Emirates Airlines and Visa International have joined hands to offer free one-month tourist visas for people looking to travel to Dubai to experience the excitement of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) which runs from January 28 to February 28.

Under this unique offer, people who want to spend time with their families will benefit from a free one-month tourist visa, when travelling on Emirates and paying with their Visa credit, debit or prepaid card in the UAE.

Valid for all Emirates destinations that require a visa for entry into Dubai, the promotion is open to passengers in any class of travel - provided a return ticket is purchased in the UAE and a valid family member sponsors their stay.

Tickets must be booked and paid for in the UAE during the two-week sale period from January 19 to February 1, 2010 inclusive.

Saving families hundreds of dirhams, the free visa campaign has been introduced to help families across the emirate bring their loved ones to Dubai, without the added financial burden of paying for visas.

Khalid bel Jaflah, Emirates’ Vice President Commercial Operations UAE said: "Partnering with Visa, Emirates has developed another excellent promotion that helps families come together to experience one of Dubai’s most acclaimed and glittering events, DSF."

"The free visa promotion takes into account that the cost of visas can be a determining factor in whether people can afford to travel or not, offering a free visa alleviates this stress," he remarked.

“Emirates has been a long term supporter of the Dubai Shopping Festival. DSF highlights the excellent amenities available in Dubai, putting the emirate on the world stage and attracting huge volumes of visitors each year."

"It is an excellent event for Dubai and we are proud to be associated with its success. We hope that this promotion will encourage even more families to visit Dubai during this exciting festival," he added.

Commenting on the joint initiative, Kamran Siddiqi, Visa’s general manager for GCC, Levant, Pakistan and Afghanistan, said: “We are delighted to partner with Emirates to offer this unique free visa promotion to Visa cardholders. As an official DSF sponsor we are delighted to be able to make it easier for people to experience the shopping festival and extend benefits of using a Visa card to tourists visiting Dubai during this period.”

A large proportion of Dubai residents have family living outside of the UAE and it is expected that this promotion will be well received across the emirate.

Each visa is valid for one month and is not renewable. Each return ticket to Dubai booked through Emirates and paid with a valid VISA credit, debit or prepaid card is eligible for the free visa.

The sponsor in the UAE can purchase the ticket and apply for the tourist visa at their nearest travel agent or by visiting Emirates ticketing counters located in the UAE.-TradeArabia News Service