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Complimentary Wi-Fi, Smart Parking and Digital way finding will soon unite to offer a seamless, interactive entertainmentand retail experience at Doha Festival City
Doha, 05 February 2017: Doha Festival City, Qatar’s anticipated entertainment, retail and hospitality destination, has announced a number of initiatives that will position it as one of the region’s leading Smart Malls, utilising the latest technologies to offer a convenient and stress-free experience for visitors when it launches in April.
Trevor Hill, General Manager of Doha Festival City Mall said, “We have studied the best digtial practices globally to ensure our visitors’ comprehensive journey through Doha Festical City is the most user-friendly and efficient experience throughout– from planning their trip via our website, to parking, way finding and being connected via the free Wi-Fiwhilst here. The technology we have implemented is quite new and exciting in the market. We are thrilled to be able to provide our valued customers with these smart options, where we will offer them support and convenience,delivering the definitive Mall experience in Qatar.”
Digital wayfinders will be conveniently located throughout the Mall. “Doha Festival City is spread out over a total site area of 433,000sqm, so our interactive directory is sure to be of assistance for those seeking guidance on any of our 500 leading retailers and extensive entertainment offerings. Whilst traditional printed Mall Guides will also be available, digital wayfinding offers a quick and easy alternative and visitors can also search events, offers and find out what entertainment is happening in the Mall.” continued Trevor Hill.
Doha Festival City will also offer visitors seamless connectivity with complimentary Wi-Fito ensure visitors can find and share information and experiences. Whilst before even setting foot in the Mall, customers can begin their interactive journey by visiting the new website at www.festivalcitydoha.com. The website offers an optimised experience where they can browse special offers and the Mall directory on all devices,from desktops and tablets to mobile on-the-go.
Once the visitor arrives at the Mall, the smart car park will allow them to easily gauge available spaces through a red and green light parking system essentially streamlining the parking experience. Doha Festival City has more than 8,000 easy-to-access parking spaces, across multi-story, full basement and surface carparks. It is further enhanced with dedicated ramps to and from Shamal Road, all of which have been carefully designed to ensure that access and parking at Doha Festival City are stress-free and convenient experiences, from arrival to departure.
Doha Festival City is also home to state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor activity areas, including four unique theme parks that bring with them cutting-edge technology to completely revolutionise mall entertainment. ‘Juniverse,’ harnesses the power of dynamic learning to inspire, educate and entertain. ‘Virtoucity’, will merge the virtual world with reality, to deliver an immersive digital experience. Snow Dunes, will be Qatar’s first indoor snow park themed around a fantastical Arabian town set in the distant past and Angry Birds, the global gaming sensation and Hollywood blockbuster movie from Sony Entertainment willalso launch its its first theme park at the mall.Additionally, VOX Cinemas, is also set to revolutionise the cinema experience for audiences in Qatar with 18 digital screens including four new concepts - 4DX, Theatre by Rhodes, MAX and VOX Kids – which are exclusive to Doha Festival City.
As it prepares to welcome around 20 million visitors per year, the QAR 6.5 billion Doha Festival City has selected ELAN Media as its exclusive media partner as part of a multi-year deal to provide best-in-class turnkey solutions to the Mall. The innovative, in-Mall advertising will include three new formats for Qatar - The Axis, The Runway and The Torch, Qatar’s first Digital Billboard- all of which are now available for advertisers to secure.
For more information visit: www.festivalcitydoha.com
About Doha Festival City
Set to open its doors in Q2 2017, Doha Festival City celebrates the best in entertainment, retail and hospitality. With a gross building area of 433,000sqm, and a Gross Leasable Area of 244,000 sqm, the QAR 6.5 billion mixed-use development will include the biggest mall in Qatar and one of the largest entertainment and retail developments in the Gulf.
Bawabat Al-Shamal Real Estate Company WLL (known as BASREC), is the developer and owner of Doha Festival City. BASREC is a joint venture which comprises Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Real Estate Services, Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), AQAR Real Estates Development & Investment Company, and a private Qatari investor. Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate (AFGRE) will be the managers and operators of Doha Festival City, one of the region’s most unique entertainment, retail and hospitality offerings.
Doha Festival City is a destination with a world-class entertainment complex, and will be home to indoor and outdoor attractions unique to Qatar. This comprehensive mix of entertainment– from Qatar’s first VOX 4D cinema complex with 18 digital screens, to outdoor spaces for exercise and cycling is designed to appeal to all ages. In addition, Doha Festival City will delight visitors with four unique theme parks, including “Angry Birds World” – the first of its kind in the Middle East, “Snow Dunes” - Qatar’s first indoor snow park, “Juniverse” – an edutainment park for children that harnesses the power of dynamic learning and “Virtuocity” - created exclusively for teens and adults, the park delivers an immersive digital experience.
Currently home to IKEA which has been trading since 2013, Doha Festival City will have more than 500 carefully selected international and local brands, many of which will be making their Qatar debut. Easily accessible and offering 8,000 parking spaces, the project will also see the addition of a five-star hotel and convention center which will break ground in 2017, opening in early2019.
For more information visit www.festivalcitydoha.com
About Al-Futtaim
Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim is one of the most progressive regional business houses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Al-Futtaim employs in excess of 42,000 people and operates in 31 countries through more than 200 companies. The group has significantly expanded its business operations through a strategic acquisition plan and has entered a number of new territories, increasing its footprint beyond the GCC and Greater Middle East to encompass, Asia, Australasia and East Africa. Structured into four operational divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate and retail, the success of Al-Futtaim is attributed to proactively managing change whilst upholding the values of integrity, service and social responsibility. The majority of businesses, built on a portfolio of world leading brands, dominate their sector.
Media Contacts
Leah Lenihan
Assistant Marketing Manager
Al – Futtaim Real Estate LLC
P.O. Box 207122, Doha- Qatar
Office: +974 4408 3695
Mobile: +974 3354 3932
Email: leah.lenihan@alfuttaim.com
Kaye Rawlings
Account Director
Impact Porter Novelli
Emirates Towers, 21st Floor | Dubai, United Arab Emirates
M 971 50 858 7178 | T 9714 330 4030 E 422
Email: k.rawlings@ipn.ae
