The DSS Office has announced the launch of the Dubai Summer Surprises Mobile Portal, the first of its kind service in the region, to inform users on DSS events through mobile phones, beginning tomorrow (June 18) in the UAE. The service is being offered in Arabic and English and is targeted at the multitude of local and expatriate residents in the country who account for a majority of the total DSS visitors. The tenth anniversary celebrations of DSS 2007 begin on June 21 and will last a whole ten weeks till August 31.
Launched in cooperation with Etisalat and MobiBrands, a company of Qanawat FZ LLC., DSS Mobile Portal is the ideal way to get information on DSS events, venues, and timings, all through the push of a button. Mobile users in UAE only need to type DSS and send it to 1110 to download the English version of the portal. For the Arabic version, users need to send DSSA to 1110. The portal can be downloaded free of cost and can be accessed by phones that are GPRS or 3G enabled. Technical assistance on downloading the portal or configuring the mobile phone can be got by dialing 125.
Once the portal is downloaded, users have round-the-clock access to comprehensive information on DSS activities and promotions like the Spa Packages. The DSS Office is also organizing a draw where, by entering a contest through the mobile portal, visitors stand the chance to win AED 5000 in shopping vouchers every week.
Commenting on the launch of the DSS Mobile Portal, Laila Suhail, DSS Executive Project Director said, "The DSS Mobile Portal is our latest initiative to help visitors acquaint themselves with the numerous activities planned as part of the tenth year celebrations of DSS. Our aim is to reach out to a wider audience that not only includes children, but tech-savvy teenagers and adults."
"Information on DSS activities is now available round the clock and visitors can plan their day out in Dubai accordingly. The portal is an ideal way for DSS and visitors to mutually benefit each other. For DSS, the portal represents an avenue to reach out to a wider audience, and for visitors, information on shopping and entertainment are available at their fingertips."
Sami Hajjaj, General Manager of MobiBrands said, "Our partnership with Dubai Summer Surprises and Etisalat is a step forward in re-shaping and developing the marketing and advertising industry through mobile phones across the G.C.C."
The DSS Mobile Portal is one among the innovative marketing strategies implemented by the DSS Office to attract local and regional visitors. The portal was launched in Kuwait on June 1, where users can now browse the latest offers, promotions, and attractions of DSS 2007.
Launched in 1998, Dubai Summer Surprises was conceived as the foremost family entertainment event during the summer season for the whole of GCC. Targeted at visitors from outside the UAE and within the country, DSS has been a major entertainment and shopping attraction since its inception and witnessed 1,875,000 visitors in the year 2006 compared to 600,000 in 1998. The event has succeeded in positioning Dubai as the leading summer destination in the region.
Organised by government departments with the cooperation of the public sector, the ten-week event is a celebration of different surprises that offer visitors and shoppers the perfect family entertainment opportunity and the ideal combination of shopping and adventure. Over the years DSS has hosted numerous surprises such as Food, Water, Global, Ice, Flower, Sports, Heritage, Arts, Techno, Cartoons, Colour, Sweets, Knowledge, and Back-2-School. The summer event lays special emphasis on children, who are provided all the opportunities to hone their skills while enjoying a fun-packed ten weeks of activities. DSS also has its own mascot, Modhesh, the ever smiling brand ambassador who embodies everything that the event stands for – fun, excitement, brightness and unlimited joy for children.
Dubai Summer Surprises as a venture has contributed significantly to the economy of Dubai and continues to do so by enhancing different economic sectors during a lean period of economic activity in summer. An increase in visitor expenditure from AED 850 million in 1998 to AED 2.57 billion in 2006 is a clear indication of the event's ability to drive economic growth during summer. Into its tenth year, Dubai Summer Surprises has come a long way by building on the successes of the previous editions and aims to create a benchmark for future years to provide the three most important characteristics of the event – shopping, winning, and entertainment.
