Dubai's mega malls are living up to their billing, and it is hard to believe that more innovative, vast shopping centres are still to open their doors. Where will all the madness end?
To the layman, the sustainability of colossal retail developments, complete with ski slopes and replica ancient galleons, must seem a puzzle. But the reason why shopping malls in Dubai are so large and ambitious is because visitor numbers are sufficient to sustain them. All the projections indicate that the number of eager Dubai shoppers will continue to grow, with a staggering 15 million tourists expected in 2015.
Sticking a ski slope on top of a mall in a desert country may strike some as a crazy idea - and first-time skiers who have picked up a few bumps and bruises on the Mall of the Emirates's piste are inclined to agree with them - but it also creates a genuine point of difference for the mall, and grows the general tourism experience that Dubai offers.
Serving the customer is the key. Thanks to the absence of sales taxes, its great location and climate, Dubai has cultivated shopping as entertainment. The commitment of mall operators and the business community in general to Dubai's fine tradition of great value and enjoyable shopping will be the biggest factor in ensuring the future success of the city's many fancy malls.
Mega malls are not new on the international stage; they have been part of the retail scene in Europe, the United States and Australia for some time. Dubai is therefore following global trends. Smaller neighbourhood malls, which complement the bigger ones, are likely to be the next addition to the shopping landscape.
The naysayers, of course, will identify Dubai's mounting traffic woes and the late opening of flagship mall projects as major obstacles to commercial success. But it is important to put Dubai's growing pains in context. Mall operators in Dubai face a fraction of the everyday challenges found in other regional markets.
Service remains the big factor. There are plenty of malls around the world that have opened on time with slick, expensive fanfare only to go bust a few months down the line. As the Dubai market matures, the successful malls will be those that demonstrate a healthy mix of tenants and adapt to the many and changing needs of the visitors.
© Emirates Today 2007
