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Discuss this article (29 Comments)Dubai mall giants announce parking fees
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Wednesday, 22 July 2009
PARKING FEES: Deira City Centre in Dubai.
Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre have confirmed that they will introduce parking fees starting on September 10.
Visitors parking their cars for longer than three hours on weekdays will be charged AED20 ($5.40) for every additional hour for the next three hours, the Majid Al Futtaim-owned shopping malls said in a statement.
During weekends, the first and second extra hours above the first four hours will be charged at AED40 and AED60, respectively.
The free parking period will be extended by an additional hour on both weekdays and weekends for customers watching a movie at the malls’ cinemas.
A trial period will begin on August 9 to introduce visitors to the system of entry and exit barriers, ticket collection points and instructions.
Charges will apply starting September 10, the day after the Dubai Metro begins its service.
“With the Mall of the Emirates and Deira City Centre Metro stations so conveniently situated there was the need for a parking management system to ensure parking remains accessible for our customers,” said Fareed Abdelrahman, vice president of divisional asset management at Majid Al Futtaim Properties.
“Unlike other systems in place in Dubai, it is not dependant on how much you spend or what time of the day you visit, and the free parking actually lasts longer than the average amount of time spent by shoppers in both malls,” he said.
The new system is based on industry research showing that an average of 70 percent of shoppers spend three hours or less in malls during the week and four hours over the weekend, the company said.
Courtesy parking crews will be stationed around the two malls to help customers adapt to the new system.
READERS' COMMENTS
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Seems fair actually
Posted by MA on Monday 27 July 2009 at 09:21 UAE time
While I understand that malls are considered social hubs here, 3 hrs is more than fair (ideally though, with another hr free for every AED 100 spent). For those who say that, like Emirates Towers, they should charge immediately, you're missing the fact that then you are forced to purcahse something. Occasionally people visit malls to compare prices, and come back later to conclude a purchase. Works for ET because they only carry high end brands and would prefer lower foot traffic. Anyway, this is MUCH better than what Bur Juman has implemented, and on the whole is a very evenhanded way of getting around their problems of ensuring that legitimate shoppers obtain parking while not milking them for every buck. Hope this is the model that is emulated by other malls with metro issues.
Posted by MA on Monday 27 July 2009 at 09:21 UAE time
While I understand that malls are considered social hubs here, 3 hrs is more than fair (ideally though, with another hr free for every AED 100 spent). For those who say that, like Emirates Towers, they should charge immediately, you're missing the fact that then you are forced to purcahse something. Occasionally people visit malls to compare prices, and come back later to conclude a purchase. Works for ET because they only carry high end brands and would prefer lower foot traffic. Anyway, this is MUCH better than what Bur Juman has implemented, and on the whole is a very evenhanded way of getting around their problems of ensuring that legitimate shoppers obtain parking while not milking them for every buck. Hope this is the model that is emulated by other malls with metro issues.
lack of planned approach
Posted by vmn, Dubai, UAE on Saturday 25 July 2009 at 17:20 UAE time
So, you get through a barrier and your time starts then. Both in MOE & city center it takes about half hour to find a parking. So, by the time you are inside the mall you hardly have 2 hrs plus.
Are you asking the shoppers to run around these biggest malls in the world to finish the shopping in this short time or face fines?????? wow!!!!! Indeed a shopper's paradise....
They should rather introduce a validation system like in Burjuman where you purchase or pay for the parking. All it takes is that you might end up atleast having a drink from there if you fail to find your product of choice and you dont want to pay for the parking. Again the validating time could be set as not beyond 5 hours from entering the mall.
Something to think about if any official is reading!!!!!
Posted by vmn, Dubai, UAE on Saturday 25 July 2009 at 17:20 UAE time
So, you get through a barrier and your time starts then. Both in MOE & city center it takes about half hour to find a parking. So, by the time you are inside the mall you hardly have 2 hrs plus.
Are you asking the shoppers to run around these biggest malls in the world to finish the shopping in this short time or face fines?????? wow!!!!! Indeed a shopper's paradise....
They should rather introduce a validation system like in Burjuman where you purchase or pay for the parking. All it takes is that you might end up atleast having a drink from there if you fail to find your product of choice and you dont want to pay for the parking. Again the validating time could be set as not beyond 5 hours from entering the mall.
Something to think about if any official is reading!!!!!
parking
Posted by stefka, dubai, bulgaria on Friday 24 July 2009 at 15:37 UAE time
what about if i want first to go to cinema ,then do my shoping and seet for dinner?
Posted by stefka, dubai, bulgaria on Friday 24 July 2009 at 15:37 UAE time
what about if i want first to go to cinema ,then do my shoping and seet for dinner?
A Better way to avoid the park and ride situation
Posted by sarx, Dubai, UaE on Friday 24 July 2009 at 13:07 UAE time
The people with cars in the mall parking lots would get a ticket when they enter the mall. If they spend dhs 40 at the mall their parking would be free otherwise they would have to pay the dhs 40 for parking. This way both mall shopper and mall owner get value for their money. I have seen this system work well in the U.S.
Posted by sarx, Dubai, UaE on Friday 24 July 2009 at 13:07 UAE time
The people with cars in the mall parking lots would get a ticket when they enter the mall. If they spend dhs 40 at the mall their parking would be free otherwise they would have to pay the dhs 40 for parking. This way both mall shopper and mall owner get value for their money. I have seen this system work well in the U.S.
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