Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season shows 17% Year-on-Year growth

Retail Abu Dhabi indicates record sales figures of AED 2.4 billion were achieved on Visa cards in participating stores alone during the recent Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season. Alongside global partner, Visa, it is reported that total transactions using Visa cards during the campaign grew by 17% compared to last year, engaging 21 malls and over 3,500 participating stores in the emirate.

“Following on from Retail Abu Dhabi’s successful 2020 Unbox Amazing summer campaign, which demonstrated the sector’s strong COVID-19 resilience, the emirate’s retail sector has once again shown its maturity and agility with Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season,” said HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing at DCT Abu Dhabi. “As our most effective winter season campaign to date, the winter campaign has consolidated Abu Dhabi’s standing as a leading regional shopping destination, amplified with robust strategic alliances delivering first-in-region consumer experiences. This includes the introduction of the inaugural Abu Dhabi Beauty Week, which underlines Retail Abu Dhabi’s position as a platform for innovation across multiple retail segments.

“The legacy of both Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season and Abu Dhabi Beauty Week presents a slew of opportunities to expand the emirate’s retail and beauty sectors for future editions and leaves us very optimistic as we continue to navigate this ‘new normal’ together.”

Rabih Al Hajri, Acting Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Business Center, Department of Economic Development – Abu Dhabi, praised the strong collaboration: “The Department of Economic Development aims to support the rebound of Abu Dhabi’s business and tourism sectors. In partnership with DCT-Abu Dhabi, the seasonal retail campaigns, including the Abu Dhabi Winter Shopping Season, played an active role in supporting the recovery of Abu Dhabi’s retail industry.”