Mall of the World
A temperature-controlled urban development covering an area of 48 million sq ft has been revealed by UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Dubbed ‘Mall of the World’, the scheme is due to be located on Sheikh Zayed Road and will comprise a largescale shopping mall, Wellness Zone and Dubai Cultural District.
The scheme targets the tourism sector with varied hospitality options including 20,000 hotel rooms across 100 new hotels and serviced apartments. Developed by Dubai Holding, the project has been designed as an integrated pedestrian city with the capacity to welcome 180 million visitors annually.
Sheikh Mohammed explains: “The growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance Dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible. This project complements our plans to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve our vision.
“Our ambitions are higher than having seasonal tourism. Tourism is a key driver of our economy and we aim to make the UAE an attractive destination all year long. This is why we will start working on providing pleasant temperature-controlled environments during the summer months. We are confident of our economy’s strength, optimistic about our country’s future, and we continue to broaden our vision.”
Mall of the World incorporates the world’s largest indoor theme park, encased within a glass dome which will be kept open during the winter months and closed over the summer. An 8 million sq ft shopping mall will be organised as an extended retail street network, connected to the Dubai Cultural District by Celebration Walk, a take on Ramblas Street in Barcelona.
Dubai Holding