Dubai's Global Village aims for increase in visitor numbers

Inspite of the opening of competing new theme parks Dubai’s annual Global Village attraction is anticipating a rise in visitors this year.

The seasonal cultural and family entertainment destination has set its sights on 5.5 million guests, up from 5.3 million visitors last season, with marketing initiatives aimed at overseas tourists, especially from Africa and Russia.

Open until 8th April, the 21st edition of Global Village has already attracted 2.3 million guests who downed 600,000 cups of karak chai to the end of last year since it opened on 1st November, up from 2.2 million guests at the end of the same period the previous season.

Global Village Chief Executive Ahmad Hussain stated “a lot of tourist buses are coming, and (we) have gone on roadshows in Africa and Russia.

"We will go on roadshows with Dubai Tourism to India and China this year for the next season." There are plans for Germany and the UK as well.

During the current season, it is working with 40 tour operators in the UAE, up from 18 last season.

Located next to the IMG Worlds of Adventure theme park, which opened in August, the event has faced increased competition from the Dubai Parks and Resorts theme parks complex.

Hussain adds “the value for money we offer is much higher (than the Dh15 entrance ticket).

"Visitors can enter raffle draws and can see 40 shows a day and 12,000 shows for the season."

The average length of stay at the park has also increased by 20% during the first two months of the current season to six hours per visit.

Next season Global Village plans to open 15 new rides in its Fantasy Island play area. It currently has 30 rides that operates on a pay-as-you-ride basis. The company, a part of Dubai Holding, has teamed up with Malaysia-based Sanderson Group, a thematic design and construction company, to design the rides.

With about 3,500 shops, 100 more than last season, the value of sales remained steady during the first two months compared with the same period the previous season.

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