It
is a well known fact that Dubai has emerged as one of the
leading supplier of goods to many countries in Africa. Certain
trade sectors have reported substantial increase in demand
from African countries in the last few years. Many Africans
are now travelling to Dubai in increasing numbers to purchase
goods and to make direct contacts with suppliers and manufacturers.
The improving economic and political situation in many East
African countries has resulted in greater buying power for
the average person in Africa and has in turn boosted demand
for consumer goods. Favourable economic policies adopted
by many African countries have also attracted foreign investments
in industrial and manufacturing projects - mainly in the
several Export Processing Zones (EPZs) that have come up
in countries like Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in recent years.
This has resulted in greater demand for capital goods, machinery
and raw material - a demand that is being met by many Dubai-based
enterprises.
The growing demand for goods in Africa is clearly reflected
in statistics. Shipping lines servicing the Dubai-Africa
route are experiencing a welcome rise in business with the
coming of African bulk buyers during the past two to three
years. Among the major destinations of UAE exports are Nigeria,
Mauritania, Senegal, Gabon, Ghana and the Ivory Coast in
West Africa, and Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya in East Africa.
On an average, freight rates to Africa cost around $2200
to $2600 for a 20-foot container, which has a capacity of
21 tonnes. For a 40-foot container with a capacity of 26.5
tonnes, current rates are between $4900 and $5600. The surge
in the number of African visitors is a new phenomenon, although
Dubai has traditional links with East Africa. According
to data available, from a mere 6,954 in 1984, the number
of visitors from African countries shot up to almost 55,000
in 15 years. Last year, airline passengers from Central,
Eastern and Southern Africa were placed at around 15,000.
Most of them came from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and South
Africa.
As
a result of low import duties and the strategic location
of the country between major markets and manufacturing
countries, prices of almost all consumer and commercial
products are extremely competitive and the variety of
products vast. Anything and everything you may look for,
be it handcrafted jewellery, high-tech electronic gadgets,
haute couture from Paris, antiques or pure leather accessories,
you'll find it all in Dubai - at unbelievable low prices.
Besides offering shopping bargains, Dubai also provides
you with a unique shopping experience. The traditional
souqs of the UAE are undoubtedly the most exotic places
to shop in, offering the visitor a typically Middle Eastern
shopping extravaganza. Located in the old parts of the
city these souqs will take you to the time when the city
was just an outpost in the desert.
Bustling with activity and crowded with shoppers and
traders, these souqs are direct extensions of fabled ancient
Arab bazaars. Although many of the Arab businessmen have
mostly moved out of these bazaars and most of the business
is now handled by expatriates, these souqs have still
managed to retain the old-world charm, colour and mystique
of a traditional Arab marketplace.
Browsing through the souqs of the United Arab Emirates
you will find treasured Arab artifacts like veils, hubble-bubble
pipes, fishing nets, antique daggers and stones, Persian
and Oriental carpets and an entire street wholly devoted
to textiles and dress material. You are literally spoilt
for choice while shopping in Dubai, known as a shoppers'
paradise the world over. In fact, many travellers come
to Dubai only for shopping because of the wide variety
of goods available here and of course, the attractive
prices offered on almost every purchase. Dubai is one
of the best places to buy gold. The gold souq in Dubai
dazzles one s senses with its sheer glitter. The
quality of jewellery available in the Gold Souq is top
class, the variety of designs extraordinary and the temptation
to buy definitely irresistible. Approximately 150 tonnes
of gold is imported into Dubai every year to be shaped
into a spectacular array of designs to suit the tastes
of various people. Whether it is a gem-crusted gold necklace,
an ornate Arabic design, an intricate design from India
or just plain coins and pendants, you can find it all
in the Gold Souq. If you want to buy a necklace, a bracelet,
a ring or earrings in almost any design your heart desires,
you will surely find something to satisfy both your taste
and your pocket.
The
prices of jewellery are based on the weight of the gold
and an additional
charge for labour, so it is always better to check the
gold prices in the local media before making a purchase.
The prices of all types of gold whether it s 14,
18, 22 or 24 carat, are almost the same in most of the
shops - and much cheaper than elsewhere in the world.
Adjacent to the Gold Souk is situated the Perfume Bazaar
which brings all sorts of pleasant aromas from all over
the world within your reach. Fragrance has always been
the essence of good upbringing in Asia. The market takes
pride in not only bringing to you practically all the
leading perfumes but also creating an aroma of high living
and sophistication. And remember, these are not mere perfume
centres to cater to your luxury but also reservoirs of
wisdom of the bygone ages when different oils and perfumes
were used to cure many illnesses of body and mind.
Electronics and home appliances are other shopping attractions
that are almost always on top of the shopping list of
visitors to the UAE. The low import duty makes electronic
items much cheaper than in other parts of the world. Right
from watches, to VCRs, television sets, washing machines,
refrigerators, cameras, stereo systems - you ll
find them all at prices that will surely be much lower
than back home.
Meena Bazaar, in Bur Dubai, is an ideal place to shop
for textiles and miscellaneous electronic items and home
appliances. Located just a short walk away from the Dubai
creek, Meena Bazaar also has many opticians who will sell
you almost every known brand of sunglasses at rock-bottom
prices. They can also make special spectacles and sunglasses
either from a prescription or from existing lenses. The
cost may vary depending on the job, but you could expect
something in the range of Dhs 150 (US$ 42) a pair.
No visit to Dubai would be complete without a trip to
one of the many modern and futuristic shopping malls in
the city. Dubai was the first city in the Gulf to have
a proper shopping mall and has taken the lead in providing
modern shopping amenities for both visitors and residents.
A boom in shopping malls is currently sweeping through
the UAE with a number of new malls being added to the
list every year. In the last five years itself, over fifteen
new shopping malls boasting of state-of-the-art amenities
and top of the range architectural design have mushroomed
in the city of Dubai alone.
Besides
the many shopping malls, there are many more clumps of
shops and supermarkets that dot the cities of the UAE.
Wherever you are staying, a modern supermarket is surely
going to be in the nearby vicinity. Shopkeepers throughout
the UAE tend to be helpful, sometimes a bit too much,
and will offer you special prices for any item that catches
your eye. Bargaining in the UAE is an accepted norm except
in some of the larger stores. Remember, even the most
glamourous of boutiques and stores will come down on their
quoted prices and offer you a last price
if you insist on having a discount. In fact, many shopkeepers
do not even wait to be asked and assume that you expect
a discount and themselves adjust the asking price on payment.
The best way to find good bargains in the UAE is to browse
through the various markets and shopping malls. Your first
stop should undoubtedly be the traditional Arabic gift
shop to buy something to take home as a souvenir. Traditional
gifts include Arabic coffee pots, silver and brass swords
and 'khanjars' (curved Arabic daggers), worry beads, soapstone
figures, coasters and other items decorated with lapis
lazuli, turquoise malachite and other semi-precious stones,
marble goblets, silver antique jewellery from Oman, Yemen
and locally made artifacts, silver and wooden dhows, Persian
carpets and cotton dhurries and an array of other decorative
items. The Yellow Pages is an invaluable source of information
for any specific product or service you may be looking
for.
For those who need to make some last minute buys, a little
time must be kept away at the Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports,
which are known the world over for their duty free outlets.
Dubai s Duty Free complex offers one of the best
prices in the world and caters to a large number of passengers
who buy electronics, watches, perfumes, tobacco, beverages,
jewellery, toys, chocolates, cosmetics, china and crystal
ware from there. Both Dubai and Abu Dhabi airport duty
free shops carry a wide assortment of souvenirs and accept
almost all major credit cards and almost any currency.
Duty Free outlets at UAE's international airports are
world famous for their wide range of variety and excellent
prices. Dubai Duty Free, in particular has gained worldwide
reputation in its field and has won several international
awards. The Dubai Duty Free complex boasts of many shops
that have almost everything imaginable. The most popular
items at the Dubai Duty Free complex include gold, (though
it is advisable to buy from Dubai's gold souk where you
will get comparatively better prices), electronics, liquor,
cameras and tobacco (there is a special humified room
at the DDF to keep quality cigars in perfect conditions).
Chocolates, delicatessen, household items, sports goods,
leather, designer clothes, toys, cosmetics, carpets, crystal
and glassware are some of the other hot selling items
at the Dubai Duty Free, known to be one of the best duty
free outlets in the world. On your way back from Dubai,
make sure that you spend some time at the duty free complex
at the airport and enjoy the international shopping bonanza
that s on offer.
DUBAI
SHOPPING FESTIVAL (DSF)
Fun and Bargains
The
annual Dubai Shopping Festival has further bolstered Dubai's
status as a shopping paradise. Organised by the Government
of Dubai, the Dubai Shopping Festival offers four weeks
of discount shopping - some of the lowest prices in the
world on luxury and everyday items. The biggest event
of its kind in the whole of Middle East, the Festival
also features a host of cultural, entertainment and sporting
events that further added to the glamour and incentive
of the unique promotion.
The annual Festival fever grips the city for the 30-day
shopping bonanza which sees the city converted into a
huge shopping haven with discounts and special rebates
offered by most shopping outlets. Throughout the city,
visitors got the opportunity to purchase quality merchandise,
including electronics, jewellery, household goods, fashionwear,
textiles and a bevy of other consumer items at rock bottom
prices.
The various shopping centres and malls in Dubai offer
the visitor a varied shopping experience. Yet, the Dubai
Shopping Festival is not for shoppers only. It is a great
event for the entire family. During the Festival a number
of cultural sideshows, entertainment activities and sporting
events are organised to provide fun for everyone. Famous
cartoon characters all the way from Disneyland are out
on the streets and shopping malls to lend a lively and
fun-filled atmosphere to the whole city. One of the main
attractions during the Festival is the special Global
Village that is set up along the Dubai creek where one
could sample exotic foods from all over the world. This
is also the place where a lot of people purchase quality
handcrafted souvenirs from all over the world which are
sold at unbelievably low prices.
