By Kaushalendra Singh — SALALAH — The soft launch of the one-of its-kind Salalah Mall and Residences is set for July. The opening of the mall, which is spread over an overall built-up area of around 85,000 square metres, will be carried out in phases. The project developer, United Real Estate Company (URC), has made a tentative launch plan for Salalah Mall and Residences, which consists of 168 deluxe service apartments to open in mid-July, whereas Carrefour and cinemas are to be operational shortly after.
The interior work is in its final stages and designated brands are to start their fit-outs shortly. The opening of each shop will depend upon their requirements and work progress. According to Ali Hassan Moosa, General Manager of URC Oman, the opening of malls of this scale are commonly carried
Commenting on the uniqueness of the project, Ali said: “The Salalah Mall and Residences promises great shopping experience along with restaurants, cinema and serviced apartments to accommodate visitors of Salalah, whether tourists or corporate travellers. The mall has three cinema halls with a capacity to accommodate 700 visitors. All the halls are fitted with the latest equipment and 3-D viewing facilities."
The deluxe serviced apartments, overlooking the central courtyard of the mall are available in four specifications; studio, one-bedroom, two bedrooms, and three bedrooms operated by Safir Hotel and Resorts, a Kuwaiti based company. When asked whether Salalah has potential for such a mall, Ali said, “Salalah has huge potential in terms of tourism and business development. This is the only place in the GCC which has potential to emerge as a centre for business and tourism due to the beautiful landscapes and rare phenomenon of rain during the summer months.”
Ali says, Salalah Mall and Residences has been developed after great research to cater to the needs of both tourists and businessmen of the region.
“For GCC families, we have serviced apartments with an option of connecting studio and single bedroom apartments, where our visitors here have the option to select their accommodation according to their needs. Similarly, we have many activities for businessmen as well as families at the mall.” said Ali.
Ali mentioned that the mall will also serve as a major job provider in the Dhofar Governorate. With so many facilities in one place, Salalah Mall and Residences has extensive manpower requirements to run its day-to-day operations, therefore facilitating job opportunities for local Omanis.
