Dubai - THE Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), which dramatically galvanised the 'City of shoppers' from its traditional summer slumber by providing its retail, hospitality and leisure businesses a new dynamism, has spurred a spectacular mall revolution that will see the emirate's retailing landscape expand by four times during the next five years.
By 2010, the city will have an additional 22.5 million square feet of climate-controlled retailing space, up 400 per cent, making it a prime global gateway for international brands.
While the number of shopping malls will rise from 32 to 40, the total retailing space will grow from 7.5 million square feet at present to 30 million square feet, thanks to the entry of five mega malls - those with a minimum space of 2 m square feet each - into the scene.
The main driver of this exponential mall boom is the buoyancy in retail turnover generated by the DSS since its inception in 1998.
There has been a steady and sustained surge in Dubai's summer retail business since 1998. From Dh850 million seven years ago, the sales turnover during the 70-day DSS is poised to double this season.
Compared to last year's summer harvest of Dh1.56 million, this reflects a 10 per cent growth, a major factor to inspire - along with a host of other highly upbeat economic projections --more retail players to come to the scene with an added sense of urgency and enthusiasm.
Retail industry experts said a major positive impact of DSS on the retail scene was in fostering a mall-shopping culture.
"Thanks to the high summer temperatures and the influx of tourist shoppers, the city of shoppers has no better alternative to offer both visitors and residents other than the climate controlled shopping comfort the malls provide. While the DSS has certainly fuelled the mall boom, the added sophistication and "cool summer comfort" and family entertainments offered by the retail industry has been prompting increased flow of family holiday makers, mostly from within the region and other neighbouring regions to the world's fast-emerging international leisure and business destination," experts said.
Dubai's retail landscape, which has never been the same since the DSS started driving an all-round business growth during the traditionally bleak July-August months, is not the sole beneficiary of this boon. The mall boom has not only sparked the inflow of summer holidaymakers but also helped to reverse the summer exodus, making Dubai as attractive to residents as other far off destinations in Europe and the Far East.
While the number of inbound tourists and holiday makers during the summer time recorded a phenomenal growth, the emirate saw a steady growth in family-oriented shopping and entertainment culture not only within the confines of the city's showpiece sprawling malls but also in other indoor attractions like the Wild Wadi.
In fact, the DSS-propelled boom, started to encompass a whole spectrum of business activities, particularly the hospitality and aviation sectors. Consequently, hotel occupancy has shown a remarkable surge compared to the pre-DSS lean summer days, the air travel industry also benefited from the increased inbound travel - underscoring the new trend as Dubai emerged as a year-round destination offering a breathtaking variety of holiday options.
While most Dubai's hotels reported up to 90 per cent summer occupancy, something unimaginable a few years ago, Dubai-bound airlines' seat factor swelled dramatically. In 2004, Dubai recorded almost 5.5 million visitors from across the world in 2004.
Currently, across 32 malls, there are some 3.500 retail outlets. The new mega malls, which are in various stages of construction, will dramatically change the scenario in the next five years.
"In five years, when all the new malls will be completed, Dubai will have one of the world's most sophisticated and massive retail infrastructure in place to position it as the most sought-after gateway points for leading global brands," said Eisa Adam Ibrahim, President of Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG), a founder key sponsor of Dubai Summer Surprises, and General Manager of BurJuman Centre.
While the sprawling Mall of Arabia, coming up in Dubailand will add 10 million square feet of retail space, others in the offing include the Dubai Mall developed by Emaar offering five million square feet, the Mall of the Emirates by Majid Al Futtaim Group providing 2.5 million square feet, and Dubai Festival City offering another two million square feet. The second phase of Ibn Battuta Mall project, which is getting underway, will double its retail space to three million square feet.
Ibrahim, who is also a former President of the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres, an organisation that was set up to support the mall industry in the region, said the DSMG was established to promote the mall industry in Dubai and rejuvenate the retail trade during the lean summer months, a challenge that was taken up in earnest with the launch of the Dubai Summer Surprises in 1998.
"Today the DSS has become an integral and important period in our annual marketing calendar."
He said innovative events and activities together with the spectacular value-for-money retail promotion run by member malls of the DSMG in association with MasterCard has helped attract more visitors to the shopping centres every year during the Dubai Summer Surprises.
Comparative figures show the dramatic transformation that DSS, now in its eighth edition, and DSMG has brought about in the summer.
"In the first year of DSS in 1998, total spending at shopping malls was Dh850 million and the number of visitors was 600,000. Last year, total spending at shopping malls during DSS was worth over Dh1.56 billion and the number of visitors increased to more than 1.5 million," Saeed Mohammed Al Nabouda, Chief Executive Officer of DSS 2005, said. This year the DSMG has forecast a 10 per cent growth, as a result of its promotions during DSS.
According to Al Nabouda, this year's DSMG promotion offered "a fabulous package" of prizes to DSS shoppers.
"The participation of MasterCard, Dubai Properties and Mashreqbank in this year's DSMG promotion is a significant reminder of the role that private sector and multi-national companies can play in the economic development of the UAE. The DSS has dramatically transformed what was once a lean season into an exciting and hugely beneficial period not just for the retail trade, but also for shopping malls, hotels and airlines. The stunning line-up of prizes at this year's DSMG promotion will be a magnet that will attract and encourage shoppers to spend more at malls during DSS 2005," Al Nabouda pointed out.
The current 'Strike it rich' promotion offers shoppers a chance to win up to Dh3 million in prizes including three dream grand prizes - one million dirhams, a luxurious Jumeirah Beach Residence apartment and a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Additionally, 10 Mashreqbank and Mastercard cards, each of them pre-credited to the value of Dh50,000, are being given away as weekly prizes during the 'Strike it rich' promotion of DSMG, which is being held at 23 participating malls throughout Dubai Summer Surprises from June 22 to September 2. This is the biggest promotion to be run by the DSMG since the DSS was launched in 1998, he pointed out.
The ten-week DSS, which began with the Flower Surprises on June 22 and is continuing with the Sweets Surprises, Arts Surprises, Colour Surprises, Ice Surprises, Adventure Surprises, Cartoon Surprises, Heritage Surprises, Knowledge Surprises, will conclude with the Back-2-School Surprises on September 2.
By Isaac John
© Khaleej Times 2005
