Tag Archives: Global Village

Global Village, the region’s leading family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment, opened its doors yesterday, marking the official start of its 27th season. This year, Global Village brings together 27 pavilions, over 3,500 shopping outlets and more than 250 restaurants, cafes, and street food options. Featuring 40,000 shows, guests can experience a new lineup of some of the world’s best performers, famous characters, world-class concerts, street entertainment and the region’s only water-based stunt show. More than 175 rides, games and attractions are also available for guests to enjoy, including the new Global Village Big Balloon, a one-of-its-kind Helium Balloon Ride providing spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and its wider surroundings. Mohamed Sharaf, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Holding Entertainment, said, “Global Village has been a regional and international phenomenon for close to three decades, helping cement Dubai as a global hub for entertainment and tourism. Since the end of Season 26, our teams have been using guest feedback and data to find new and unique ways to take the guest experience to the next level. This would not be possible without our extraordinary teams and partners, who work tirelessly to bring the beautiful cultures of the world to Dubai’s Global Village. We are delighted to welcome our guests from across the globe to the 27th Season of Global Village with another unmissable line-up of attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences.” Celebrating the opening of Season 27, Global Village is bringing a unique fleet of some of the world’s most recognisable and iconic cars to the streets of Dubai. The Global Village “wonder rides” feature taxis from New York, Cuba, Japan, Thailand, Mexico, and Lebanon. Global Village will also …

Global Village has revealed further details of some of the additional new experiences and attractions guests can look forward to throughout Season 27. Arriving at the perfect time for Halloween, the newly built House of Fear will be the scariest haunted house experience in the region featuring a team of actors across nine different experiences with everything from a haunted cemetery, hospital psych ward and even a screaming tree. Spanning 660 square metres, the exclusive House of Fear concept features the latest animatronic technology from the United States and has been curated for Global Village by Cave Entertainment to create an immersive haunted house experience unlike any other. Another brand new attraction for Season 27 is Diggers Lab, where children, young and old, can put on a construction hat to enjoy this fun edutainment activity. The hydraulic digger experience, located at the entrance of Carnaval, invites little builders to take the controls by operating diggers, dumpers and other construction machinery, offering excitement for the whole family. In a world where strange rules, the highly popular Ripley’s Believe It or Not!™ Odditorium, which is bursting with vibrant and eye-catching oddities, returns to Global Village for its 4th year. With more than 200 unbelievable and incredible displays from all over the world, the first Ripley’s Believe It or Not!™ Odditorium in the MENA region welcomes a number of new exhibits, as well as an upgraded lobby and new retail offerings. There will be over 50 new Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Exhibits, including a 14-foot-long killer crocodile, a matchstick model containing over one million matchsticks, and even the Cristiano Ronaldo ‘money legs’ display. The popular “Torture chamber” gallery now includes a brand …

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) will begin operating electric abra tourist services for visitors to Global Village on Tuesday, 25 October, in conjunction with the start of the Village’s 27th season (2022 – 2023). “RTA is always keen on running the electric abra service with the start of the Global Village season every year, especially as abras had proved extremely popular among visitors. By offering riders an opportunity to board a transit means powered by renewable energy, we intend to generate a positive experience that will contribute to the growth of tourist numbers in the Global Village. The positive response is evident from the huge footfall of residents & visitors,” commented Mohammed Abu Bakr Al Hashemi, Director of Marine Transport, Public Transport Agency, RTA. “We approved a plan to operate two electric abras to serve guests of the Global Village this season. The service proved extremely popular amongst visitors over the past seasons,” added Al Hashemi. “Each year, the Global Village plays a vital role in enhancing Dubai’s tourism during the winter season. RTA is committed to growing tourist numbers by running a wide range of public transport services, including marine transport represented by abras, Dubai Ferry, Water Bus and Water Taxi,” he further added. Marine transport means are part of RTA’s core services. They are particularly appealing to tourists, as riders will savour the picturesque views and the iconic landmarks of the city during their journeys in Dubai, besides the smooth and enjoyable rides. RTA’s marine transport means were designed by renowned boat manufacturers at top global standards. All amenities are available on board, and safety and security measures are in place. They also feature designated spaces for …

Global Village guests will have the opportunity to experience a stunning new attraction when Season 27 opens on October 25, 2002. The ‘’Global Village Big Balloon’’, accommodates up to 20 people of all ages and is also suitable for people of determination. The helium balloon, which is as high as a six-storey building and measures 65 feet in diameter, will give guests the chance to experience spectacular 360-degree views across Global Village and the wider surroundings. The huge balloon is to become a new landmark in the sky, visible from miles around the multicultural destination. Naveen Jain, Director – Business Development, Global Village, said: “Every Season we make sure our guests are able to experience new and exciting attractions. A balloon ride experience is on many people’s bucket lists, so we’re thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to our guests. Closer to the season opening, we will be revealing more fun experiences that can be enjoyed by all the family.” The massive balloon has been designed to exceed the high safety standards that have been established by Global Village in recent years. The park once again received a 5* rating for the 4th consecutive year by the British Safety Council and was also awarded the prestigious Sword of Honour for the past 3 years.

Global Village concluded Season 26 on May 7, 2022, welcoming a record-breaking 7.8 million guests to the heart of wonder since its opening on October 26, 2021. Global Village has evolved into a top destination for exceptional multicultural and entertainment offerings that raise the bar for regional and global guest experiences. As the UAE became one of the most sought-after destinations with millions of tourists arriving to visit Expo 2020 Dubai, Global Village’s action-packed season brought together an exciting line-up of shows, festivals, events and live concerts. Due to popular demand, the park extended Season 26, allowing guests to enjoy Eid Al Fitr festivities for the first time in its history. The longest season ever, Global Village was open for 194 days, four days more than its previous record. Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer at Global Village, said: “Global Village has been a unique cultural destination for guests from across the globe for more than two decades; we are proud to contribute to cementing Dubai as a global hub for entertainment and tourism. Anwahi added: “We also strive to contribute to the economy by supporting local entrepreneurs and attracting international businesses to Dubai. This year, 60% of our partners were new to Global Village, which keeps our offering fresh and our guests coming back season after season. The improvements we made and our focus on guest experience led to over 90% of guests declaring their intent to revisit this season. We also continue to make progress with our digital transformation plans using advanced data analytics, behind-the-scenes IoT and AI technologies to better understand our guests, strengthen our infrastructure and improve efficiencies.” Digital Transformations Aligning with the Global Village’s commitment to …

Global Village announced the launch of new VIP packages for clients of travel trade partners. Highly popular amongst international guests for its immersive attractions, incredible cuisines and unforgettable entertainment, the park is among the top 4 entertainment destinations globally in terms of average daily foot fall – playing host to 90 million happy guests since it first opened. Season 26 was a record season with 7.8 million guests coming through the gates in just over 6 months. Four bespoke packages, “Global Village Premium”, “Emirati Discovery”, “Culinary Trails” and “GV Fully Loaded”, are designed specifically for international tourists. Complete with VIP access, the packages take the Global Village experience to the next level with benefits including welcome drinks on arrival, skip-the-line access, personal tour guides and exclusive experiences. Jaki Ellenby, Executive Director of Marketing at Global Village, said: “We work closely with our travel trade partners to design the right product. The VIP guided tours are another step in ensuring that our partners have the right options for their client base. We have also implemented a fully digitised contracting process and this year launched a brand new Travel Trade portal to ensure that partnering with Global Village is a seamless and efficient journey. This season we saw an incredible 595% increase in travel trade sales from 2021, and 200% from 2020. We are proud to support Dubai’s vision of becoming the world’s most visited city and are grateful to our partners for assisting us in our efforts to broaden Global Village’s international footprint. Travel Trade can access all Global Village products, from tickets and dining vouchers to world-class attractions like Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!® and Carnaval fun fair, on the …

Global Village, the UAE and wider region’s leading multicultural family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment has announced the launch of a fully digitized, one-stop portal for its travel trade partners through an exciting photography competition with prizes worth AED 40,000 up for grabs. From tickets to world-class attractions like Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!®, Carnaval fun fair and Harbour Force Stunt Show to dining and shopping opportunities, the new travel trade portal has everything needed to tailor the perfect package. With the latest and most up to date information available, it is easy to enhance an exisiting tour or simply introduce the multi-cultural destination to a new itinerary. Jaki Ellenby, Executive Director, Marketing & Events, Global Village, said: “We, at Global Village, are committed to providing enhanced services to our travel trade partners and keeping them up to date on the latest happenings. Our easy-to-navigate, user-friendly portal acts as an enhanced informational hub with customised resources and essential tools where partners can easily book tickets and avail exclusive offers to simplify the travel planning and promotion process. We very much look forward to welcoming all of our partners on board and to working together to make this a great success.” With a click of a button, the easy-to-use platform allows partners to download materials, including images, videos, brochures and offers. It is anticipated that portal will play a pivotal role in building relationships with tour operators, travel agents, and companies thereby allowing them to deliver a more superior, personalized services to their clients whilst raising awareness of Global Village as a top family destination. Register for a chance to win big! To celebrate the launch of the dedicated portal …

Global Village hosted Les Clefs d’Or, the professional association of hotel concierges with 120 hotel concierges from the most prestigious Concierge association in the world participated in an event. After their meeting, the guests dined at the Nowruz Persian Restaurant, which is one among the several famed world cuisines at Global Village. The group were later free to explore Carnaval, the Pavilions and many other attractions at the renowned open-air park, including Harbour Force – the first water stunt show in the region and then enjoyed the rest of the exciting Global Village offerings. Jaki Ellenby, Executive Director Marketing at Global Village said: “Les Clef d’Or members are the gold standard for hotel concierges. They are important destination advocates who play a key role in driving tourism growth and promoting the UAE as a global destination. We are honoured to have been able to welcome the top hotel concierges in the country to Global Village for the first time in our history. This opportunity is a sign of Global Village’s growing repute amongst tourists and the strengthening of our relationships with hotels across the country.” Abey Sam, UICH Zone Director Arabian & Western Asia and National President of Les Clefs d’Or UAE said, “We are proud to have our first monthly meeting hosted by Global Village where people from all over the globe meet in Dubai to share their cultures.” Les Clefs d’Or (translated as The Golden Keys) is a professional association of hotel concierges with approximately 4,000 members working in over 80 countries and 530 destinations across the world. Easily identified by the golden cross keys on their lapels, the members are an elite fraternity, globally connected, committed to …

Global Village concluded its Silver Jubilee Season in spectacular fashion, having set out in October with the aim of breaking 25 Guinness World Records to honour the milestone anniversary, this vision became a reality as the 25th title was claimed in style. Global Village’s attempt to break the “Highest altitude skydiving fireworks display” was successful, adding the finishing touch to a memorable Season. Jaki Ellenby, Executive Director marketing, Global Village said: “It seems like just yesterday that we took the decision to attempt 25 records in just 6 months as part of our 25th anniversary celebrations. It has been an incredible journey… not always easy, but always exciting and our team rose to the challenge with passion and resilience. We have worked with some truly amazing organisations and individuals to accomplish this feat including the largest rock band on earth, Rockin’1000, Emirates, Jumeirah, ARN, SkyDive Dubai, Miraj Entertainment and we are especially grateful for the support of all our commercial partners, exhibitors and their teams.” Shaddy Gaad, Senior Marketing Manager – Guinness World Records MENA said, “Driven by the passion to create newsworthy and shareable content, Global Village created one of the biggest marketing campaigns this season to celebrate its Silver Jubilee. It is an incredible milestone to be the first brand in the MENA region to break 25 world records, many of which were dedicated to good causes including donation campaigns, online pledges, and distributing food packages to charities. Congratulations to Global Village on reaching this remarkable achievement, you are Officially Amazing.”

Global Village has revealed that the recently launched Etihad Baggage Claim Challenge has been welcomed with a positive reception by enthusiastic guests. The park partnered with Etihad Airways to provide guests with a unique opportunity to travel the world. Since its launch on Sunday, April 4th, the unique promotion has captured the imagination of those visiting the destination, with hundreds of participants entering daily for the chance to win. As the latest Silver Jubilee Season activation, the Global Village guest that guesses the 5-digit combination code of the large locked travel trunk located in the Park will receive one million Etihad Guest Miles, AED 25,000 cash for their travels, and AED 25,000 to shop at Global Village as they prepare for the trip of a lifetime. Every few days, a number is being released until a winner cracks the code, and these are being published on various channels including the Etihad Guest website (www.EtihadGuest.com) and mobile app, Arabian Radio Network stations, and Global Village Instagram channel and mobile app. Two of the five numbers have already been revealed and with more digits set to be published soon, guests are urged to follow Global Village social media platforms and download the app to increase their chances of winning.  This exciting activation is part of the Ramadan Nights program where guests can enjoy time with friends and family every evening from 6pm until 2am.