RETAIL REVOLUTION IN HISTORIC MALACCA

Category: Swhengtee Article Published: Tuesday, 22 September 2015 15:40

Malacca’s biggest tourist ‘Village’, Freeport A’Famosa Outlet Village (FAOV) is set to provide the very best retail experience in an exceptional setting – with prices at a bargain everyday.

Steeped in history and rich with remnants of the European colonial era, Malacca is a small province with a lot to offer. Aptly crowned as “The Historic State”, its fertile soil and busy straits bear witness to centuries-old of told and untold tales, from the arrival of foreign traders to the fall of the glorious city in the hands of colonists. The beautiful architecture left behind is rich in diverse cultural elements— made of laterite stones, mortar and wood from the 1500s that have been beautifully restored to preserve its identity as a cultural melting pot.

Its location is strategic—flanked by the thriving city of Johor to the south and the agricultural state of Negeri Sembilan to the north— its capital, Malacca City is located just 148 kilometres south east of Kuala Lumpur. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, the historical city attracts 14.3 million visitors per year—which isn’t at all that surprising since the state is a stunning work of art. You’ll be transported back in time by the captivating architecture that illustrates the grandeur of its heyday.

The hallmark of Malacca is of course, the famous A’Famosa fortress, located in the town centre. A replica of this fortress can be found at the A’Famosa Resort, which attracts over 2 million visitors annually both domestic and international hailing from Singapore, Vietnam, India, China, Japan and the Middle East among others. Established on 530 hectares of land, you can expect to enjoy top-notch facilities such as a 27-hole championship golf course, a Water Theme Park, Safari Wonderland, Old West Entertainment Park, Extreme Sports activities as well as a resort hotel with state-of-the-art conference and banqueting facilities.

The Modern Trading Hub

In bringing back the glorious years of Malacca and boosting its fast-growing reputation as a travel destination, international outlet operator, Freeport Retail and a wholly-owned subsidiary of A’Famosa Group, Langkah Realiti are working hand-in-hand in developing a state-of-the-art retail outlet—The Village—in the booming tourist destination.
                                             

A’Famosa Resort

Following its other international successes, Freeport Retail will be the regional one-stop shopping centre that provides the very best shopping experience in the most unique setting—at a bargain.

Over 70 international fashion brands will be gracing the store windows and among the scores of these reputable names are Levis, ESPRIT, Nike, Skechers and many more— available at up to 70% below normal high street price.

The 310,000 sq ft Freeport A’Famosa Outlet Village (FAOV) will be built in three phases. The first phase of construction, started in March 2014, covers a total of 180,000 sq ft of lettable space consisting of 100 retail units, 1,800 car parking spaces, themed restaurants, as well as an exhibition and event hall. It is set to open to the public in November 2015.

Phase 2 of the development will take up approximately 62, 000 sq ft of land and is poised to open next year, while Phase 3 will cover up to 73,000 sq ft.

The site will be easily accessed by 9.3 million visitors from the Klang Valley, Negri Sembilan and Malacca—while its position on the North-South Expressway allows the building to be visible to 400 million road users annually. Freeport A’Famosa Outlet Village is expected to be one of the top tourist attractions in Malacca.

The Developer

Since its founding in 1992, Freeport Retail has collaborated with numerous third party developers and investors to build and finance new and existing outlet villages all over Europe and Asia. Today, its portfolio consists of 2.5 million sq ft of successful retail projects. Among their latest developments are The Village outlets in Lyon, France and Kuwait in the Middle East.

Its joint-venture partner for FAOV, Langkah Realiti Sdn Bhd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of A’Famosa Group—the developer of the multi-award winning A’Famosa Resort. Founded in 1990, the group has grown into a well-diversified company, dabbling not only in hospitality but also agriculture, import-export, film and media.

Source: Asianpropertyreview.com