Shopping spree has started in the Kathmandu Valley ahead of the Dashain festival, with malls witnessing a rise in the flow of customers.

Shopping malls like Civil Mall, United World Trade Centre, Kathmandu Mall and KL Tower, among others, are seeing an upsurge in crowd, as people have started buying new clothes, footwear and accessories for Dashain, the biggest festival of Hindus.

What is also attracting customers are promotional schemes launched by different malls, under which discounts and an array of gifts are being offered.

Civil Mall at Sundhara, for instance, currently attracts an average of 6,000-7,000 visitors per day, according to Amir Thakuri, senior marketing manager of the mall. “We expect the number to grow further from Saturday, when Dashain festival officially begins,” he said.

One big attraction at Civil Mall is the festive campaign themed “Dashain-Tihar Mahotsav 2016”, which was launched two weeks ago. Under the campaign, the mall has been offering lucky draw coupons to customers who purchase goods worth over Rs1,000. The lucky draw winners can win two-wheelers like TVS Apache 200, TVS Jupiter and TVS Zest, diamond necklace from Asri Jeweler, and mobile phones and home appliances from LG.

Another mall which is seeing an upsurge in footfall is United World Trade Centre (UWTC). “Most of the shops operating

in the UWTC have lately started seeing good flow of customers,” said UWTC Managing Director Sandeep Hirachan, adding,

“With the rise in flow of customers, business of shops is also growing.”

According to Hirachan, the newly-opened unit of Bhatbhateni Superstore at the UWTC has also helped in attracting customers to the shopping mall. The shops at the UWTC are offering up to 50 percent discount. The shopping centre is also hosting fairs, like Made in Pakistan, which is luring large number of people.

Apart from schemes like gifts and discounts, arrival of new lines of fashion wear has also been attracting people to shopping malls, said Samir Uddim Shekh, president of Kathmandu Mall Traders Association.

During the last festive season, many traders had failed to import new products due to transport problem triggered by trade embargo imposed by India.

“This time, we are offering new products at reasonable prices,” said Shekh, adding, Kathmandu Mall has also launched a festive campaign themed “Kathmandu Mall Dashain-Tihar Dhamaka”, under which customers can get up to 30 percent discount on purchases they make.

Like most of the malls in the Valley, KL Tower at Chuchhepati has also launched Dashain campaign, under which customers can get discounts of 15-40 percent on purchase of goods.

Ishwor Thapa, supervisor at the KL Tower, said the mall is also offering a range of gifts to customers through lucky draws.

Under the lucky-draw scheme, customers can win T-shirts and mobile phones. Also, up for

grabs at the shopping mall are motorbike, refrigerator and microwave oven, which will be extended to Dashain shoppers as bumper prizes.