Global Village concludes Season 26 with record-breaking number of guests

7.8 million happy guests explored thrilling attractions, enjoyed unique shopping and entertainment, and savoured iconic treats from around the world.

More than 80 cultures represented in 26 pavilions.

Entertainment lineup featured live concerts by internationally renowned artists, special shows for kids, festivals and a spectacular stunt show.

Dubai, UAE, May 11, 2022: Global Village, the UAE and wider region’s leading multicultural family destination for culture, shopping, and entertainment, concluded Season 26 on May 7, 2022, welcoming a record-breaking 7.8 million guests to the heart of wonder since its opening on October 26, 2021.

Global Village has evolved into a top destination for exceptional multicultural and entertainment offerings that raise the bar for regional and global guest experiences. As the UAE became one of the most sought-after destinations with millions of tourists arriving to visit Expo 2020 Dubai, Global Village’s action-packed season brought together an exciting line-up of shows, festivals, events and live concerts. Due to popular demand, the park extended Season 26, allowing guests to enjoy Eid Al Fitr festivities for the first time in its history. The longest season ever, Global Village was open for 194 days, four days more than its previous record.

Bader Anwahi, Chief Executive Officer at Global Village, said: “Global Village has been a unique cultural destination for guests from across the globe for more than two decades; we are proud to contribute to cementing Dubai as a global hub for entertainment and tourism.

Anwahi added: “We also strive to contribute to the economy by supporting local entrepreneurs and attracting international businesses to Dubai. This year, 60% of our partners were new to Global Village, which keeps our offering fresh and our guests coming back season after season. The improvements we made and our focus on guest experience led to over 90% of guests declaring their intent to revisit this season. We also continue to make progress with our digital transformation plans using advanced data analytics, behind-the-scenes IoT and AI technologies to better understand our guests, strengthen our infrastructure and improve efficiencies.”

Digital Transformations

Aligning with the Global Village’s commitment to cashless payment, more than 94% outlets accepted card payments this season. Guests welcomed the added convenience with contactless payments witnessing an increase of 300% during Season 26. The park aims to reach 100% of outlets offering cashless payments in the upcoming Season 27.

Global Village also saw a whopping 700% increase in online ticket sales, with its user-friendly mobile application and website delivering a superior guest experience. The award-winning mobile app offers a new easy-to-use, on-the-go, and personal experience, which led to a boost in downloads this season – with users up by 149% and a 237% increase in app downloads compared to Season 25. The park introduced new features in its user-friendly mobile app to help guests beat the queues, enjoy exclusive offers and get the most out of their visit.

Global Village also launched a fully digitised one-stop portal for its travel trade partners allowing them to tailor Global Village packages for their clients seamlessly. With increased tourists in Dubai and air travel opening up, the entertainment destination witnessed over 595% increase in travel trade sales versus Season 25 and 200% over the previous season.

Extensive Offerings for All Audiences

Global Village guests arrived at the heart of wonder for a memorable trip around the globe with glimpses into a wide variety of cultures.

Guests could let their taste buds travel the world at over 200 F&B outlets and a new Railway Market inspired by Thailand’s world-famous ‘Umbrella Market’, with 14 train carriages hosting over 30 vendors from Asia and around the world. Dragon Lake was the stunning new backdrop for the ever-popular Floating Market which overlooked a 20-metre-long fire-breathing dragon.

Globetrotting adventures continued at the 26 pavilions – including a brand-new Iraq pavilion – which allowed guests to discover more than 80 cultures. Product offerings in the 3,500 retail outlets reached 80% authenticity levels and cultural shows added to the “retailtainment” experience.

Over 400 artists from around the world performed on the stages at Global Village, which presented over 40,000 performances during the season. New family members, The Wonderers, took to the stage for the first time. Waleef, Zoya, Ozka and Aiyah starred in their own show, Legend of the Staff. The Kids theatre rocked with character shows and the Main Stage was home to over 10 new Global Village productions. The park also hosted renowned international shows Burn the Floor, Swing Latino and AAINJA.

The Global Village Concert series returned in Season 26 with a diverse line-up of spectacular live concerts by international artists including Assala Nasri, Tamer Hosni, Saad Lamjarred and British chart-topper Anne Marie.

The region’s first water-based stunt show, Harbour Force, wowed crowds with a 75ft (23m) high dive tower, jet-ski fire-jump, double fly-board action stunts and record-breaking LED cars. Thrill seekers also enjoyed over 170 electrifying rides, games and attractions at Carnaval, which also got a fresh new look this season.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not!® introduced 100 new exhibits and a Chamber of Horror to the Odditorium. The 4D Moving Theatre starring the Monster family had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats whilst the Marvellous Mirror Maze featured over 100 mirrors, LED lighting, and digital sound upgraded with immersive water and Augmented Reality features.

A Season of Celebrations

The popular family attraction welcomed thousands of guests over National Day weekend as the UAE celebrated its Golden Jubilee. Festivities continued into December with celebratory mainstays, holiday shopping and treats from around the world. New Year’s Eve celebrations continued beyond midnight with musical fireworks and cultural performances aligning with the start of the 2022 at eight different destinations around the globe. In February, the park rang in the Chinese New Year with wishes for health, luck and prosperity for the Year of the Tiger. Festivals held at Global Village this season also included the now renowned “Kids Fest” and the brand new “Happiness Street Fest”. Top performers from five continents performed at Global Village for its first ever Street performance festival.

Season 26 was extended to bring the finest traditions of Ramadan to Global Village with Majlis of the World offering a one-of-a-kind experience with a vibrant atmosphere for gatherings with family and friends. With a special line-up of events, shows and décor for Eid Al Fitr, Global Village was the perfect destination to celebrate with loved ones.

Global Village will return on October 25, 2022, with a host of new experiences. Entrepreneurs interested in finding out about the many profitable business opportunities that are available in Season 27 can do so by registering now on business.globalvillage.ae.

About Global Village Global Village is the first family destination for multicultural entertainment, dining, shopping and attractions in the region and amongst the most visited worldwide. Since its inception, it has embodied different aspects of the world and created a smile on the faces of millions of guests every season. This unique and integrated open-air destination offers guests the largest and most varied range of events, shows and activities in the region. Global Village takes guests on a journey rich in culture, cuisine and awe-inspiring entertainment.