Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2025 has witnessed exceptional economic growth during the first six weeks of the festival, with retailers and malls across Dubai recording over 100 percent average increase in consumer spending.
Organized by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) and running until August 31, strategic partnerships from leading corporations and citywide stakeholders have helped deliver unmatched shopping experiences for residents and visitors.
Tens of thousands of shoppers actively engaged with more than 1,000 brands at over 3,500 outlets spanning over 100 retail destinations, marking a significant milestone for the city’s summer retail sector.
“Dubai Summer Surprises is not only one of the city’s most beloved annual festivals, but a key contributor to economic resilience, tourism impact, and sustained growth for the retail sector. The year’s packed program of unmatched retail experiences reinforces summer as the best-value time to experience Dubai across every preference and price-point, ultimately delivering on our promise of a summer well spent for everyone,” said Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE).
Great Dubai Summer Sale boosts growth
Driving this growth performance is the introduction of a strategic phased approach to DSS 2025, anchored around three distinct retail seasons specially curated for Dubai’s evolving consumer landscape and peak shopping cycles. The phased retail strategy commenced with the inaugural Summer Holiday Offers that helped catalyze early-summer retail activity from June 27 to July 17.
The strongest momentum to date was fuelled by the recently concluded Great Dubai Summer Sale season, accelerating in-mall activity and transaction volumes across key retail categories by delivering the deepest discounts of the season and up to 90 percent off during limited-time flash sales from July 18 to August 10.
“Our refreshed structure for DSS 2025 – anchored around three distinct retail seasons – enables our valued partners to strategically align with consumer behaviours during key seasonal moments, helping to sustain steady engagement and footfall throughout the summer. With thousands of offers, more than 1,000 brands and over 3,500 outlets across more than 100 retail destinations, DSS 2025 continues to firmly position summer as a peak economic period for the city,” Al Khaja added.
Back-to-school season to sustain momentum
The GDSS Shop, Scan and Win promotion – which featured the summer’s biggest prize draw for a life-changing AED1 million in cash or a brand-new Nissan Patrol – attracted over 27,000 entries, amplifying retail engagement and footfall across participating malls and stores.
Looking ahead, the ongoing Back to School season is expected to sustain momentum until August 31, ensuring a strong close to DSS 2025 by targeting families and students with value-led retail experiences.
Underscoring the strength of Dubai’s summer retail ecosystem and the effectiveness of the city’s coordinated festival strategy, retail groups, mall operators and brand partners across the city have reported notable increases in footfall, transaction value and overall customer engagement.
“Retail festivals like DSS play a pivotal role in driving footfall, boosting consumer confidence, and ultimately accelerating growth within Dubai’s tourism ecosystem. It’s incredibly rewarding to see the synergy between retail and tourism come to life through campaigns like these,” said Baiju Kurieash, CEO and founder of BUZ Management and Marketing LLC.
