With 92,000 visitors from Qatar having made the trip for the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) last year, the organisers are seeking even more travellers from here for the latest edition. The 2005 figure represented a jump of 130 per cent over the number of visitors from Qatar in 2004. The numbers logically should show an increase this year as DSF 2006 will run for 45 days - from 20 December to February 2 next year - instead of the usual month's duration.

DSF CEO Saeed Al Namouda told reporters at the Ritz-Carlton on Monday that this year's theme will be 'One World, One Family, One Festival'. The budget for this year's festival has been set at 90m dirhams. Saeed said: "In 2005, we welcomed 3.3m visitors, with a 60 per cent increase in the number of inbound GCC tourists, who comprised 22 per cent of the total number of visitors from abroad. The number of visitors from Arab countries increased by 81 per cent."

Spending at this year's shopping fest, Saeed estimated, would rise by 12 per cent, to a whopping 8bn dirhams against 6.67bn dirhams in 2005. This year' DSF will include a world cultures festival, a family entertainment festival, arts and cultural festivals, musical festivals, Dubai Carnivals festival, Dubai fashion festival, a sports festival, a food festival, a records-breaking festival, a heritage festival, shopping malls festival, and a raffle and winnings festival.

Saeed said: "New entries include the Dubai Balloon Festival, organised by professionals from the Albuquerque Fiesta in the US kicking off with the DSF on December 20 and running until December 30 with the participation of over 60 balloons." For the first time, the world-famous Cirque du Soleil will be participating in the event.

Of course, the DSF wouldn't be what it is without the mega raffle draws. There is the daily Lexus Mega Raffles with total prizes worth 35m dirhams, the 4.5m dirham daily Grand Nissan Raffle and the Daily Gold Raffle, which offers gold and diamond prizes worth 4m dirhams. Also this year, there will be the Ideal Arab Mother and Family awards.

Also present at the press conference were Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) External Promotion Executive Khaled Ben Nassar, Major Omar Al Shamsi, Director of Public Relations of the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department and Ali Aldaboos, Emirates' Airline Area Manager for Qatar.

Omar stated formalities will be processed quickly at the airport and the number of arrivals counters has been increased to 44, open round-theclock. In addition, there will be six e-gates for holders of electronic cards. "We have extended our working hours in the tourist and visit entry visas divisions until 8 pm during the whole period of the festival," he said.

Meanwhile, Emirates is offering special packages from $66 onwards, according to Aldaboos. However, the amount is valid for hotel stay and does not include the airfare. As an official sponsor, the airline is offering the packages valid for the duration of the festival.

The packages provide a choice of accommodation from a variety of 18 select properties, ranging from the two-star to the five-star categories. Packages must be booked for a minimum of three nights and carry the option to extend.

The price includes breakfast, transfers between the airport and the hotel in a chauffur-driven car and meet-and-assist facilities on arrival. Customers will receive a 10 per cent discount on hotel room tariffs if they book online by logging on to www.emirates.com