Attracting tourists to one of the fastest growing centers of the UAE is an essential aspect of foreign policy since a significant part of financial resources comes in the budget through recreational resources. The city has many attractions and picturesque places that are interesting for residents of different countries. However, in connection with the need to strengthen the economy and establish cultural communication links, it is important to find alternative sources of attracting tourists.
One of the most real and effective methods to make people pay attention to Dubai is tourism shopping that has recently gained increasing popularity among people of different ages. In this case, it is required to identify the most active categories of the population in order to assess the degree of people’s interest in tourism of this type and to arrange appropriate tours. For these purposes, Sangeeta and Anandkumar offer to attract tourists by organizing special festivals where guests can profitably buy branded things and at the same time substantially replenish the treasury of the city.
Another issue that deserves attention is the possibility of non-standard shopping since many sophisticated buyers may not be ready to go to the UAE for the sake of ordinary purchases. Thus, Upadhya and Kumar offer such an entertainment trend as night shopping to develop for tourists because many clients prefer to avoid large crowds of people. For these purposes, it is essential to organize appropriate tours where customers will be able to easily enter major retail chains even at night. Additional alternative shopping methods based on a non-standard approach to attracting people can also be considered for the sake of increasing tourists’ interest.
The Significance of the Study
The importance of studying the described issue is that the number of tourists coming to Dubai directly impacts on the economy of the city. Constant innovations and new proposals are being made to attract guests, and the authorities need the invested funds to pay off as soon as possible. According to Marathe, innovative marketing is an area that allows focusing on the needs of customers and developing those spheres that are in demand. If insufficiently effective measures are taken to analyze this market and to find alternative ways to attract tourists, expenses may exceed profits, which is unacceptable in the face of high costs.
The possibility of searching for new ways of developing tourism is relevant not only because of the need to replenish the budget but also to establish trade relations of the region with other countries. The essentiality of a marketing campaign aimed at promoting the entertainment sphere is the opportunity to successfully cooperate with large investors. Despite the fact that, as Avraham notes, the events of the Arab Spring have increased the interest of tourists in relation to Dubai, there is no guarantee that this interest will not be lost over time. Therefore, the popularization of the city as a recreational region is an important strategic decision.
It is also important to investigate the tourism issue because, according to Stephenson, the standard ways of attracting tourists are beginning to lose relevance. Dubai is a dynamically developing city with advanced infrastructure. Nevertheless, there are many attractive tourist destinations in the world. Therefore, it is significant to not only interest guests but also to find special sources of attraction that will be unique and unusual in their own way and will be associated exclusively with this city.
Bibliography
Avraham, Eli. “Destination Image Repair During Crisis: Attracting Tourism During the Arab Spring Uprisings.” Tourism Management 47, no. 1 (2015): 224-232.
Marathe, Shubhada. “Innovative Marketing Practices in Tourism – A Case Study of Destination Marketing of Dubai.” Paridnya – The MIBM Research Journal 3, no. 1 (2015): 55-63.
Sangeeta, Peter, and Victor Anandkumar. “Travel Motivation-Based Typology of Tourists Who Visit a Shopping Festival: An Empirical Study on the Dubai Shopping Festival.” Journal of Vacation Marketing 22, no. 2 (2016): 142-153.
Stephenson, Marcus. “Tourism, Development and ‘Destination Dubai’: Cultural Dilemmas and Future Challenges.” Current Issues in Tourism 17, no. 8 (2014): 723-738.
Upadhya, Amitabh, and Manoj Kumar. “Night Shopping as a Tourist Attraction: A Study of Night Shopping in Dubai.” Journal of Tourism and Services 8, no. 15 (2017): 7-18.
Zaidan, Esmat. “Tourism Shopping and New Urban Entertainment: A Case Study of Dubai.” Journal of Vacation Marketing 22, no. 1 (2016): 29-41.