Despite the global financial crisis, outlet centres in the Czech Republic are still growing in popularity. Owing to the increasing number of customers, even more outlets will be launched this year, however, some of these openings may be delayed, reported CTK.

The Freeport outlet centre near Znojmo, for example, which opened in 2003, recorded a sales increase of 28% last year and the number of visitors rose by 17%. The majority of its customers were Czechs (50%), Austrians (45%), Slovaks and Poles (5%).

In addition, the Fashion Arena centre in Prague, which was opened in 2007, has recorded an 11% increase in the number of visitors during the last six months. According to the management of Fashion Arena, 30% of customers have visited the centre at least five times within the last six months. As for new openings, the Galleria Moda outlet centre is currently planned for Tuchomerice, near Prague and the development will be the biggest of its kind in the Czech Republic. The original plan was for the centre to be open by summer 2009, however, this has now been postponed. The Italian company B.Consulting has invested over CZK 1bn (€37.1m) in the centre, which will offer over 100 stores, a hotel and an amusement park. Several other large investments planned for this year will also delayed. The Centrum Obchodnich Sluzeb Knizice in the vicinity of Usti nad Labem, currently scheduled to open its doors by the end of 2009, is an example one such postponed project.

Source: www.ceeretail.com, 2009-03-13.