Public-private sector collaboration shows sector resilience and delivers emirate’s most economically impactful summer season promotion ever
Retail Abu Dhabi’s ‘Unbox Amazing’ shopping promotion, which ran throughout July and August across the emirate, achieved record-breaking sales of more than AED 2 billion in 3,500 participating stores, according to new data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).
Equating to weekly spend of AED 250 million on eligible Visa cards alone, Retail Abu Dhabi’s most successful summer promotion to date has negated the impact of Covid-19 to achieve incredible year-on-year increases of 31% in total spend and 23% in total transactions. The results have delivered a strong boost to the regional retail market and highlighted the emirate’s safe shopping and dining offerings to residents and visitors alike.
The highly successful collaboration, which included 21 malls and more than 3,500 retailers, was driven by DCT Abu Dhabi, bringing together the Department’s dedicated retail platform with the Department of Economic Development – Abu Dhabi (DED); Visa, the world’s digital payments leader; four participating banks including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Al Hilal Bank and First Abu Dhabi Bank; and Etihad Airways.
HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi, praised the ambitious campaign’s impact as it achieved record shopping expenditure, boosted the emirate’s retail sector and also supported malls reopening in-line with the destination’s wider ‘Rediscover Abu Dhabi’ campaign.
“Everyone has been a winner,” said HE Al Shaiba. “The retail sector has demonstrated its immense diversity and resilience, and Abu Dhabi has achieved a reputational boost in terms of its promotional capabilities as a leading regional shopping destination. Strategic alliances have helped deliver an economically impactful summer retail experience for retailers and consumers, with supporting culinary promotions serving to increase domestic tourism appeal and residual spend.”
Retail Abu Dhabi’s ‘Unbox Amazing’ featured exclusive offers from more than 40 brands during the region’s first online-offline shopping experience, an innovative event, which was hosted by Arabian fashion icon Raya Abirached. The three-hour virtual programme also featured a ‘virtual cover’ interview with Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima. Shoppers also enjoyed access to exclusive-to-Abu Dhabi products from brands including Saint Laurent, Hermès, Burberry, Prada, Miu Miu, Fendi, Bulgari, Piaget, Cartier, Jimmy Choo, Van Cleef & Arpels and many more.
"We continue to be optimistic about the resilience of Abu Dhabi’s retail sector and remain committed to supporting local businesses navigate the COVID-19 environment to accelerate the UAE’s retail sector recovery,” said Shahebaz Khan, Visa’s General Manager for the UAE.
