Night Shopping a Tourist Attraction: A Study of Night Shopping in Dubai

Dubai is one of the major tourist destinations with several shopping attractions for different segments of tourists from various parts of the world. It attracts around nine million tourists per annum. The purpose of this study is to understand the night shopping behavior/pattern of tourists in Dubai. The focus is on understanding the tourists‟ motivations for night shopping in Dubai and their shopping behavior. In the process the study also examines the scope of night shopping as a potential attraction for a destination that will positively impact repeat visitation. The study has included in its scope various special night markets that are regularly organized on specific occasions such as during the holy month of Ramadan. The research is exploratory in nature. The data has been collected through observation and interviews using convenience sampling. The research findings suggest that the major motivation for going to night markets are exploration, leisure activities and shopping experience in comparatively relaxed environment. Many tourists preferred night shopping to avoid heavy crowds of day time. The major facilitators for tourists‟ night shopping were identified as transportation facilities, amenities and safe environment. The study indicates that the trend of night shopping is rising with growing number of tourists and increasing shopping opportunities in the city.