The Carpet Oasis 2006 is all set to roll

The 11-day event will be held from January 4 to January 14 in Hall 1 of the Dubai World Trade Center from 10am to 10pm daily and 4pm to 11pm on Fridays.

Once again this event will bring together some of the best carpet producing countries together. There will be a wide range of high quality products in all sizes, shapes and textures to suit every taste and pocket of the visitors. Some of the best carpets from around the world including the intricately hand-woven ones from the master carpet weavers of Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan will be available to the shoppers this season.

Salah Al Naghi, Member of the DSF Organising Committee from the Dubai Port, Customs and Freezone, and Chairman of the Carpet Oasis, recently reviewed the success of the event over the last few years. He reiterated that although the Carpet Oasis attracts more participants from different countries for hand-woven carpets every year, Iran's participation is noteworthy as their intricate and artistic weaving is one of the best around the world. Al Naghi invited the Iranian merchants along with those from other carpet producing countries and particularly those specialising in hand-woven carpets to participate in the Carpet Oasis this year as the Oasis is considered an important trade centre for selling the carpets of the highest quality in the world.

He also pointed out that since its inception in 1996, the sales figures have been rising sharply year after year. And for the forthcoming round, the Carpet Oasis is expected to achieve higher sales on account of its sheer variety and larger offering coming in from various participating artisans from carpet-producing countries.

Al Naghi also added that the Carpet Oasis provides good facilities to exhibitors and visitors alike and due to this factor it occupies a conspicuous place in this field. The most striking incentive that it offers the merchants and the industrialists is the non-existence of taxes on direct sales or on re export operations, in addition to big promotional campaigns to attract visitors to from all around the world and the UAE.

Shoppers will also be able to take advantage of good deals at the centrally located Dubai World Trade Center offering ample car parking space for the visitors.

Last year the number of visitors to the DSF was a record 3.3 million and majority of them visited the Carpet Oasis, including VIP's. No wonder, the Carpet Oasis witnesses a larger turnout of visitors year after year.

The Dubai Shopping Festival 2006 runs between January 4 and February 4, 2006.