Trust Dubai to come up with a bagful of surprises throughout the year.

Even the scorching summer cannot dampen the emirate’s spirits and its cool swagger when it comes to shopping and having a good time. Dubai Summer Surprises, launched in 1998, has grown bigger and better by the year. Now in its 15th edition, an array of shops, packed entertainment and exciting prizes will lure visitors and residents.

Over 100 shows and activities have been planned for 31 days. DSS will be followed by celebrations for the holy month of Ramadan and Eid in Dubai. Why step out of the emirate when there are loads of attractions here? Some 50 luxury malls have been roped in for the best shopping promotions on offer. Throw in a host of entertainment shows with popular artists, concerts, and exhibitions; then there are beaches and desert safaris — it’s a busy schedule for a month where fun never sets in the sunny emirate.

On a more serious note, the festival is an innovative way to market Dubai and boost its economy. Last year’s event brought in Dh8.8 billion in revenue, of which Dh5.9 billion came from regional and international visitors, and Dh2.9 billion was spent by UAE residents.

An estimated four million people visited the emirate during DSS 2011. Europe’s long-drawn financial crisis and calls for austerity has cast a shadow on spending, but Dubai and the UAE are proving that the best way to rise above the property and banking crises is to profit from the tourism and retail sectors.

Dubai is sending a message to the world that it’s a hot destination for deals and new discoveries. It is keeping hope alive amid the global gloom and silencing its critics who had written it off after the real estate slowdown in 2008.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, deserves praise for persisting with his agenda for growth and sustainable development while pushing ahead with reforms in all sectors. The diversification of the economy to further the cause of retail and tourism sectors is certain to reap benefits. So come, buy, shop and stay.