By Claire Ferris-Lay www.arabianbusiness.com
Visitors to Emaar’s leisure attractions increased 13 percent in 2011 to more than 4.75 million, the property developer has said.
Reel Cinemas, operated by Emaar Retail, recorded 2.2 million visitors last year while its Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo at Dubai Mall served 1.1 million residents and tourists, Emaar Retail said.
“Today, leisure is an integral part of retailing and the challenge is to create innovative offerings that drive visitor traffic. Emaar Retail has set clear benchmarks in the retail and leisure sector of Dubai, which is highlighted by the impressive growth achieved by our leisure attractions in 2011,”Arif Amiri, CEO of Emaar Retail, said in an emailed statement.
Dubai, home to some of the world’s lavish shopping malls and hotels, has long been a leading shopping and leisure destination. The emirate benefited from a rise in tourists last year as the Arab Spring unrest in the region’s traditional travel hotspots diverted business towards the Gulf country. More info
