Last year Dubai and the Middle East saw its first two theme parks in IMG Worlds of Adventure and Dubai Parks and Resorts, while destinations like Global Village, Ski Dubai and Dubai Dolphinarium continued evolving. These theme parks and other variants of amusement concepts aside, now Dubai is also home to the Dubai Opera.
The UAE capital has taken pride in Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, a highly attractive destination on Yas Island that continues to pull visitors, while many more concepts are scheduled to come – such as Warner Bros Abu Dhabi in 2018 followed by SeaWorld in 2022.
Qatar is home to the world’s first Angry Birds World concept, Saudi Arabia is firmly focusing on its 2030 vision that aims to create leisure and entertainment facilities comparable to London and New York. In Oman work is underway to develop some unique retail-cum-leisure destinations. Bahrain and Kuwait are not far behind. As a whole, the region is growing.
RetailME writes about this already vibrant leisure and entertainment industry
Content must be creative and original
Some of the recurring themes in the leisure and entertainment industry are: thinking out-of-the-box; being original; and being agile to adapt to changing market dynamics quickly, opines Gary Goddard, founder & CEO, The Goddard Group – a US-based themed entertainment integrator.
“The need of the hour is to create original concepts. The way for Dubai, or any other country/city in the Middle East, to succeed is not by recreating what Disney or Universal Studios have already done. The way forward is original thinking. The world’s first Bollywood Parks comes up as a surprise hit within the Dubai Parks and Resorts. That’s not surprising at all – its new, its different and its original,” he avers.
Indeed people are expecting different kinds of entertainment. The percentage of retail and leisure and entertainment is changing worldwide. Offering the same products time and again won’t work. There is more and more scope to introduce new kinds of entertainment within retail properties because people are looking for newer and exciting social spaces.
Read the full article in the June edition of RetailME
Watsons to open 20 new stores in the GCC
In 2020, global health & beauty retailer AS Watson Group signed its
April 29, 2024 | By Rupkatha BLandmark Group’s ‘Circulife’ could be a “giant leap” towards UAE’s textile circularity goals
“We want to not just match the price; but beat it,” claims Chemist Warehouse CEO
Landmark Group to invest $1-bn to grow the business, open 400 stores
/ 
For decades, Haldiram’s built deep recall across the UAE through its packaged
When House of Habanero opened its first physical location at Alserkal Avenue
Union Coop has completed a significant expansion of its Hatta Souq branch,
Saudi Arabia is set to welcome U.S. food exporters this week, as
Majid Al Futtaim has officially entered the discount retail segment with the
As convenience increasingly becomes currency in the region’s grocery landscape, Union Coop
As wellness becomes a lifestyle in the UAE, the grocery aisle is
Grandiose, one of the leading grocery retailers in the UAE with a
With shifting consumer behaviour, rising cost pressures, regulatory changes, and rapid digitization,
Union Coop’s blend of retail expansion, digital innovation, and community focus is
Abu Dhabi-based MAIR Group has marked a pivotal stage in its transformation
In a move that blurs the line between shopping and investing, Apparel
/ 
Why cinemas, wellness sanctuaries and cultural districts are becoming emotional infrastructure for
From bullion to boutiques, investment to immersion, Dubai Gold District marks a
NRF Vice President of Education Strategy Susan Reda forecasts 2025’s retail trends
The Dubai Duty Free (DDF) has recorded sales of $1.94 billion up
In what comes as a significant announcement, Middle East based eyewear majors
Emirati Gen Z women are seeking collaborative, culturally diverse and creatively enriching
GMG’s Everyday Goods – Retail division celebrates expansion milestone hitting 60 stores
Among several others, three key factors have fuelled the growth of homegrown
Previous Article
