Abu Dhabi, March 15th, 2011 (WAM) -- Aldar Properties PJSC and Al-Futtaim group today opened IKEA for business on Yas Island and anticipate nearly 1.3 million visitors in the first year of operations at the 33,000sqm flagship store, one of Middle Easts largest.

Omar Al-Futtaim, Vice-Chairman, Al-Futtaim Group, said: "Al-Futtaim group is fully committed to offering customers an unrivalled choice of the worlds best brands with exceptional standards of customer service."Steve Hammett, President Retail, Al-Futtaim Group, confirmed the IKEA Yas flagship store will be a strong impetus to push ahead with plans to expand into the region.

According to him IKEA Yas store is bigger than the 25,400sqm store in Dubai Festival City and three times the size of Abu Dhabi Marina Mall store, which closed all operations last night.

Mile Franicevic, General Manager, IKEA UAE, Qatar & Egypt said IKEA store on Yas Island will offer yet another wonderful shopping and leisure experience to around 1.3 million visitors during the first full year of operations.

Joining Omar Al-Futtaim was the Swedish Ambassador Magnus Scholdtz and Ahmed Al Sayegh, Chairman, Aldar Properties, among several distinguished guests and media, as anxious customers queued outside to step into the first globally recognised retailer to operate from Yas Island

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2011.