In 2023, Dubai Mall has become the globe’s most visited place with more than 105 million visitors. The world’s second largest mall is now set to become even larger with 240 new luxury stores. Dubai also announced a new drive-through mall for EV cars only and a new mega skyscraper.
Emaar Properties has announced another expansion of the iconic Dubai Mall, which will include 240 new luxury stores plus food and beverage outlets. This project represents an investment of 380 million Euros.
In 2023, Dubai Mall became the most visited place on earth achieving a new attendance record with 105 million visitors, a 19 percent increase from the previous year, coupled with exceptionally strong retail sales.
Located next to the world’s tallest building – Burj Khalifa – basically every Dubai Tourist visits the large mall with more than 1,200 stores, hundreds of F&B outlets and many entertainment options. Dubai has four times the shopping area per capita compared to the US and average dwell time inside Dubai mall is supposedly more than three hours.
New Drive-Through Mall
In February, Emaar announced an upcoming mall in Dubai that would allow customers to drive through it in electric cars. The mall will be located in Dubai Creek Harbor – the new six million square meter city center. Dubai Creek was also supposed to be home of the world’s tallest building towering one-kilometer above ground.
But Emaar decided to scrap its plans to build the world’s tallest tower and is now planning a less tall ‘female’ version of Burj Khalifa. The reason for changing the concept sounds exceptionally humble for Dubai. Emaar realised they had made a mistake, according the local newspaper Khaleej Times. The property developer is building iconic towers to make money out of the apartments that look at the tower. They don’t make any money from the tower itself.
But there is no question the new tower surrounded by an EV drive-trough mall will still be an iconic building and making global headlines.