Mall of Muscat Wins Prestigious ‘Most Trusted Brand in Oman’ Award

UAE Retailer GMG to Open More Than 100 Stores in Egypt by 2026

Oman’s leading and preferred shopping destination, Mall of Muscat, has clinched the coveted award in the Shopping Mall category.

Mall of Muscat, the Sultanate’s leading shopping destination, has won the ‘Most Trusted Brand in Oman’ Award in the Shopping Mall category.

This year’s edition of Oman’s Most Trusted Brands survey attracted over 780,000 votes across 58 categories. Mall of Muscat fought off stiff competition in the Shopping Mall category and was named the winner at the prestigious award ceremony held in Al Bustan Palace Hotel on January 25, 2022. Renowned brands across the Sultanate from various categories contest against each other in Oman’s Most Trusted Brand Awards every year, where the consumer is the ultimate judge. The focus of the survey is to allow consumers to make their own, personal choices as to which brand they consider to be the best, underlining the brand as the Best Brand of the year. This year, 780,000 eligible survey entries were counted in the results across the categories.

Featuring over 240+ brands, ranging from fashion and lifestyle to sports and electronics, Mall of Muscat provides unmatched luxury and has some of the world’s most renowned brands, including the first-ever Debenhams store in Oman, and flagship stores of Victoria’s Secret and Starbucks.

The Mall covers an area of around 200,000 square meters with over 3000 car parking spaces. Apart from shopping, the Mall of Muscat offers attractions that are fun for the whole family including a cinema, entertainment zone and more. Mall of Muscat is also the home of Oman Aquarium, the largest and only public aquarium in the Sultanate, which recently bagged the Silver Award in Retail Excellence at the prestigious Retail Congress MENA organised by the Middle East Council of Shopping Centres and Retailers.

“We are proud for winning Oman’s Most Trusted Brands Award in the Sultanate of Oman. From the beginning, providing a unique shopping experience was our first concern in the Mall of Muscat. We worked on attracting brands for the first time in Oman, supporting and promoting tourism development efforts as well as be in line with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 and what citizens deserve in terms of services and entertainments for all visitors,” said Mahmood Mohamed Ali Al Jarwani, Chairman of Tamani Global Development & Investment LLC, the Operator of Mall of Muscat.

UAE-based retail distribution company GMG has said it will open more than 100 sports retail stores in Egypt within the next five years. The company will introduce its portfolio of brands focused on personal well-being as part of its wider international expansion.

GMG has confirmed that it will open a number of stores in Cairo this year. Sun & Sand Sports, a GMG brand and the Middle East’s sports retailer is already slated to open at the City Centre Almaza as well as Mall of Egypt. The company also intends to introduce its sneakers-focused concept, dropkick, and its Nu Athlete concept catering to a youth demographic.

Mohammad A. Baker, Deputy Chairman and CEO of GMG, commented: “We see Egypt as a compelling gateway into North Africa. The retail landscape in Egypt is incredibly dynamic with a large youth population that is increasingly embracing healthy and active lifestyles while desiring the latest in popular international brand trends. Through our upcoming investments, we are pioneering new brand experiences and offerings in Egypt’s vibrant retail landscape, while also creating new jobs within the wider economy.”

E-commerce offerings are further being explored by GMG with local distribution partners, capitalising on the company’s longstanding capabilities in delivering omnichannel retail experiences.

GMG has established a head office in Cairo to fuel its local business growth. These operations are being led by Imad El Ghazal, Vice President – Egypt at GMG, who will work in alignment with the company’s international brand teams.

El Ghazal added: “As part of our strategy, GMG will also engage with local retail leaders in Egypt to build unique consumer experiences, all while setting strong and sustainable distribution channels for both our owned brands and international partners.”