Al Raid Group's much awaited Al Araimi Boulevard (ABLVD) opened doors on September 30 in Muscat this year. It is an ambitious yet intimate family destination in the country claiming a plethora of firsts in the region, both in terms of magnitude and aesthetics. It has a leasable area of over 70,500 sq m comprising 220 retail stores, 10 cine screens including 4D cinema and a 1,200 capacity food court, making it the largest food court in the country.
“We want to be a destination for the surrounding communities of Oman, for the capital city,” Haifer Juma Hussain Al Zadjali, its newly appointed CEO told TTN in a recent interview.
Oman is a very popular destination for neighbouring UAE, where a 5 per cent value added tax (VAT) has been implemented on all retail and most of the other purchases. Oman, on the other hand, expects to have VAT only in sometime in 2019, making it a value shopping, dining and lifestyle destination for UAE visitors now.
“Oman is a traditional market, we want a good mix of culture and the modern aspect of mall shopping. So, we have local and international brands. Oman has 1,700 kilometres of coastline and visitors love to relax and enjoy the country’s natural wealth, but the mall also offers a mix of leisure, retail and food and beverage options, so I do believe it is a value addition for visitors to the country as well,” said Al Zadjali.
One unique aspect of the mall is the 5000 sq m of skylight, providing bright natural light during from sunrise to sunset. The corridors are large and airy, and the mall is welcoming with comfortable large spaces and seating arrangements. Al Araimi Boulevard features 3,000 parking spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, shopping drop-off and valet, car wash, Oman’s largest food court, the largest skylight in the Sultanate, medical centre, children’s nursery and activity centre, kids’ park and play area, ATMs and prayer areas.
“The mall is very high-end. We have been involved in all the aspects: the internal lighting, the skylight, external landscaping, road connections and mix of tenants, etc. Even the tenants will find that we have taken care of all the little details to support them,” Al Zadjali said.
With 27 years of professional experience, Al Zadjali said: “As Al Araimi Boulevard continues its efforts to integrate the Sultanate’s heritage with contemporary trends with a focus on Omanisation. We are committed to ensuring the employment of Omanis in every industry, complementing the policy enacted by Government of Oman in 1988. The upgradation of the skills possessed by the Omani workforce through strategic planning and development of local human resources will remain my top priorities.”
Last year, Majid Al Futtaim started work on Mall of Oman, a ‘super-regional retail destination’ coming up at Madinat Al Irfan, the new central business hub being developed by Omran near Muscat International Airport. When completed by 2020, the Mall of Oman is set to become the biggest shopping destination of its kind in the sultanate hosting an estimated 350 outlets set on a retail space of over 135,000-sq-m area.
“Al Raid Group has another major mixed-use product - Al Araimi Walk, which will be twice the size of Araimi Boulevard. It will be a mix of retail, houses, hotels, medical centre and entertainment. It is the advanced planning stage and excavation is expected to start very soon. It will be located in the Al Barka area of Oman, which is an upcoming extension of the capital area and it is a coastal city in the region Al Bāţinah,” Al Zadjali informed TTN.