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Themed 20 Years of Spinning Art, this years Carpet and Art Oasis exhibition an event contributed by Dubai Customs as a part of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)- has drawn to a close yesterday (February 1st, 2015) scoring yet another record sales of more than AED 98 million.
Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, said: The Carpet and Art Oasis is an initiative Dubai Customs ardently looked after over the last two decades consecutively. Year after year, it became one of DSFs iconic events which has helped in boosting retail industry and economic growth by attracting foreign investments from major handmade carpet makers around the world. The exhibition also shows how active we are as Customs in supporting local economy.

Musabih lauded the fruitful synergy with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), and the DSF part in stirring up tourism traffic into Dubai. Our strategic partners have an indispensable role in bringing the oasis exhibition towards such success and distinction ever since its onset in 1996, he added.
The Director of Dubai Customs affirmed that the annual oasis exhibition is a catalyst for the growth of carpet retail sector. This years edition brought together 42 local and international exhibitors, showcasing their products through 58 pavilions. As many as 220,000 carpets in estimated net market value of AED 2 billion were on display, that makes double of the value of Dubais foreign trade in carpets during 2013, as well as the first nine months of 2014, amounting to AED 1 billion in each period. This reflects the prominent economic status occupied by the exhibition as it grabs the attention of visitors and residents alike, including dignitaries and celebrities from across the country and the region, owing to the sumptuous quality of the exhibited hand-crafted rugs, he added.

Dubai Customs held the closing ceremony of the 20th Carpet and Art Oasis in Dubai Festival City. Abdullah Al Khaja, Executive Director of Customer Management Division at DC commemorated key strategic partners; namely, Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), Oilfields Supply Center ltd., General Department of Organizations Protective Security and Emergency of Dubai Police, Directorate General of Civil Defence, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority, Dubai Municipality, DSF, Dubai Festival City and Heritage Carpet Corporation for their continuous presence accompanying the event for 20 years. Exhibitors and participants were also honoured in the presence of Khalil Saqer bin Gharib, Director of Corporate Communication and Abdul Rahman Issa Chairman of the Carpet Oasis' Steering Committee from Dubai Customs.
Abdulrahman Issa stated on the ceremony: This years sales turnover went above AED 98 million from over 3000 carpets sold. The estimated sales of the last 19 years came close to AED 1.7 billion. More than 2.5 million carpets were on display and over one million visitors flocked in to enjoy the beauty of spinning art.

He noted that the this years exhibition held over an area of 6,000 square meters.
It is worthwhile noting that this years event managed to bring in some 44 of the worlds most famous rarest pieces of the spinning art, totalling an estimated value surpassing AED 140 million.
And for the first time ever, the Carpet & Art Oasis exhibited Al Mahmal Al Shami (a ceremonial palanquin carried on a camel which was the centrepiece of the pilgrim caravan to Mecca).
As well, it presented the exquisite piece of art, the Naseej Al Walaa Portrait which features numerous stitches and rich colours. It has over one million knots and over 120 natural colours spread over an area of nearly 2 square meters. Made of 50% pure silk and 50% natural wool, the weaving was accomplished within three years with the help of 2000 people.
The exhibition marked yet another successful year with a resounding media coverage and international recognition hosting numerous media delegations from, China, Indian and Russia and many other countries.
Visitors were also given the chance to take part in raffles of valuable prizes of fine handmade rugs worth AED 10,000 on a weekly basis and a grand prize of hand-woven carpet exceeding AED 25,000.

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