Apart from vast sales, these events are complemented by various entertainment and grand prizes which add to the excitement and appeal of the destination, as a whole fuelling the potential to attract travellers from across the globe.

These festivals provide also another opportunity for the region's hospitality stakeholders to cash in on shopping tourism. First Central Hotel Apartments, Dubai strategically took advantage of the 21st edition of Dubai Shopping Festival by offering a discount on room bookings for the duration of the event.

Moreover, Al Bustan Centre & Residence, Dubai also put forth a line-up of promotional activities during the 32-day Dubai Shopping Festival. "Shopping tourism is very important to the hotel and the entire MENA region for it is a profitable tourism business.

Shopping and spending tourists are substantial contributors to the retail revenue and can boost the hotel revenue and occupancy as well," posited Moussa El Hayek, chief operating officer, Al Bustan Centre & Residence, explaining that tourists whose main purpose is to shop will utilise the services of the hotels giving a greater incremental revenue percentage as well as leverage properties' occupancy to the maximum.

"I trust that among the great opportunities that tourism can generate in the MENA region, shopping is a major one, and we already see many destinations such as Dubai and others position [themselves] strongly in this area," concluded Rifai.