-start on the winter retail season and spending just AED 300 at one of the three Majid Al Futtaim malls in Dubai. Palestinian Manhal Alnajjar and Nepalese national Sudhir Soni were ecstatic to each win a gold bar from Deira City Centre through its weekly bonus draws.

Mirdif City Centre, which is taking part in DSF for the very first time, has a comprehensive line-up of Festival entertainment, including a Russian circus troupe, the Legend of Shaolin agility performances, and special showings of Noddy in Toyland for the first time in the Middle East. Deira City Centre, which recently celebrated 15 years as a DSF supporter, will host daily global dance troupes as well as children’s activities including face-painting and arts and crafts from 10am – 4pm throughout the Festival. Mall of the Emirates will come alive with the sounds and sights of an African lion troupe, dancers and percussionists from South America and China, as well as light walkers and giant puppets.

Further information on DSF festivities at Mall of the Emirates, Mirdif City Centre, and Deira City Centre can be found at www.mydsf.com.
 

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek Acquires Green Globe Status

BRUSSELS, Nov. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Radisson Blu’s property in Dubai, the Dubai Deira Creek Hotel has been awarded Green Globe Certification.

The luxury hotel in Dubai, which originally opened in 1975, was officially recognized for its environmentally friendly practices after consulting Dubai-based sustainability experts Farnek Avireal which paved the way and brought the Dubai hotels, existing green policies through Responsible Business to meet the exacting certification standards.

Chief Engineer Arthur Rodrigues said: \\\”The Green Globe Certification Audit is based on a number of environmental factors, in all we had 250 points to address. Some of the inefficient old and high-power consuming air-conditioning equipment was replaced, coupled with the energy saving wheel, which cools hot air drawn from outside, before passing it through the hotel chillers. It is always more challenging for an older property to attain such rigorous standards, but considering that, it is so much more rewarding to be recognised for our achievements.\\\”

The Green Globe brand and programme, has primarily been used in the travel and tourism industry but is now being expanded to include a growing number of environmentally responsible businesses in a variety of market sectors. The GGC stamp of approval is an ideal symbol for the world’s increasing awareness of environmental responsibility and response to global climate change.

\\\”We had already completed a number of sustainability initiatives, such as energy and resource saving, the use of biodegradable chemicals and recycling initiatives, but achieving Green Globe status will now have a positive effect on every aspect of the hotel operation,\\\” added Rodrigues.

About Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts

Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts (formerly Radisson SAS Hotels & Resorts), part of The Rezidor Hotel Group, provides guests with a contemporary, upscale hospitality experience. Radisson Blu has received numerous awards for Best Hotel Chain and is renowned for its ’Yes I Can’ spirit of service and the ’100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee’. September 2005 saw the rollout of a free broadband service across the portfolio – the first international hotel chain to offer this service. Radisson Blu currently includes almost 250 hotels either in operation or under development and with more than 58,000 rooms in Europe, the Middle East, including hotels in Dubai, and Africa.

 

Deira City Centre Gives Dubai A Decade And A Half Of Magnificent Shopping Experience

Deira City Centre is all set to mark its 15th birthday this weekend with exciting celebrations with both its customers and staff.

The landmark retail destination that pioneered the concept of providing shopping, entertainment and leisure under one roof to all its visitors was the first mall in the portfolio of the Majid Al Futtaim Group, developed to change the face of the retail industry.

The Majid Al Futtaim Group, the leading retail and leisure pioneer replicated this success across the region over the years.

To commemorate this occasion, Deira City Centre has lined up family entertainment on its Centre Stage, and will also be distributing balloons and chocolates to all its visitors as birthday treats.

The mall is also running a promotion to thank all its customers, where it will be rewarding 15 lucky winners, to mirror 15 years of great shopping experience, with shopping sprees worth a total of AED 75,000. Customers need to simply spend AED 100 or until November 30th for their chance to win. For every AED 100 spent, participants will receive one e-coupon via SMS, upon presenting receipts at the main customer service desk.

Fuad Al Najjar, Vice President, Deira City Centre, said “We are very excited to celebrate this milestone in the history of Deira City Centre and what better way to mark such a special occasion than to thank and reward all our shoppers.”

An established centre in the heart of the city, the mall holds a timeless appeal among both residents and tourists and enjoys an extremely loyal following.
 

Deira City Centre Marks World Heart Day

In its endeavour to spread awareness about the prevention of cardiovascular, Deira City Centre is all pumped up to mark World Heart Day on September 26th.

Committed to promoting heart health, the mall has partnered with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the World Heart Federation, and will be hosting a three day initiative to offer free testing facility to all its visitors. Deira City Centre will be offering free body mass index test, blood sugar level, blood pressure level and cholesterol testing between 10 am to 8pm at Centre Stage, from September 24th – September 26th.

In its 10th year now, this time ‘World Heart Day’ revolves around ‘Workplace Wellness’ and is themed ‘I work with Heart’. This campaign aims to promote cardiovascular health within the workplace, as its proven that a healthy workforce is the backbone of every economy.

Highlighting the importance of spreading awareness about cardiovascular diseases, Fuad Al Najjar, Vice President, Deira City Centre, said “Deira City Centre is dedicated to promoting awareness activities related to heart health and we are proud to be associated with Dubai Health Authority for such a worthwhile cause. We urge all our visitors to take responsibility for their own health and advise them to visit our testing facility during the coming weekend.”

According to the statistics by World Heart Federation, 17.1 million people die every year globally from heart disease and strokes and at least 80% of premature deaths are preventable through a healthy diet and regular physical exercise. Doctors from Dubai Health Authority will be available at the mall’s camp to provide healthy tips and nutritional advice to the visitors to prevent heart diseases.
 

KIA UAE Launches 2011 Sportage In New Deira Showroom

Al Majid Motors Co. – the sole distributor of KIA cars in the UAE – has launched the 2011 KIA Sportage SUV in KIA UAE’s all new state-of-the-art showroom in Deira, Dubai.

KIA’s latest showroom — which also acts as KIA UAE’s new Dubai headquarters — officially opened yesterday and is the company’s third showroom in Dubai.

According to General Manager of Al Majid Motors Co., Mohammad Khader: “It’s not often a car dealership gets to launch a brand new car and showroom at the same time, so we’re very happy with the timing.”

He added: “KIA’s new Deira showroom is the second in the area and is located right in the hub of the area’s automobile market. With this latest addition we now have ten showrooms throughout the UAE, all of which offer sales, after-sales and spare parts services. With this new showroom under our belt, we look forward to increasing KIA’s sales by at least 20%.”

The 2011 KIA Sportage features a totally new body shell and engine, distinctive styling and a range of luxury elements.

Longer, lower and wider than the previous generation model, the 2011 Sportage is instantly recognisable by its ‘tiger’ face which incorporates Peter Schreyer’s modern signature grille design that now links all new KIA models.
KIA’s new-and-improved 2.4-litre or 2.0-litre Theta II engine is fitted with the latest electronics and low-friction components and features a build that’s substantially lighter than the previous models. Boasting increased power, boosted durability, enhanced refinement and lower fuel consumption and emissions, the four-cylinder, 2,359 cc power unit features weight-saving all-aluminium construction with a cast aluminium block, cylinder head and sump. Maximum rpm can be raised by 200 to 6,000 with maximum power output being 177 ps (166 for the 2.0-litre version), with 227 Nm of peak torque at 4,000 rpm.

The car’s standard CDP audio system includes a CD player with MP3, USB and iPod connectivity and six top-of-the-range speakers; one in each door and a tweeter at each end of the dashboard. The optional upgraded CDC system includes a woofer and external amplifier that can generate amazing surround sound.

KIA is serious about investing in R&D programmes directed at enhancing active and passive vehicle safety to deliver the highest levels of occupant protection. The sturdy new 2011 Sportage is no exception and comes fitted with six airbags strategically placed on both front and back seats.

Additional active safety technologies can be fitted to the new Sportage. These include: ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and two new systems; HAC (Hill Start Assist Control) and DBC (Downhill Brake Control). HAC prevents slip-back during stop-start driving-up inclines, while DBC ensures safer travel down steep slopes by maintaining a steady 8 kph (5 mph) speed.

The performance of the Sportage’s all-disc braking system is boosted by three systems: a regular ABS (anti-lock system); EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) to adjust the front/rear brake pressure; and BAS (brake assist system) which recognises an emergency stop and delivers maximum braking power. Two active systems are available to assist drivers with reversing manoeuvres. The first is a back-warning sensor that helps the driver avoid contact with pedestrians by triggering an audible warning whenever the vehicle approaches an obstruction.

The second is the new rear-view camera mounted on the tailgate. This camera is fitted with a 130-degree, wide-angle lens which transmits images to an LCD display set within the interior rear-view mirror, or to the navigation display, if fitted. It allows the driver to simultaneously check the rear-view and blind spot below the rear window.

The second-generation Sportage was introduced in 2004 and indicated a massive step forward for KIA. Over the next six years, the second-generation model attracted thousands of customers, achieving global sales of more than 860,000 units, including more than 172,000 units in 2009.
 

Kids Fashion Week Attracts Crowds To Deira City Centre

Kids Fashion Week, a signature event of DSS, brings some of the renowned names in children’s fashion to the ramp at Deira City Centre. To be held till August 7, the week-long event features the latest trends in international children’s fashion. The shows will be held at 6:30pm everyday.

Brands being showcased this year include A2Z, Sanrio, Zara Kids, Stadium, Okaidi, Woolworths, United Colors of Bennetton, Carnival 4 All, and Classy Style.