Dubai Mall eyes 100 million visitors with huge expansion

The massive expansion of The Dubai Mall, described as the world's largest shopping and entertainment destination, has commenced its preparation to welcome over 100 million annual visitors to the mall. With the first phase expansion by 1 million square feet, the fashion portfolio of the mall will be further strengthened, enhancing the city's high-end retail offerings.
Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, in a press release, said: "The Dubai Mall expansion project builds on Dubai's new Tourism Vision 2020 announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, UAE vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, and the city's focus on offering high-end retail and leisure attractions for residents and visitors from around the world.
"Our strategy to create compelling new retail and lifestyle experiences also supports the city's growth outlook of further strengthening its core economic sectors, including retail, tourism and hospitality. The current expansion will redefine Dubai's retail sector, cementing its reputation as a global hub for the latest in fashion. Having welcomed over 65 million visitors in 2012, and a record 20 million visitors in the first three months of the year, the highest so far during a three-month period, the expansion of The Dubai Mall will further underline its global standing as the world's most visited shopping and lifestyle destination,” he added.
To be expanded further, the Fashion Avenue in The Dubai Mall will add new and personalized flagship stores of the world's most renowned brands. The overall expansion will also bring in other high-end lifestyle and entertainment brands to The Dubai Mall.
Shoppers can experience the unparalleled ambiance of strolling along foliage-rich walkways with water features, set on a strip lined by premium stores. In addition, they can enjoy a wide new range of F&B additions being added along Burj Lake and overlooking The Dubai Fountain, the world's tallest performing fountain.
The new spectacular additions to The Dubai Mall are being implemented with minimal impact on the ongoing mall operations. Visitors will continue to have full access to the mall's 1,200 stores, the 200 F&B outlets and diverse array of leisure attractions, as work continues to add new features.