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UAE’s Majid Al Futtaim has opened thousands of employment opportunities for jobseekers in the region with the opening of its latest retail destination in Oman, the conglomerate has confirmed.
The Mall of Oman opened its doors to the public on Wednesday, further expanding MAF’s regional presence that includes 29 existing shopping centres across the GCC.
Husam Al Mandhari, director of shopping malls in Oman at MAF, said a total of 3,500 new jobs have been created so far because of the new venture. However, he didn’t confirm if the new jobs have already been filled.
“This is another achievement for us as we continue to position ourselves as a retail pioneer that offers unique experiences and unmatched value while contributing to the local economy,” he said.
MAF has already leased 80 percent of the mall’s gross leasable area. More retail offerings are expected over the coming months, with over 300 additional shops slated to open.
An indoor snow park, said to be the largest in the sultanate at 14,000 square metres, is also scheduled to launch next year.
The Mall of Oman also features a food court that can accommodate 1,000 people, a 9,000-square-metre Carrefour hypermarket and several brands from UAE’s Landmark and Apparel groups.
MAF had earlier reported a 10 percent decline in revenue for the first half of 2021.
Alain Bejjani, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Group said that while disruptions caused by COVID-19 continue to impact the business, MAF continues to enjoy “strong financial position”.
“Over the first half of the year, we have seen encouraging signs of recovery across our markets, as consumers gain confidence in resuming their pre-pandemic activities,” he said.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
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