The mantra to drive footfalls and increase sales in African malls is by constantly evolving and upgrading the family entertainment centres, explains, Sharif Rahman, CEO, International Expo Consults, the organisers of the DEAL 2019 show ( http://www.DealMiddleEastShow.com) in Dubai.  

“If the malls expect a multifold increase in their footfalls then it is imperative that they look into all aspects of attracting customers. The most important factor would be to attract families and children.  This in turn increases the possibilities for more sales across the mall.  The vital cog within the mall is basically the FECs as it further attracts the customers on a periodic basis.  Arcade games and now virtual reality games have changed the face of the industry. However, the same arcade games and same VR games will not draw more customers if it is not upgraded on a regular basis,” stated Sharif Rahman, CEO of International Expo Consults (IEC).

A vast array of innovative technologies and concepts will be showcased at the upcoming DEAL 2019 show in Dubai.  The show is scheduled to take place at the prestigious Dubai World Trade Centre during 25^th-27^thMarch. The entertainment concepts are evolving and have taken a completely new avatar with the growing popularity of virtual reality gaming concepts. Furthermore, drones and robots have also entered the fray and currently are in very high demand across FECs and indoor themeparks. 

Africa’s population is set to grow to 2.3 billion by 2050. In contrast to the rest of the world, however, its booming population is getting younger. Experts believe that the next big thing for entertainment and leisure industry especially in the African region, would be driven by virtualreality technology. 

IEC CEO further stated that, “DEAL 2019 will provide the right platform to create a win-win-win situation for the exhibitors, visitors and the end consumers who will experience these amazing concepts. This is a great business opportunity for mall owners, real estate developers and other stakeholders in Africa, planning to launch or grow their unique projects embedded with a gaming / entertainment zone.”

Several DEAL 2019 exhibitors from across the globe would be showcasing a plethora of concepts that the African FECs and amusement operators can choose from. Soon theme park enthusiasts strapped with VR paraphernalia, will enter worlds that were literally impossible to recreate.

“Virtual reality isn’t just for gamers, geeks and technophiles. Globally, the number of theme parks adopting VR technology as part of their offerings to increase attendance is rising. While VR tech is still unfamiliar to most of the stakeholders in this industry, the paradigm shift is inevitable. Today, there is a massive behavioral change in African millennials. They are changing their spending patterns, from markets to malls, where they can eat, socialize and get entertained at FECs apart from shopping,” he added.

“The software and the games need to be upgraded and changed which is not as expensive as upgrading the whole facility. The African stakeholders who visit DEAL can also visit the indoor and outdoor themeparks in uAE to see the potential that they can replicate in their own markets,” concluded Mr. Rahman.