UAE ranks high as destination for retailers

The UAE has become one of the world’s most international retail markets as brands from around the world flock to the country, according to research by commercial real estate consultant CBRE.



The UAE, boosted by Dubai, came in fourth in a CBRE study that mapped the global footprint of 280 of the world’s top retailers across 67 countries.

Middle Eastern countries saw a marked increase in the number of retailers entering the region over the last year, it said.

“Despite the global economic slowdown, many retailers, especially cash-rich private companies, have continued their expansion plans throughout the past 12 months,” said Peter Gold, head of EMEA Cross Border Retail at CBRE.

The UAE jumped two places, to fourth from six, as the percentage of international retailers present rose to 45 from 39.

More retailers are also setting up shop in Saudi Arabia: the largest Arab economy rose to 15th place from 28th, with 37 percent of international brands now present.

The findings could be bad news for Dubai retailers, whose customers include a significant number of Saudi tourists.

Kuwait also tracked significant growth and moved into the top 20 list, ranking 19th, compared with 30th in 2007, with 34 percent of international retailers now present.

For the first time, the CBRE report analysed retail globalisation at a city level.

In that list Dubai came in 4th, Riyadh 28th, Jeddah 45th and Abu Dhabi 48th. London came out on top, followed by Paris and New York.

“Whilst Dubai is now experiencing a plateau in response to the global economic downturn, Abu Dhabi is proving to be much more resilient,” said Mark Morris Jones, director of retail in Abu Dhabi for the firm.

“Its population is one of the most affluent in the region and as the city continues to grow, attracting a flux of foreign workers and tourists, we expect Abu Dhabi to maintain this growth, but at a more sustainable rate.”

The same was true for Riyadh and Jeddah, he added.

Alshaya Co, the largest retailer in the Middle East by number of stores, has said it will be rolling out 200 new stores across the region and Eastern Europe this year.

The company will be introducing five new brands, including office supply specialist Office Depot and US apparel giant Express, which opened in Kuwait last month and will be opening its first Dubai branch in mid May.

Diverse cuisine and Shopping choices in Dubai

Cuisine choices in Dubai are as diverse and extravagant as the city itself. Visitors enjoy an almost infinite number of options covering every type of cuisine imaginable. Dubai hotels offer some of the highest quality meals to be found. They are also able to serve alcohol with meals, which is not generally allowed elsewhere. The arrival of the famed Atlantis hotel has added to the offerings in a grand way. In addition to other eateries, the hotel has opened 4 restaurants, featuring Italian, seafood, Japanese and French themes, run by celebrity chefs with a total of 10 Michelin stars between them!

After sleeping and dining in some of the best venues the world has to offer, no Dubai holiday is complete without some unforgettable shopping. When it comes to shopping in Dubai, it doesn’t disappoint. The city boasts some 40 world-class shopping malls and 4,000 retail shops, with 800 or so selling the finest gold jewelry in the region. Add to that scores of exotic souqs, and you’ve got a shopper’s paradise. However, a new entry to the market is getting all the attention.

The Dubai Mall opened in early November adjacent to the Burj Dubai, already the tallest building on earth and still under construction. This new mega mall will feature branches of some of the world’s best-known chains (Bloomingdales, Marks & Spencer, the Galleries Lafayette), 1,200 other shops, an Olympic-size skating rink, its own 10 million liter aquarium, 22 screen cinema and 120 restaurants and cafes. Malls are important in a climate that is too hot for outdoor shopping a good portion of the year. Dubai’s unique malls have become entertainment destinations unto themselves.

For visitors wanting to experience more traditional Dubai attractions, however, many rewarding options exist. “Souqs” or markets focusing on a particular item—gold, spices, textiles– are fascinating to explore—and shop in! If you’d rather dive into the area’s history and culture, arrangements can be made to explore the narrow alleyways of Dubai’s old town and its excellent museum in the Al Fahidi Fort.

Those seeking a bit more action in their Dubai vacation need not look far. The area offers superb facilities for sport and recreation, from golf and water sports to desert safaris and dhow (creek) cruises. Dubai tours can take you across the desert and through the rugged Hajar Mountains to the fishing villages of the Arabian Sea coast. Or, you can go off-road, traveling far into the desert to visit a Bedouin village, and then watch the sun set over the sands before enjoying a barbecue deep in the dunes. Your Dubai guide can even arrange dune surfing or a trip to the camel races.


Dubai Specialty Travel / ESN

Festival City luxury brands extension plan revealed

Plans for a major extension to Dubai's Festival City - to incorporate the largest collection of luxury retailers in the emirate - have been revealed.


The Collection at Festival Centre, a 650,000 sq ft luxury expansion to the retail resort, will feature globally recognised flagship anchor brands and a mix of more than 170 premium fashion labels, designer homewares and top eateries.

The extension plan was showcased for the first time at the MAPIC 08 exhibition held at Cannes, France on Wednesday.

The Collection, which is designed to link directly into the 400-room Four Seasons Hotel, will complete the 2.9 million sq ft Festival Centre venue.

Dubai’s total market potential for luxury retail and leisure is forecast to show impressive growth from seven billion dirhams in 2010 to more than 20 billion by 2015.

Visitors to Dubai currently represent 69 percent of all luxury retail and leisure spending and this figure is forecast to rise to 77 percent by 2015 when 15 million visitors are expected to visit Dubai.

The ground and first floors of the Collection will be dedicated to luxury retailing and department stores while the second floor will feature designer homewares, a five star day spa and a luxury foodhall.

Michelin starred fine dining roof top restaurants are also proposed.

"The retail experience at The Collection will be second to none," said Philip Evans, director of Retail Leasing, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate.

"The strategic tenant mix will bring together the most influential and acclaimed names in fashion and hospitality. In line with our vision to deliver excellence we will be seeking new and vibrant retailers to add to this strong mix."

Dubai Festival City is a 1,300-acre mixed use urban community stretching 3km along Dubai Creek developed and operated by Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate.

Company targets Dubai with new $50,000 bed

A Liechtenstein-based luxury goods firm, which in September launched the world's most expensive bed costing nearly $50,000, is targeting luxury hotels in Dubai after an initial sales flop.

Manufacturer Bouf has admitted it has only made one individual sale and is re-jigging its marketing strategy towards the luxury market in the emirate.

The egg-shaped Lomme bed, combines light, sound and massage therapies with colour therapy and a natural light alarm clock to provide the optimum sleep environment.

But although the bed was launched two months ago, take-up has been slow, with only one sale to a London buyer, reported Wealth Bulletin.

Bouf hopes instead to tap the Dubai luxury hotels market, where it has already had three orders for the Lomme Bed.

Beds will be delivered next year, a spokeswoman said. She added: "We don’t think now is a bad time to launch the bed, we aim our product at the top end of the market which has not been affected that much yet."

Bouf is also marketing a £5,500 glass chandelier, which resembles a large sea urchin.

Burberry turns to Mideast as sales in West slow

UK luxury fashion brand Burberry Group said on Tuesday it was boosting its presence in the Middle East in an effort to offset slowing sales in the West




Burberry said it had entered into a joint venture with the Dubai-based Jashanmal Group that would manage all its retail and wholesale distribution within the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait under a 15-year agreement.

Burberry said the joint venture, Burberry Middle East, would allow it “to capitalise more quickly on opportunities in parts of the Middle East while increasing investment”.

Year-to-date comparable store sales in the UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait rose by more than 40 percent, the company said.

Burberry on Monday reported a 13 percent rise in first-half profit. Net income increased to 74.8 million pounds ($94.3 million) from 66.1 million pounds for the same period last year.

Burberry chief financial officer Stacey Cartwright said in October a build-up of stocks of unsold goods could weigh on revenue.

Burberry’s shares closed down 6.1 percent to 200.25 pence in London at close on Monday. The stock has fallen 64.84 percent year-to-date.

The first Burberry store in the Middle East opened in Dubai in 1997 under a franchise agreement with Jashanmal.

Burberry said there were currently eight stores in the region, with a further four planned for the current financial year.

First look inside the Dubai Mall - World Largest Mall

Dubai Mall has finally open !

The Dubai Mall was constructed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by owner Emaar Properties.This largest mall cost over 20-billion-dollar project is the world’s largest with 1,200 shops and is an integral component of the Burj Dubai, which is going to be the world tallest building when completed.

Dubai Mall was officially opned to the public on November 4, 2008. The public has anticipated the amazing Dubai Aquarium & Discovery Centre.

Catch out the amazing photos and video of Dubai Mall :




The Amazing Dubai Mall Aquarium

The Dubai Mall Opens With Largest Number of Retailers in the World's Largest-Ever Mall Opening

The Dubai Mall, opens today at 2pm with close to 600 retailers - marking the world's largest-ever mall opening in retail history.

Besides its retail attractions including the Middle East debut of several global brands such as Waitrose and Hamleys, The Dubai Mall has varied lifestyle and leisure offerings including a Gold Souk, the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink and the Fashion Catwalk atrium. The Dubai Aquarium & Discovery Centre is already in the global spotlight having clinched the Guinness World Record for the 'World's Largest Acrylic Panel.'


The Dubai Mall is the flagship development of Emaar Malls Group, the shopping malls subsidiary of global property developer Emaar Properties. When fully operational, it will have over 1,200 stores. The retail mix includes two anchor department stores - Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdale's; 220 gold & jewellery outlets; 160 food & beverage outlets; a supermarket and an organic food mart.


Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties added: "We are thankful to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai for encouraging us to stretch our business model, and create a shopping destination that is among the elite malls of the world. The Dubai Mall will address the world-class shopping needs of a population of over 2 billion people in the catchment markets of the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe."
Mr Jim Badour, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: "With the opening of The Dubai Mall, we have the largest ever number of retailers together for the first time in a mall opening."


Mr Yousif Al Ali, General Manager, The Dubai Mall, added: "With The Dubai Mall, what matters is not the size but the qualitative difference that we offer to our visitors. Our world-class attractions will redefine the shopping mall experience."
Emaar's expansion into shopping malls is in line with its Vision 2010 to become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Emaar Malls Group has already opened Souk Al Bahar, a modern mall with Arabesque architectural features in Downtown Burj Dubai, and will open the Dubai Marina Mall, in the vibrant Dubai Marina in late 2008.