In partnership with Meraas and Dubai Police, H.E. Li Lingbing, Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai kick-started the 2018 Dubai Spring Festival Grand Parade celebrations. Lingbing said, “The Spring Festival is of great significance to the Chinese and is the most important traditional festival in our calendar, akin to the importance of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha in the region. The city witnessed celebrations at various locations including Dubai Parks and Resorts, Al Seef, La Mer, Dubai Airport, Boxpark, The Outlet Village, Dubai Design District, The Beach and Dubai Mall.”
The Spring Festival Grand Parade witnessed around 30 parading groups, consisting of over 1,000 visiting Chinese, expatriates and international friends, along with the Dubai Police band. Showcasing the arts, traditions and culture of 56 ethnic groups from 34 provinces in China, the grand parade included ethnic costumes and traditional art forms, such as Tai Chi, Peking opera, acrobatics and fairy tales.
“The tremendous business potential offered by these activities has drawn worldwide attention, with a large number of Chinese people travelling abroad during the festival, bringing significant economic benefits to host cities. Last year, China witnessed 130 million people travelling abroad, an increase of 7 per cent over the previous year, of which several million travelled in the seven-day Spring Festival holiday,” said Lingbing.