Dubai Customs has opened the 25th edition of Carpet Oasis at Marina Port Rashid within the city’s Mina Rashid cruise port for the Dubai Shopping Festival.

The 25th edition of the exhibition is organized by Dubai Customs and runs from 5th January to 16th February and will this year have the theme “25 Years of Excellence”.

The exhibition has been an annual highlight of the shopping festival for tens of thousands of carpet aficionados from all over the world.

The oasis features more than half a billion dollars of rare rugs and carpets

RELATED: 8 new Dubai tourist attractions opening before the 2020 cruise season

RELATED: UK cruise tourists say Dubai is world’s most luxurious cruise destination

By locating this year’s exhibition within the cruise port DP World is stepping up efforts to give Dubai cruise tourists a more diverse array of attractions close-by to the cruise terminal.

Marina Port Rashid is the superyacht marina adjacent the QE2 Dubai floating hotel, across the water from the Dubai Cruise Terminal, it forms the first phase in the total redevelopment of the entire port area into a mixed-use residential and commercial attraction.

“There is more than one thing that makes this exhibition different than any other, which is the uniqueness of the carpets coming from different famous countries along the silk road,” said Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO.

In 2008, the exhibition sold US $27-million worth of carpets and in 2009, the most expensive carpet, which dated back to 1847, was sold for a record US $1.5-million. In 2016, 250,000 carpets and rugs, worth half a billion dollars were exhibited.

The oasis is located within Dubai’s Mina Rashid cruise port

RELATED: MSC to get preferential docking rights at Dubai Cruise Terminal in Port Rashid

RELATED: P&O Cruises first to release itineraries for 2021/22 roundtrip Dubai cruise season

The exhibition is among just a few exhibitions in the world to focus on handcrafted silk and wool carpets, according to officials.

“We’re expecting heavy footfall this year from cruise tourists,” said Farida Fadhil, head of Carpet Oasis organizing committee. “A large number of renowned exhibitors are taking part in this year’s edition of the Carpet Oasis.”

In addition to thousands of different exquisite and delicate rugs and carpets, the Carpet Oasis also features a book corner and a carpeting platform where visitors can learn more about the ancient skills that go into the making of the carpets.

Although the exhibition enhances the UAE’s position as a major shopping hub for textiles and even affordable Persian carpets, and is a convenient location for Dubai cruise tourists, the city has plenty of other carpet shopping spotsthat might offer a lower mark-up.