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By Rebecca Cairns, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 11:51 PM EDT, Wed June 5, 2024
Shopper's paradise: With dozens of malls across the city, Dubai is heaven for those who enjoy a bit of retail therapy. It is home to the world's largest shopping center by total area, Dubai Mall — which is about to get a $408 million expansion, as pictured in this render. Look through the gallery to see the city's other top shopping spots.
Dubai Mall: Opened in 2008, Dubai Mall has 1,200 shops and a retail floor area of over 5.4 million square feet. It also has luxury brands aplenty, including Burberry, Dior, Prada and Gucci, as well as its own dedicated gold souk. There's also a multiplex cinema, restaurants and Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.
Mall of the Emirates: With space for over 600 shops, Mall of the Emirates opened in 2005. Arguably its most famous attraction is Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski slope in the Middle East. The mall also contains a luxury hotel and the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre.
Souk Madinat Jumeirah: Close to Jumeirah Beach, this souk is a modern take on the city's traditional markets. Touting antiques and artisanal products, it's a good place to pick up souvenirs, while remaining in touching distance of entertainment venues and eateries.
Ibn Battuta Mall: The unmistakable Ibn Battuta Mall takes its interior design seriously. Its themed zones are based on the journeys of 14th century Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, and includes areas dedicated to Persia (pictured), Egypt, Tunisia, India, China and Andalusia. There's 275 retailers and space for a scale replica of a Chinese junk too.
Bur Dubai Souk: Situated on Dubai Creek opposite Deira (also home to a number of souks), this is among the oldest in the city. It's been refurbished in recent years, and shoppers will find a bevvy of textiles including dishdashas and pashminas.
Gold Souk: Perhaps the most famous souk in Dubai, this is why the place is known as "the city of gold." An extraordinary amount of gold jewelry is on display, and shoppers, who come from all over the world for its wares, are encouraged to haggle.
Dragon Mart: Dragon Mart touts itself as "the largest trading hub for Chinese products outside mainland China" with 5,000 retail, food and entertainment spaces spread across two huge malls.
Alserkal Avenue: Looking for something more boutique? This renovated industrial zone housing a 500,000-square-foot creative hub of contemporary art galleries and indie design stores is the perfect place to find unusual but very aesthetic products.
Box Park: Built with brightly colored old shipping containers, this shopping complex is filled with trendy lifestyle stores, boutique gyms, and Roxy Cinema, which boasts large vintage-style movie chairs for extra comfort.
City Walk: A split indoor-outdoor complex with extensive shopping and dining options, including several licensed venues, City Walk has become a go-to destination day and night.
Dubai Square: You can't shop here quite yet, but the latest mega-mall planned for the city is Dubai Square, which promises to be its biggest and boldest yet. It will cost an estimated $2 billion and have over 8 million square feet of retail space -- twice the amount of Dubai Mall.
From mega malls to historic markets, this is where to shop in Dubai
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United Arab Emirates real estate developer Emaar Properties announced Monday plans for a 1.5 billion dirham ($408 million) expansionof Dubai Mall.
The 12-million-square-foot mall is already thelargest shopping centerin the world by total area, and the expansion will add a further 240 luxury stores, along with new food outlets.
Adjacent to the record-setting Dubai Fountain and the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, the expansive shopping center already houses the world’s largest mall aquarium, an immersive digital art museum, a complete 155-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton, an Olympic-sized ice rink and a 26-screen cinema.
In a press release, Emaar Properties founder Mohamed Alabbar described the expansion as “a great addition to one of the most visited sites in the world.”
The mall expansion, pictured in this rendering, is expected to add 240 new luxury retail spaces.
Last year, Dubai welcomed a record number of tourists, and the mall says it received 105 million visitors last year, up 19% from 2022. The planned expansions will accommodate the expected increase in footfall as the cityinvests in its tourist economy.
While brick-and-mortar retail in many places around the world is in decline, retail spending in the United Arab Emirates rose 14% last year, predominantly driven by fashion (up 31% year-on-year), general retail (up 16%), and leisure and entertainment (up 15%), according to Majid Al Futtaim Group’s annual retail economy report. Government initiatives including the Dubai Shopping Festival —launched in 1996 — have given the emirate a reputation for offering a premium shopping experience across dozens of malls.
Emaar has not disclosed when work is expected to begin.
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