Golden Week for Malls

The Golden Week has been unofficially announced for many shopping malls. The eight shopping arcades of Sun Hung Kai Properties recorded a 30 percent increase in the number of shoppers and sales in the four days since National Day on October 1, from a year ago.

In order to attract more mainland shoppers, Causeway Bay, East Point City in Tseung Kwan O and Landmark North in Sheung Shui joined forces with travel agencies to organize point-to-point tours and stage a series of promotions. They served 1,000 tourists in 24 groups and logged HK$5.4 million worth of sales.

With mainlanders accounting for 35 percent to 40 percent of its shoppers, Elements’ large-scale promotions drew 30 percent more customers in the first three days of this month.

In addition to a variety of benefits, such as free cross-border transport, gifts of gold leaf and discount coupons, the upmarket West Kowloon mall is showcasing a HK$1 million Mercedes-Benz, the surface of which is covered with crystal glass from Swarovski. It will also hold exhibitions on a bus and three London taxis for renowned hat designer Philip Treacy.

Sino Group, which runs 12 shopping centers, also reported satisfactory figures.

During the same period, Sino’s four other malls – Olympian City, Citywalk, Gold Coast Piazza and Island Resort Mall- served 13 percent more customers.