Over 3 million Guests Visit Global Village in the First Two Months of Season 23

• Sets new record in the Guests Happiness Index
• Over 110,000 guests celebrated New Year’s Eve at Global Village
• A record-breaking 130,000 guests attended the nights of superstar Mohamed Hamaki’s concert

Dubai, UAE - Global Village, the world’s leading multicultural Festival Park and the region’s first family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment, has announced a new attendance record with more than 3 million guest entries over the two-month period since its opening on 30^th October 2018. Based on this performance and guest feedback, this makes for an unprecedented performance, especially as Global Village has also achieved the 9/10 rating on its Guests Happiness Index amid strong guest appreciation of its various shows and offerings.

Guest number and sales statistics for the period 30^th October to 31^st December 2018 showed a massive increase in its popularity and validate the status of Global Village as the leading family destination in the UAE and the Middle East region. This major increase in popularity of the region’s first family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment has been helped by the drastic changes and upgrades in its infrastructure this season. A resounding endorsement of the stellar guest experience it offers is the large proportion of repeat visits by guests. They find the variety of its cultural and entertainment shows attractive and the shopping options are exceeding expectations for both residents and tourists in the UAE.

To improve the experience, feedback numbers and results are run through smart software that analyses the guest trip plan, reviews survey results at all touch points and refines responses to guest behavior. A testament to the improved guest experience is that it now takes an average of 9 minutes to enter and exit the park, even on weekends, official holidays and during concerts, which again speaks well about the planning and execution of its infrastructure upgrades.

Bader Anwahi, CEO of Global Village, said: "We strive to achieve the highest international quality standards and provide a distinctive and diverse entertainment experience that brings out the rich heritage and diversity of the participating cultures. But that is not the only reason for repeat visits and our dedicated and growing fan following. We offer something for everyone and help them experience, explore and enjoy in a convenient and exciting environment. Guests have appreciated our quality improvements as well as the several infrastructure enhancements that we continue to develop upon every season to help to make their visits a pleasure.”

‘We expect to welcome a record number of guests this season that will also positively impact the tourism industry in the UAE. Global Village has become on international family destination by any standard and is considered as one on the largest cultural family destinations in the world. We expect to welcome record-breaking numbers in the 23^rd season but our most important objective is to provide a sustainable family entertainment experience that spreads happiness and is suitable for all cultures. We are pleased to contribute to the diversity of the tourism offering that the county is offering its residents and visitors from around the world.”

Record breaking 130,000 guests attend on the night of Mohamed Hamaki concert

Global Village witnessed a record breaking attendance, that exceeded 130,000 guests, for its Friday concert by Egyptian superstar Mohamed Hamaki on the evening of 28^th December 2018. The expanded facilities, the broader walkways and enhanced parking with well thought out exit and entry points, contributed to a smooth and convenient guest experience. After the concert was over, the fans could exit the park within minutes.

The series of concerts at Global Village this season has been unmatched as guests have enjoyed performances by the best Arab and international superstars. These include Arab stars Hossein Moheb, Mohamed Hamaki, Essa Al Marzouq, Samira Said, Assi El Hallani, Hamad Salem Al Ameri, and Fouad Abdel Wahed. Shows by international superstar Jason Derulo, Philippines heart-throbs TAG:LIVE featuring Mayward and Bollywood stars Shar Rukh Khan, Neha Kakkar and Ankit Tiwari were also well attended. Arab star Rabeh Saqer’s concert will take place Main Stage on 4^th January 2019. Pakistani Superstar Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will also be performing a concert the following Friday, 11^th of January in one of the most anticipated concerts for the season.

7 giant New Year’s Eve celebrations

With its enormous New Year’s Eve, Global Village proved that it is the perfect venue for family celebrations in the UAE as it provided a wide range of interactive activities and welcomed more than 110,000 guests on the night. Celebrations commenced at 8.00 pm UAE time, with the countdown and an intense firework show in sync with the advent of the New Year in China. At 9.00 pm, it heralded the New Year in Thailand, at 10.00 pm it was in line with Bangladesh, at 10.30 pm with India and at 11.00 pm with Pakistan. At 12 midnight in the UAE, the largest celebrations of its kind began with the countdown that was viewed on the screen of the Wheel of the World, which is considered to be the largest fixed screen on a Ferris Wheel in the world. After the countdown, one of the biggest fireworks displays left the guests speechless. At 1.00 am, the night concluded with the fireworks display celebrating the New Year in Moscow, Russia.

A selection of exclusive shows

Global Village continues to provide a selection of exclusive shows, the rights of which are owned by the destination. Guest interest in the spectacular Superloop Stunt Show, produced by the Global Village entertainment team, continues with a full house thrice a day. Other shows appreciated by guests include the Malevo show from Argentina and Urban Crew from the Philippines, which both are talent shows . Its own shows include Globo The Musical, Box Car Capers, Elemental and Bollywood Nights that feature resident performers selected from different countries around the world.

A variety of international cuisines and high-quality shopping opportunities

Global Village prides itself as a showcase for a multitude of international cuisines it offers through hundreds of outlets. This season, guests have a choice of 24 restaurants and cafes and 140 food kiosks distributed across the destination. They can also enjoy unparalleled international shopping experiences through pavilions and more than 3,500 outlets. They can purchase unique handicrafts and souvenirs to celebrate the world as they choose unique products from among 78 countries.

Global Village continues to welcome guests and offer unique shopping experiences, cultural performances, entertainment events and surprises every day until 6^th April 2018. It is open from 4 pm to 12 am from Saturday to Wednesday and from 4 pm to 1 pm on Thursdays, Fridays and public holidays. On Mondays, it is dedicated to families and women only. All its events are included in the ticket price of AED 15.

Stay Connected with Global Village at:

• Website: www.globalvillage.ae
• Facebook: Global Village AE
• Twitter: @GlobalVillageAE
• Instagram: @GlobalVillageUAE
• Snapchat: @GlobalVillageME

About Global Village

Global Village is the first family destination for culture, entertainment and shopping in the region. Since its inception, it has embodied different aspects of the world and created a smile on the faces of millions of guests every season. It is a unique and integrated destination to enjoy the world's finest shopping, dining and entertainment experiences and offers guests a wide range of events, shows and activities that are the largest and most varied in the region. It offers many fun surprises to millions of guests in the open air. It highlights the best of culture from countries of the world in a lively festival and takes guests on a journey through a group of pavilions, each representing the richness and culture of a different country. It offers unique international cuisine and awe-inspiring entertainment experiences across a wide range of entertaining games and interesting tours. All its exceptional experiences can be enjoyed by purchasing a ticket worth only AED 15. The Global Village operating season starts in November each year and runs until April the following year.