Exciting Inaugural Abu Dhabi Shopping Season

Retail Abu Dhabi, the retail platform of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has announced details of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Shopping Season - a brand-new, destination-wide winter retail campaign running across the emirate from December 10^th to February 14^th next year.

Encompassing winter festive sales, rewarding promotions, new collection launches and only-in-Abu Dhabi shopping experiences across thousands of fashion, beauty and lifestyle stores, as well as discounts of up to 80% in malls across the UAE capital, Al Ain and Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi Shopping Season will bring exciting additions to Retail Abu Dhabi’s strategic cross-government and public-private sector partnerships.

The Season will see a hi-tech, festive ‘Wishing Tree’ installed in Yas Mall from December 10^th to 31^st. With prizes to be won every day, shoppers use QR codes to select a wish from more than 18 options, including a new winter wardrobe, the latest gadgets, toys, beauty makeovers and hampers, experiences and more. Once selected, shoppers’ gift choices will appear on the innovative Wishing Tree’s huge LED screen displays alongside seasonal animations and motion graphics.

Abu Dhabi Shopping Season, encompassing more than 3,500 retailers in more than 20 malls, will also see the launch of Retail Abu Dhabi One - a new membership programme developed to give shoppers across the emirate and beyond access to exclusive-to-Abu-Dhabi products, experiences, attractive deals, brand events and exciting rewards.

“A true retail industry game-changer, Retail Abu Dhabi One is a first-of-its-kind membership concept that will boost spend and footfall across Abu Dhabi malls and give retailers and brands the chance to aggregate their own loyalty cards into a destination-wide, members-only platform that offers exclusive-to-Abu Dhabi experiences to passionate shoppers,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “As a focal point of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Shopping Season, Retail Abu Dhabi One aligns shoppers, retail stakeholders and partners to further cement Abu Dhabi’s global standing as the ultimate shopping destination.”

Using advanced technology, Retail Abu Dhabi One will engage members directly through personalised offers based on their retail preferences, with Retail Abu Dhabi able to use the generated data to target and drive awareness of ongoing promotions and experiences across the emirate. Retail Abu Dhabi One will also boast additional AI and machine learning-driven functionalities, including chatbots, to enable more engaging conversations with shoppers, price comparisons with other destinations and the ability to recommend exclusive products sold only in the emirate.

“This umbrella programme enables DCT Abu Dhabi to support retailers and brands in developing experiences, and match customers with offers specific to their interests. The generated data will also enable our partners and malls to expand their audience reach and offer exclusive and specific-to-Abu Dhabi shopping experiences. These will include providing first access to product launches, promotions only available in Abu Dhabi, limited collections, exciting rewards and private deals,” added HE Al Shaiba.

“A key differentiator in the destination’s holistic shopping offering, Retail Abu Dhabi One is a social shopping aggregator which complements existing loyalty schemes offered by retail groups, brands and malls. The programme fills an industry gap with a unifying and unique product that will enhance our understanding of consumer preferences and inform our future offerings.”

Retail Abu Dhabi One has already won support from major retailers including Chalhoub Group, M.H. Alshaya Co., Al Tayer Group and Apparel Group, with members given access to ‘first to market’ experiences by hundreds of leading global and regional brands across fashion, lifestyle, home furnishing, F&B, hospitality, jewellery, department store and luxury goods such as IWC, Chaumet, Van Cleef & Arpels, Saint Laurent and Dior. In line with ‘gifting season’, members gain access to Abu Dhabi’s exclusive gifting guide offering tailored experiences, member discounts and access to first-in-Abu Dhabi product launches.

Elsewhere in Abu Dhabi Shopping Season, a massive Shop & Win promotion with Visa will see the global payment leader’s cardholders that spend AED 200 or more in participating outlets automatically enter a mega draw for a chance to win a Mercedes Benz GLC200 Premium.

“On the eve of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Shopping Season, Visa’s strategic and collaborative partnership with Retail Abu Dhabi continues to propel the emirate’s annual retail calendar with incredible rewards through a city-wide shop and win, as well as only-in-Abu Dhabi shopping experiences that are designed to safely and responsibly engage consumers across the Emirates and beyond,” said Shahebaz Khan, Visa’s General Manager for UAE.

Etihad Airways is also offering four million Etihad Guest Miles to the Abu Dhabi Shopping Season prize pool draw, with 16 shoppers set to be awarded 250,000 Etihad Guest Miles each - split across eight Visa cardholders and eight Visa Etihad Guest cardholders.

“With four million Etihad Guest Miles up for grabs during Abu Dhabi Shopping Season, our biggest-ever Retail Abu Dhabi partnership aims to incentivise shoppers to choose Abu Dhabi this winter to celebrate, shop and get rewarded.  Through this partnership, we aim to bring the festive spirit to our valued Etihad Guest Members and Etihad Guest Visa cardholders through added value, special offers and a chance to earn and win millions of miles. These can be used for travel, hotel stays or even more shopping,” said Yasser Al Yousuf, Vice President Commercial Partnerships, Etihad Airways.

For more information on the forthcoming Abu Dhabi Shopping Season visit: www.retailabudhabi.ae