Bags of fun

Malls aren’t just places to shop, they’re places for fun as well, explain experts in all things retail.

How important is it to include a leisure offering within a mall?

John Hudacek: Today, shopping malls have become leisure destinations for families. Weekend breaks are increasingly being defined by visits to malls, not only for their retail choices but also for the leisure opportunities they provide. Leisure attractions have therefore become indispensable to the successful operation of any mall.

The Dubai Mall has proved this with Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Dubai Fountain and the Dubai Ice Rink. Soon the mall will add the region’s first Sega Republic and KidZania as well as Dubai’s largest cinema—the 22-screen Reel Cinemas.

Brett Judd: Leisure is becoming a major factor in malls because there’s a fair amount of congestion within the market to create a certain level of excitement. Including a leisure facility has now become so commonplace to the point that it’s now essential for any mall to have some sort of leisure facility.

There’s a few components you need to look at when including leisure facilities because it’s not just about including leisure destinations. You need to think about the ‘softer side’, such as the theming of a mall, which can help increase its appeal. There are also subtle things, such as including rest areas. Then of course you’ve got things like movies, kids’ clubs, and the food and beverage side of things.

We’re also seeing major attractions moving into malls. Dubai is really pushing the envelope with high activity events such as climbing wall, and then speciality leisure options such as Cirque du Soleil. Leisure facilities are a wonderful way to drive people to shopping malls.

What sorts of leisure facilities work best within a mall?

JH: A mix of leisure facilities that appeal to all cross-sections of visitors – irrespective of age and cultural differences – works best within a mall. To achieve this, careful planning has to go into developing a balanced portfolio of overall family entertainment and niche entertainment for specific age groups.

The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, for example, appeals to the entire family with over 33,000 aquatic species to discover, the world’s largest acrylic viewing panel and a walk-through tunnel for closer encounters with marine life. Likewise, Dubai Fountain has quickly become another favourite for families, and Reel Cinemas is set to attract movie-goers of all ages.

On the other hand, Sega Republic is expected to have more niche appeal to the young and adventurous, similar to Dubai Ice Rink.

BJ: The most tried and tested element is mall is movie cinemas. They make an excellent ‘anchor’ tenant to attract people into a mall. Above all, mall leisure is very much about providing indoor options. There is a lot of freedom though. Really you can include almost anything, from rollercoasters to ghost trains.

What unique challenges arise from providing leisure facilities within malls?

JH: There are many unique challenges posed by operating leisure facilities within a mall. For example, the issue of entrance and exit flows from the mall needs to be considered. Other challenges include providing infrastructure such as power, as well as support systems to cater for large crowds.

BJ: You need to remember that malls are ultimately retail destinations. They’re the truest example of mixed use retail around, and your leisure facilities need to be complimentary to your retail. Some big leisure attractions can distract your visitors from actually visiting stores. In a mall, you need to make sure people are carrying shopping bags!

You also need to establish a mall as a community base. Theming and branding are very important to ensure that the people living near your mall identify with it. Building the brand is also very important if you’re trying to create ‘shopping tourism’. That can involve having shuttle busses to major hotels, making it more convenient for tourists to experience to the leisure and retail on offer.

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