DUBAI - Majid Al Futtaim has announced a new opening date for its upcoming mall in Sharjah - City Centre Al Zahia. Now set to open in March 2021, the decision allows tenants sufficient time to prepare for their new store openings and ensure they can provide a compelling customer experience.

In a statement by the company on Monday, the decision to defer the mall opening date has been taken in light of the global disruption in the retail sector due to the pandemic.

The additional months will allow all of City Centre Al Zahia’s tenant partners increased time to stabilise and prepare their new stores effectively, to the standards that they and Majid Al Futtaim adhere to, and open at a time that is more conducive for trading.

Shireen El Khatib, CEO at Majid Al Futtaim – Shopping Malls Business Unit, said, "From the day we open the doors of City Centre Al Zahia, our ambition is to offer a compelling retail and entertainment experience to the Northern Emirates community. This ambition is shared by all of our tenants, and as an industry leader, we feel it is our responsibility to support them in any way we can towards achieving this shared goal".

In line with Majid Al Futtaim’s omnichannel strategy, it has also launched two new online shopping platforms for the UAE to enable tenants to reach customers and continue trading. This includes the ‘Trends At Your Doorstep’ initiative that was recently launched by Mall of The Emirates, and ‘Marketplace’ for other Majid Al Futtaim malls.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.