Emaar Square Mall, a shopping and living center located in Çamlıca built with a $2.3-billion investment by Emaar Turkey, a subsidiary of real estate development company Emaar Properties known for projects including Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building and the Dubai Mall, one of the largest shopping and entertainment centers in the world, will open its doors to visitors on April 28.

Speaking at the introductory meeting of Emaar Square Mall, Emaar Turkey CEO Cenk Arson said the project focusing on shopping, entertainment and gastronomy will be opened on April 28, adding that they aim to host 100 visitors per minute and that the center will provide employment for 5,000 people.

Recalling that Emaar's shopping malls hosted 125 million visitors in 2016, Arson informed that the Dubai Mall alone welcomed 80 million visitors in the said period, noting: "Having maintained this figure for three years in a row, the Dubai Mall has earned its title as the world's most visited living center,and is the world's most visited shopping and entertainment destination," Arson said.

Noting that behind this success is Emaar's business and profitability model implemented on the basis of customer experience, Arson said they have now carried the said model to Turkey.

Cenk Arson explained that the entire industry is working to increase the number of visitors flocking to shopping centers, saying: "We have taken our goal one step further. We want to bring new tourism potential to Turkey by using Emaar's experience." Highlighting that the percentage of tourists among shopping mall visitors in Turkey is around 2 percent, Arson noted that they have set a major target to increase this figure to 10 percent by the end of 2023. "This is a very ambitious figure and we want to attract more tourists not only in quantity but also in quality. We focus on the high-income bracket in terms of tourists. Turkey needs tourists who spend money," Arson added.

Emaar Turkey Senior Director Arzu Uludağ Elazığ said they will have an intense activity program that will continue throughout the year and they will realize the opportunities and programs covering special days not only in Turkey but also in the world. "We will organize campaigns with agencies, hotels and airline companies and we will make promotional offers for Istanbul abroad."

Stressing that they will present a variety of brands under one roof that will meet the needs of visitors from various backgrounds including the debut of some luxury brands for the first time in Turkey, Elazığ said the shopping mall will be the favorite spot of the Istanbulites with a multistory cinema, aquarium and underwater zoo, viewing terrace, entertainment areas, more than 100 restaurants and cafes, a traditional Turkish bazaar and a fashion center.

Accordingly, the Emaar Square Mall, which aims to host 25 million visitors a year, will present shoppers with all essential needs in a single place, combining modern and traditional shops and Anatolia's first 4D cinema, a fashion center and a "Turkish village."

Samsung will open its first major store in Turkey at the Emaar Square Mall on June 1 following the opening of Galeries Lafayette, a major international brand entering the Turkish market for the first time, while the fashion world of Paris comes to Istanbul along with Harry Winston who will bring the jewelry world of the U.S. to the city. Famous luxury brands Gucci, Cartier and Hermes will take their place at the Emaar Square Mall in the second phase in autumn.