Summer fest offers shoppers QR1mn in prizes

Published: Wednesday, 25 June, 2008, 01:54 AM Doha Time

MORE than QR1mn in prizes and shopping discounts of up to 50% will be on offer during the Doha Summer Festival, which is doubling up as a shopping carnival as well.
The 22-day Doha Summer Festival is to be held from July 15 to August 5. Loads of entertainment and activities are slated to be held at various climate-controlled locations in Doha. More than 1,000 outlets are expected to take part in the shopping festival,
Salman al-Hammadi, vice chairman of the festival committee, who is also in charge of licensing and classification of tourism activities at the Qatar Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (QTEA), told Gulf Times yesterday.
As soon as registration for participating outlets began yesterday, there were many enquiries and many forms collected, he said. Registration closes on July 3.
All kinds of shops can participate in the festival. Shops have been classified into small, medium, large and very large.
The level of participation could be in three different ways. One is by merely being a participating outlet distributing raffle coupons to customers.
Additionally, outlets could offer discount sales and rebates of their choice.
The third option was to make special offers. Besides, all participating outlets will offer raffle coupons.
The coupon value is to be determined by the outlet, depending on the kind of products they handle.
There will be weekly raffles and a bumper prize at the end of the festival, Hammadi said. Details are yet to be worked out. All draws will take place at the Doha Exhibitions Centre.
The festival is being organised in co-operation with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.
Hammadi insisted this year's festival would be "different and better" than the past editions.
Meanwhile, Centrepoint mall has decided to join the festival by staging a number of performances and activities aimed at families and children.
With this, Centrepoint has joined City Center, Hyatt Plaza, Villagio, Landmark and The Mall which have been declared focal points of the carnival, apart from the exhibition centre.
Officials said a variety of entertainers will perform daily from 6pm until the closing time at the Centrepoint.
All 11 outlets at the mall, including Baby Shop, Shoe Mart, Splash, Life Style, E-Max, Max Fashion and Kappa, will be taking part in the festival, they said. All will offer not only raffle coupons but discounts of up to 50% as well, they said.
Centrepoint will also have raffle coupon collection boxes, they added. All shows and activities at all the venues will be open and free.

Soruce: Gulf-times.com