Emaar Retail has joined hands with Emirates airline to introduce children to the thrills of an aviation-related career in a real-life airline environment experience at KidZania, the Middle East’s unique edu-tainment attraction at The Dubai Mall.

KidZania is an award-winning children’s edu-tainment concept that is being introduced to the region for the first time at The Dubai Mall. Opening shortly, it is an 80,000 sq ft interactive mini-city featuring life-sized streets, buildings and shops scaled down to a smaller, child-friendly size.

KidZania allows children to dress up and role-play by performing realistic tasks in a fun and meaningful way. Children can choose from 70 different real-life roles ranging from doctors, teachers, construction workers, artists and mechanics, said a company statement.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “KidZania will be a remarkable destination and an excellent addition to The Dubai Mall’s expanding entertainment precinct when it opens shortly. For Emirates, our partnership with Emaar Retail represents our mutual desire to help the younger generation get excited about their futures through stimulating, educational activities.'

“Pilots and cabin crew have long been an iconic representation of the dream job, travelling the world and experiencing new and exciting destinations on a daily basis. It is our hope that through this partnership, children who visit KidZania will now see and understand for themselves how rewarding and varied a career in aviation can be.”

Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties, said: “Dubai continues to be at the forefront of innovation, creativity and execution. This is highlighted by the impressive success of Emirates airline, which reiterates the visionary zeal, ambition and determination of the city to make a global imprint in every aspect the city undertakes.'

'Emaar Retail has already set global benchmarks with the opening of attractions such as Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Sega Republic, Reel Cinemas and Dubai Ice Rink at The Dubai Mall.'

'The partnership of Emaar Retail and Emirates airline is a perfect example of sharing synergies and competencies for the overall benefit of the society. Emirates will further enhance the edutainment centre’s appeal to children, and with this, we are ensuring that our future generations get the best professional role play experience that will help them tremendously in the long-run.'

Through the partnership with Emirates, KidZania will offer children the opportunity to enact their dream roles as pilots and cabin crew. A highlight is the fuselage of an actual aircraft fitted out complete with realistic flight simulators.

Emirates check-in desks are also set up as the main entrance point to KidZania, where children can “check-in”, get their boarding passes, go through the make-shift x-ray machines and enter the new city - KidZania.

All designs as well as various activities recreate the real life environment of working for Emirates.

'For example, children can work as pilots and fly from Dubai to KidZania in flight simulators. Other children can act as cabin crew offering a mock trolley service and making realistic in-flight PA announcements while their parents can look on from the spectator viewing window.'

Emirates will also provide wardrobes and training programmes to KidZania that are in line with its actual work standards.

Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ executive vice president, Engineering and Operations said: ‘At Emirates we are extremely passionate about our commitment to service and quality. We want all children who visit KidZania to receive as realistic an experience as possible, which is why we have enlisted the support of our experienced trainers to instruct the KidZania staff.'

'We firmly believe that Emirates' product and service is unlike any other offered in the industry, and we are confident that this will resonate through to the KidZania experience.'

Arif Amiri, chief executive officer, Emaar Retail, said: “KidZania is all set to offer an unparalleled leisure attraction for children that will greatly appeal to parents for its edutainment value. This is part of the commitment of Emaar Retail to bring in wholesome leisure experiences to The Dubai Mall.'-TradeArabia News Service