Sahara Centre was declared the winner in the Grand Opening, Expansion and Renovation category.
A judging committee of leading industry experts evaluated Sharjah's largest mall on the success of its marketing programme analysing objectives, strategic tactics and implementation, creativity, cost effectiveness, results and impact. Sahara Centre was the winner in the 150,001-500,000 retail square foot classification.
Commenting on the win, Gavin Cox, Managing Director, Sahara Centre, said, "We're extremely proud to have won this accolade in the MAXI Awards. It's certainly a landmark achievement as we are the only mall in the Middle East region to be honoured in this category."
"Our record-breaking grand opening programme helped attract 50,000 visitors daily during the first week. We also staged three community-related activities in the first three months of operation."
Other factors which positioned Sahara Centre as a strong contender for the Award, included the use of pop-out billboards, seen for the first time ever in the UAE, while the mall also broke new ground by negotiating third-party advertisements on government bridges in Sharjah. The grand opening entertainment programme also featured, Circus Space, a unique British acrobatic and aerialist troupe who performed a new production reflecting Arab culture.
Added Cox, "Sahara Centre opened in February this year, in a country with tough competition in the retail industry. To succeed, we needed to capture the hearts and minds of people within the immediate area of Sharjah, as well as throughout the rest of the Emirates. This is why we created such an interesting grand opening programme, backed by comprehensive advertising and PR campaigns."
The MAXI Awards Programme is an international marketing competition that recognises excellence in shopping centre marketing. MAXI Awards have been presented every year since 1972 to shopping centres and companies that have designed and implemented the most successful marketing programmes throughout the world.
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Sahara Centre bags international MAXI Award for innovative opening programme
- United Arab Emirates: Monday, October 07 - 2002 at 09:33
- PRESS RELEASE
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Sahara Centre, Sharjah's landmark shopping mall, has been awarded the international MAXI Award for its innovative record-breaking grand opening programme by the International Council of Shopping Centres.
Sahara Centre bags international MAXI Award for record-breaking opening programme
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Posted by Anne-Birte Stensgaard, News EditorMonday, October 07 - 2002 at 09:33 UAE local time (GMT+4)
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This article was updated on Mon Dec 18 2006.
Notes and Media Contacts »
Sahara Centre:
The Sahara Centre project which opened on February 20, 2002 is owned jointly by Bukhatir Investments Ltd and Ghobash Investments. Built at a cost of Dhs. 400 million in the fast-growing Al Nahda district of Sharjah, the total built-out area of the mall is 1 million square feet, making it the largest shopping mall in the emirate of Sharjah. Key anchor tenants include Debenhams, Toys 'R' Us, Adventureland and Century Cinemas. Additional anchors, Marks & Spencer and THE One will open shortly.
International Council of Shopping Centers:
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the worldwide trade association of the shopping center industry. ICSC's 40,000 members in over 70 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, retailers, lenders and virtually every profession or trade involved in the industry. Headquartered in New York City, ICSC has over 150 staff members and offices in Washington, D.C., Toronto, London and Singapore.
For further information please contact:
Samantha Wood/ Jehad Saleh
ASDA'A Public Relations, Burson-Marsteller Exclusive affiliate in the Middle East, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971-4-3344550 Fax: +971-4-3344556
The Sahara Centre project which opened on February 20, 2002 is owned jointly by Bukhatir Investments Ltd and Ghobash Investments. Built at a cost of Dhs. 400 million in the fast-growing Al Nahda district of Sharjah, the total built-out area of the mall is 1 million square feet, making it the largest shopping mall in the emirate of Sharjah. Key anchor tenants include Debenhams, Toys 'R' Us, Adventureland and Century Cinemas. Additional anchors, Marks & Spencer and THE One will open shortly.
International Council of Shopping Centers:
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the worldwide trade association of the shopping center industry. ICSC's 40,000 members in over 70 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, retailers, lenders and virtually every profession or trade involved in the industry. Headquartered in New York City, ICSC has over 150 staff members and offices in Washington, D.C., Toronto, London and Singapore.
For further information please contact:
Samantha Wood/ Jehad Saleh
ASDA'A Public Relations, Burson-Marsteller Exclusive affiliate in the Middle East, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971-4-3344550 Fax: +971-4-3344556
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