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Twenty-five years of Designer Outlet Parndorf: It all started with a clear vision. Mario Schwann, General Manager McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Parndorf, talks in his extensive ACROSS interview about the development of the location, decisions about the brand mix, the development as a tourist location, and why the geographical location at the border triangle of Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia always pays off, especially in challenging times.

“The net to gross the proportion of tenanted space to the public realm is shifting,” states Ibrahim Ibrahim, Managing Director of Portland Design, in his discussion with Reinhard Winiwarter. Developers and asset owners of commercial spaces have no option but to rethink public spaces. But this changes everything and will require new skills to respond.

On May 10, 2023, the Austrian retail and retail real estate industry came together at the 25th RegioPlan Retail Symposium. The event highlighted current and expected market conditions, trends and investments and offered a valuable platform for industry experts to connect.

Slovenia’s first Fashion Outlet Village is scheduled to open in 2024/2025. The HG Invest investor group around the Tyrolean company Huter Invest is developing it. Nikolaus Huter, Managing Director of Huter Invest, spoke to ACROSS about the development, the advantages of locations close to the border, and why more and more offline shopping locations should be converted to outlet centers.

“Without experimenting, you cannot learn anything,” states Ihsan Elgin, Executive Board Member of Finberg. As an investor, he is very serious about the impact of the metaverse on life and business. The convergence of virtual and real realms within the metaverse allows companies to fasten collaboration as well as to enhance communication, and this is only one of his conclusions.

“The rapid change in the world now necessitates being more than an observer and follower; it requires rapid implementation,” states Yurdaer Kahraman, FIBA CP CEO and Member of the ACROSS Advisory Board. Therefore, he values the Metaverse as an engaging way to reach a younger, digitally connected consumer audience. He shows the perspective of a company that took the metaverse path very early.

E-Commerce does not run over shopping centers because they offer much more than a shared space where people purchase different products. To enhance the appeal of traditional shopping mall experiences, especially to Gen Z customers, enriching these “add-ons” is crucial. A new generation and metaverse-based loyalty programs can be a big part of this. Ahmet Usta, ELYT.net Co-Founder, explains what Metaverse business cases make sense for the placemaking industry.

A metaverse use case in practice: Fiba Commercial Properties and Elyt.net introduced at İnegöl Shopping Mall, Turkey, a metaverse-based, new-generation loyalty program. The important learning: Consumers are ready. The interest in the program was unbelievably high. Visitors were happy to receive gifts and be part of an application that involved innovative technology like NFT.

Mixed-use is the order of the day for the entire placemaking industry. As a result, shopping centers have increasingly become home to coworking and flex office solutions. While the flex office market in the US shows a growth rate of 25 percent, more and more European shopping center operators are taking advantage of this fresh source of revenue.

A close cooperation with the brands is the key for success. Fran Gutiérrez, Retail Director NEINVER, explains how this looks like in practice. NEINVER not only supports their brands with technological tools. The company has prioritized people and training as two main pillars in its retail strategy to support brands’ growth.

Inflation encourages consumers to go in search of even greater value for money, states Giles Membrey, Managing Director of Rioja Estates. Therefore, he argues, Outlets are becoming more attractive to costumers. Furthermore, also internet sales are a driver of Outlets.

NEPI Rockcastle has raised the equivalent of 143 million Euro equity from its latest scrip dividend, corresponding to approximately 85% of the final dividend payment for the year ended 31 December 2022. As a result, NEPI Rockcastle’s total issued share capital will increase by 4.75% to approximately 636 million ordinary shares and its capital base is strengthened for investment in future growth.