Dubai cements itself as leading retail destination during Qatar World Cup

The Fifa World Cup continues to benefit Dubai’s retail sector, as more than a million people have poured into the city on their way to or from neighbouring Qatar, hosts of the world’s largest sporting event.

The month-long football tournament, which ended yesterday, has high-impact catalysts for economic development, becoming a money-spinner for local retailers.

These are the red-letter days, especially for brick-and-mortar. While e-commerce is all the rage, it is the experience economy that looms large, with experience having a clear edge over tangible goods when it comes to shopping activities. According to the latest Global Web Index, 55.9 per cent of millennials (aged between 18 and 30) surveyed in the UAE claimed they are keener on spending money on experiences rather than on plain shopping.

Factoring in this youngsters’ predilection for the intangible, Dubai retailers, to remain in sync with the spirit of the generation, have leveraged the trend, vigorously exploiting the ‘hyper individualisation’ and pushing the boundaries of a customised experience.

However, the Experience Economy is kept top of mind, not only for locals but also tourists. Dubai’s ranking as the most popular destination by TripAdvisor’s 2022 Travellers’ Choice Awards reflects the role played by the latest retail innovations in diversifying the quintessentially cosmopolitan spirit of the city. A preponderance of new phenomena like phygital concept and unnamed checkouts in multiple locations serve to illustrate how retailers efficiently adapt to the mercurial shoppers’ habits. From an ostentatious innovation, these advancements have morphed into an integral part of the city’s shopping landscape where the boundaries between physical and digital are fading to give rise to a mesmerising manufactured shopping reality.

According to PYMNTS,  brands throughout Dubai have been relentlessly capitalising on hybrid shopping, revving up for the Qatar World Cup 2022 and gathering steam after the lockdown losses.

CEO of one of the country’s largest mall operators Majid Al Futtaim, Shireen El Khatib, said that shopping malls are actively focusing on “augmenting customer experience across the assets, focusing on culture, leisure, entertainment, wellness, beauty, food and beverage,” and added that “all these categories can’t be online. You have to be in a physical space to enjoy them […] for us to be realistic, the future is definitely an integration of both physical and digital”.

Forrester Research further underscores the significance of the multi-sensory experience as ranked by consumers worldwide. Sixty-three per cent of consumers will stop buying from brands that neglect personalisation tactics. 

Flagship destinations, such as Bluewaters, Al Seef and JBR, are also vital for immersive all-encompassing experiences for tourists worldwide. The active involvement of the Department of Economy and Tourism, privy to the latest tourist fancy and shopping fads, plays a pivotal role in bolstering and refining retail festivals experiences.

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