Dubai ranks third in the world in terms of per capita retail space after the United States and Singapore, according to available statistics.

With the total gross leasable area within shopping malls in Dubai touching 6 million square feet, Dubai's average per capita retail space is around 6 square feet.

The United States leads the way with 13 square feet per person.

Of course, Dubai's statistics don't include the other downtown markets as well as souqs which would take its per capita retail space much higher.

Dubai's marketplaces have come a long way within a relatively short span, transforming shopping into a well organised retailing sector.

The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) and Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) have also helped the malls grow and mature over the years, said retail officials.

"With 35 shopping malls, Dubai has become a preferred shopping destination for foreign visitors as well as residents and though the ratio between residents and tourists is about 80:20, during the DSF and DSS, it changes in favour of tourists as the visitor mix changes with these events," said Tim Jones, general manager of Lamcy Plaza.

"Last year, Lamcy Plaza received about 4.5 million visitors, almost half of whom were shoppers."

He said one might think the city has too many malls or has become overshopped. However, a developer has to have a proper business plan in order to make the mall a success.

"Dubai's retail sector has matured over the last few years and can be matched against any foreign mall. However, any newcomer will have to consider the competition and offer a greater value for money to shoppers in order to survive in the competition," he said.

"Customer loyalty is very important, as is the location of the mall. In Lamcy, we have a very sound base of repeat customers who keep coming back to us. Besides, 48 per cent visitors to the malls are also shoppers, which means every 48 visitors among a hundred actually spend their money at Lamcy. This is one of the highest in the emirate."

Lamcy was launched by the Al Maya Lal Group as a retail concept where the owners put up their own shops side by side with their tenants.

However, with the increased footfall every year, it has successfully managed to increase the tenants' base, replacing its own stores.

Currently, the mall's 400,000 square feet retail space is being shared by 130 stores with a tenant-owner ratio in the region of 60:40.

He said the Dubai Shopping Malls Group's participation in various events and promotions has played an instrumental role in promoting the mall culture.