Tourism & Hospitality | Wednesday 15 July, 2015 2:20 pm |

Dubai Tourism is hailing the success of a recent initiative that saw some of Saudi Arabia’s most influential social media identities experience and share a new side of Dubai during of the holy month of Ramadan. Held in early July, #MyDubai Ramadan 2015 welcomed 14 of the Kingdom’s most popular instagrammers and youtube stars, who together have a combined following of six million people, to the Emirate for 48 hours of cultural, gastronomical, sports and entertainment activities.

Split over two trips, the seven women and seven men experienced the full-spectrum of what Dubai has to offer during the Holy Month. With mix of evening and night-time  activities that ranged from the iconic sundown at At The Top on the 148th floor of the Burj Khalifa, to the thrilling iFly Dubai and the laserdrome at the Dubai Motor City, to visits with locally-based fashion and clothing designers at the annual Eventra Ramadan Fair, a visit to the historical and newly revived Naif Souq in Deira and of course, some of the city’s finest Iftars and Suhoors, the trip showcased the depth and breadth of experiences available during Ramadan for both visitors and residents alike. 

“Dubai has long been a popular travel destination for our neighbors in Saudi Arabia, particularly during Eid and summer holidays. Through #MyDubai Ramadan 2015, we wanted differentiate Dubai’s offer and showcase the vibrancy of the city, and all it has to offer during Ramadan for all types of travelers from Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC, with a goal to increase visitation numbers amongst individuals, groups and of course, families,” said Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM).

“Within the exciting two-day event, our guests experienced first-hand all that Dubai has to offer during Ramadan, particularly during the evening and nights. We also planned activities that brought our guests together with Emirati social media influencers which in turn, increased cultural exchange and understanding between both parties.”

In line with the overwhelming and ongoing success of #MyDubai, Dubai Tourism continues to promote the emirate’s dynamic destination offer using new and unique initiatives.  #MyDubai Ramadan 2015 is just one example of the emirate’s overall focus on sharing the Dubai story through the eyes of both its residents as well as those who call the emirate home. 

“Keeping in mind the young and vibrant population of our region, we wanted to engage with the region’s next generation of online influencers and invite them to share their #MyDubai story through the various activities held in 48 hours, their way,” added Kazim. “The result of #MyDubai Ramadan 2015 so far has been outstanding with over two thousand personal stories shared in the form of stunning photography and video content which, together have reached millions globally.”

Mahmood Saad, a Talent Manager at U-Turn, an online network that creates and distributes local and entertaining content in Saudi Arabia and one of the influencers who participated in #MyDubai Ramadan 2015 said: “As Saudis, we all know Dubai’s iconic locations such as Jumeirah Beach Residence, Downtown and The Dubai Mall but each time I visit the city with Dubai Tourism, I discover a new place, eat at a different restaurant and get an even better experience than the time before. I can speak for the entire group in saying that Dubai never ceases to amaze us. We are always excited to come back to gain a new #MyDubai experience.”

Despite taking place only earlier this month, Dubai Tourism has reported that the #MyDubai Ramadan 2015 campaign has achieved engagement with over 2.6 million people across Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC region. The success comes as the #MyDubai initiative celebrates over 6 million users and over 400,000 followers on Instagram alone.

Organised by Dubai Tourism, #MyDubai Ramadan 2015 was supported by a host of partners including the Grand Hyatt, Uber, The Address Downtown, SALT, iFlyDubai, JA Resorts and the Dubai Autodrome.