Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) will direct hotels to reduce hotel rates by up to 50% in order to increase tourism numbers during the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) shopping festival. DTCM Director of Business said they expect Dubai hotels to cut rates between 40% and 50% during DSS, which runs for 65 days beginning on 11 June 2009.
During the Dubai Shopping Festival earlier this year hotel rates were cut by as much as 60%, also at the direction of DTCM in order to boost sagging tourist numbers. Director of Classification for DTCM said hotels that participate in the current promotion will be required to cut rates significantly and offer corporate rates to visitors during DSS. The Hotel Manager for Intercontinental Hotel Dubai City said this year they are offering value added packages “rather than just throwing it all directly on the room rates.”