The Dubai Mall, Emaar Properties’ flagship shopping and entertainment destination, has become the world’s most-visited destination for the third consecutive year, welcoming over 75 million visitors in 2013.
Following the impressive footfall of 54 million in 2011 and 65 million in 2012, The Dubai Mall recorded a 15 per cent growth in visitor numbers during 2013, with an average monthly footfall of 6.25 million. The mall’s 1,200-plus retail outlets recorded a 26 per cent rise in sales during 2013 compared to the previous year. The number of visitors significantly surpassed the number of shoppers at the world’s other leading malls such as Mall of America and Bullring Birmingham, UK (40 million each); Intu Trafford Centre, UK (30 million); Part Dieu Lyon, France (29.4 million); and West Edmonton Mall, Canada (28 million). Over 40 per cent of the visitors to the mall were tourists, reflecting the tourism demographic trends of the city, with a majority of the overseas visitors coming from Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries, China, India, Russia and Europe.