Shopping mall operator Westfield Corporation is planning a variety of events and services in its two shopping centres in London for upcoming Chinese New Year which falls on 8 February to make the most of the celebratory week.
On Chinese New Year’s Day, Westfield Stratford City will be hosting face painting and Chinese calligraphy classes throughout the day, while Westfield London will have a Chinese art workshop, Chinese stilt walkers and Chinese dancers. Both centres will be celebrating with traditional Lion Dance performances throughout the weekend.
Chinese New Year is one of the strongest months for Chinese spending at Westfield, alongside Chinese Golden Week in October and increasingly, the January sales period.
In 2015, Chinese spending at Westfield Stratford City during February increased 57 percent year on year, with Chinese shoppers accounting for 16 percent of non EU-spend. Spending in Westfield London’s luxury quarter, The Village, grew by 22 percent in February 2015 with China being the largest non-EU spending market at Westfield London (14 percent total).
"China is the number one international market to visit Westfield London, particularly The Village. These visitors are driven by their favourite designer brands, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Gucci. Each year during Chinese New Year local and international Chinese shoppers visit both centres to shop at our luxury brands and experience Westfield’s unrivalled, personalised Chinese service," said Myf Ryan, Marketing Director – UK & Europe.
The shopping malls are going to provide tailor-made services for Chinese consumers which include Mandarin speaking concierge and retail staff, bespoke collateral such as Mandarin mall guides and digital in-centre screens, and an optimised Mandarin website. The malls’ concierge and valet team will offer hands-free shopping, UK and international hotel delivery service for Chinese consumers. Westfield also widely accepts China Union Pay cards, as well as on-site tax refunds and free coach parking for group visits.
Westfield Corporation is one of the world’s leading shopping centre owners, employing approximately 2,000 staff worldwide. It has interests in 40 shopping centres in the US, and the UK, encompassing approximately 7,400 retail outlets and total assets under management of USD29.3 billion. The company was created in June 2014 when the Australian shopping centre group Westfield Group separated its Australian and New Zealand business from its international operations.
The group’s Australian and New Zealand business is now owned and managed by Scentre Group while its UK, Europe and US portfolio is operated by Westfield Corporation.