McArthurGlen to open designer outlet in Belgium

"Like McArthurGlen's Designer Outlets across Europe, the design of the centre will reflect the rich local heritage embedded in contemporary architecture: it will be in the form of an open-air village with pedestrian-friendly walkways, tree-lined streets, covered arcades and luxury piazzas, creating a dynamic and vibrant shopping environment, which will also include McArthurGlen's signature calendar of on-site events and activities, designed to engage the whole family.

The centre will offer approximately 3,000 underground car-parking spaces, built directly below the centre, with customers also having access to an additional 10,000 car-parking spaces in the area. A new tram stop in front of the centre will mean it will take only 15 minutes to travel from the heart of the city and central train station by public transport. The centre is also accessible by cyclists, who will be able to use the docking stations in the area of the scheme.

The excellent transport links and proximity to the centre of Ghent makes the centre perfectly placed to provide a major shopping attraction for the 13 million tourists who visit the Flanders region each year, including the one million who visit Ghent and the 1.7 million who visit Bruges, just 35 minutes away.

Anthony Rippingale, Head of Tourism, McArthurGlen, says: "Tourism is an increasingly important part of our core business given that shopping is one of the favourite activities of tourists visiting Europe, whether for leisure or business.

"At our Ghent Designer Outlet, we expect to welcome not only tourists from across Europe, but also from longer-haul destinations, such as Russia, China and South-East Asia. We have seen sales to these discerning global shopping tourists at our 20 Designer Outlets across Europe quadruple over the three-year period till end of June 2013, such is their love of shopping when they come to Europe, especially at a McArthurGlen centre."

McArthurGlen has developed nearly 600,000 sq m of outlet retail space across Europe, and manages 20 McArthurGlen Designer Outlets in eight European countries, with new centres under way or in planning in Vancouver and the South of France.

Earlier this year, Simon Property Group Inc, the world's largest retail development group, became a joint venture partner with Kaempfer Partners of McArthurGlen Designer Outlets, bringing a new level of financial strength as well as building on McArthurGlen's already strong partnership network with the most sought-after luxury and designer brands.

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