Eid Al Adha 2024: Discounts and family activities in the UAE over the long weekend

With Eid Al Adha coming up on Sunday, the weekend has been extended until Tuesday for many. As such, celebrations are in full swing, with restaurants, hotels and theme parks putting on fun-filled events and offering promotions galore.

In addition to our guide on where to catch fireworks displays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, here are some ways to keep busy.

Dubai

Expo City Dubai

A host of cultural activities are taking place at Expo City Dubai, and children aged 12 and under can enter for free. Attractions include Taqa Island, an indoor play area located inside Terra; the Surreal water fountain; the rotating observation tower Garden in the Sky; and the Expo 2020 Dubai Museum.

Cultural activities are being held throughout the venue, such as lantern-making workshops and henna art zones, plus carom board game stations. Visitors can also enjoy 20 per cent off in selected dining outlets, including Alkebulan African Dining Hall, Philly Jawn by Ghostburger, and PXB Cafe.

Adults can purchase individual pavilion tickets for Dh50 or a Dh120 pass to get access to all the attractions.

June 15 to 23; 10am-10pm; from Dh50, children under 13 free; Expo City Dubai; expocitydubai.com

City Walk

The district is brimming with Eid festivities, headlined by Arabic pop superstar Amr Diab's concert at Coca-Cola Arena on June 18. The show starts at 9.30pm, with tickets from Dh150.

Elsewhere in the area, NoWayOut is offering 10 per cent off on all eight of its escape rooms, which are inspired by horror films. The offer is valid from June 16 to 18.

Several restaurants are offering treats and promotions. At Gourmet Dine, enjoy a 25 per cent discount on the total bill when dining in groups of four or more from June 14 to 23. For Italian food, head to Melenzane which has a 20 per cent discount on select dishes from June 16 to 18. All-day artisanal cafe Mint is serving a complimentary starter, pizza or dessert for every main dish ordered from June 15 to 18.

Wellness brands are joining in with special offers. At Fitness Zone, those subscribing to an annual membership from June 14 to 21 will receive two months free. Men can head to Shave Barbers for a shave deluxe package at 20 per cent off, which includes a haircut, beard grooming, facial treatment and full-face waxing from June 16 to 18.

citywalk.ae

Ski Dubai

Ski Dubai has a special Eid Al Adha pass. For Dh325, guests can enjoy unlimited access to the indoor snow park and its attractions. This price includes unlimited chairlift rides, a cup of hot chocolate, a pair of fleece gloves, and locker space.

The one-day pass also includes one activity of choice, such as two rides at the Snow Bullet, a 40-minute penguin encounter, or a 60-minute ski or snowboard discovery lesson. Families of five can acquire passes for everyone for the price of four, at Dh1,300.

June 16 to 19; 10am-11pm; from Dh325; Dubai Mall; skidxb.com

Dubai World Trade Centre

North African music takes centre stage at Sheikh Rashid Hall with a Moroccan Nights show. The two-evening concert will feature Najat Aatabou and Ilias Taha on the first night, followed by Yosra Saouff and Kader Japonais on the second.

June 17 and 18; doors open 7pm; from Dh125 per night; Dubai World Trade Centre; dubai.platinumlist.net

City Centre Mirdif

Meet-and-greets with cartoon characters from Nickelodeon – Dora the Explorer and her monkey buddy Boots; Marshall and Chase from Paw Patrol; and SpongeBob SquarePants – are available at City Centre Mirdif. The mascots will be singing and dancing on stage to keep children entertained. Daily shows are being held in the mall's Central Galleria area.

June 17 to 23; daily shows from 5pm-9pm; free to attend; City Centre Mirdif; citycentremirdif.com

Dubai Opera

Fans of late Egyptian singer, composer and film actress Umm Kulthum can head to Dubai Opera for a hologram show accompanied by a live orchestra. The show pays homage to the legendary artist, who has been given the honorific title kawkab al-sharq, or star of the Orient.

June 18; show starts 8pm; from Dh300; Dubai Opera; dubai.platinumlist.net

Abu Dhabi

Yas Island theme parks

Theme parks at Yas Island have plenty of special events planned. Each venue, from Ferrari World and Yas Waterworld to Warner Bros and SeaWorld, is hosting cultural performances and activities – from Ayala dancers to henna stations and calligraphy artists.

Eid celebrations also coincide with the Kids Go Free promo, which allows children under 12 years old to enjoy complimentary access to all the theme parks. During the four-day festivities, eidiya traditions will be observed at the venues, where children can collect stamps on-site to redeem special Eid treats.

While guests can purchase individual theme park passes (from Dh280), packages are also available.

June 16 to 19; yasisland.com

Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

“An Eid to remember” is the five-star hotel's headline promise, as it offers staycation rates from June 14 to 23. The packages come with breakfast, lunch and dinner at Vendome for two adults and up to two children. Room rates start at Dh2,300 per night.

The hotel is home to award-winning restaurants, which are also offering Eid specials. At Michelin-starred Talea by Antonio Guida, a four-course set menu is available for Dh490. Elsewhere, Lebanese Terrace is serving a traditional sharing-style Arabic meal for Dh495 set against a seaside backdrop and live entertainment.

Those booking the black diamond facial at the hotel's spa from June 16 to 18 can get a free face mask from luxury skincare brand 111 Skin. Likewise, those booking the traditional Italian shave at Acqua di Parma Barbiere, a 20 per cent discount will be applied when purchasing two or more of the brand's fragrances.

The Mandarin Cake Shop at Episodes has a traditional Eid gift basket available for Dh300.

mandarinoriental.com

Elevenish pop-up

Local and regional brands are showcasing Eid collections at Elevenish. Photo: Elevenish

Avenue at Etihad Towers has a pop-up version of Elevenish, featuring 33 local and regional brands showcasing their latest Eid, summer and travel collections. There are abayas ranging from Dh1,000 to Dh2,500, while Eid kaftans are on offer from Dh1,000 to Dh3,000.

A selection of ready-to-wear travel pieces, shoes, bags and jewellery accessories are also on hand. Children's clothing from Wajd and Little Kandora, as well as perfumes from Aracdia, Meraki and Fae Oud, will be on display.

Until June 30; 10am-10pm; Podium 2, Avenue at Etihad Towers; 056 451 8866

Manarat Al Saadiyat

While the district's Eid activities mostly cater to art connoisseurs, there are a variety of events on offer.

Mina Creamery will host a make-your-own ice cream session on June 16. The next day, teenage Emirati digital artist Khalifa Almarri will lead a workshop.

On June 18, a floral arrangement workshop is being held at Fern; on June 19, a beginner-friendly alternative photography session will introduce participants to the historical cyanotype process. This is being led by artist Salim Al Kaabi. The workshops will take place between 5pm to 7pm each day, and are free to attend.

manaratalsaadiyat.ae

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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