If you're a discriminating world traveller who enjoys luxury shopping, now is the time to be in Dubai. That's because their annual shopping Festival kicked off January 5 in what may be the most spectacular one yet. Running until February 5, the Dubai Shopping Festival 2012 promises 32 days of international shopping, music, celebrity visits, and special events designed to showcase Dubai as the premier emirate in the entire Arab world.

For the uninitiated, the annual Dubai Shopping Festival is far and away the largest such gathering on the planet. The festival attracts the largest collection of international vendors all assembled under a single roof, plus just about every local retailer and shopping mall around the city. Visitors can browse the world's largest collection of clothing, jewellery, household items, furniture, and just about anything else you could think of. The festival is not for the faint of heart however, it is truly a "shop till you drop" experience.

If it's free give-aways you're looking for, the annual festival certainly has that covered as well. According to festival coordinator Ibrahim Saleh, each day "half a kilogram of gold is being given away to one winner with three kilograms of gold awaiting one shopper on the last day of the DSF."

Beyond just the shopping, this year's festival is centred on the theme "Dubai at its best." Entertainment events include musical acts from the Philippines, India, and various Arab countries performing on numerous stages around the emirate. Guests will also be able to enjoy the World Arab Boxing Championships and the Asianet Film Awards. What's more, this year's event will feature perhaps the most spectacular presentation ever in Dubai's Global Village. This venue brings together international exhibitions, performance artists of all kinds, and literally hundreds of different events bringing the local streets to life.

All inclusive Dubai holidays are always a treat for European travellers, but never more so during the annual shopping Festival. It is one of the main attractions of the emirate which sees hundreds of thousands of visitors during that time. The emirate's luxury hotels are usually filled to capacity welcoming guests from Europe, North America, Asia, South America, and Oceania. For many it is an once-in-a-lifetime experience that's difficult to top. Of course, there's nothing stopping you from going again next year.

Travellers heading to Mauritius or Seychelles might find a stop in Dubai the perfect way to avoid jet lag while also experiencing the world-famous festival. But even if you prefer to make Dubai your only destination you certainly will not run out of things to do for the next month. Even with only a couple of hours sleep per night you still won't be able to keep up with all of the shopping and entertainment opportunities.

There's still time to book your travel to Dubai for this year's shopping Festival if you act now. If you're unable to travel before February 5, consider make your plans to attend next year's festival instead.

Airworld Tours , the luxury holiday company based in the UK, is ready to help you book the best possible all inclusive Dubai holidays