The retail sales in Bahrain is expected to grow from around $3 billion in 2007 to $5.7 billion by 2013, according to the latest BMI Bahrain Retail report.

Bahrain is home to 16 retail centres including shopping centres, multi-use and regional mall chains, in addition to three retail centres - with a combined investment value of $43 million - currently under construction, said latest findings from ‘Shopping Centre Database,’ which is a part of ‘RETAILFocus.’

‘RETAILFocus,’ a product of REIDIN.com, features extensive and interlinked databases of shopping centres. Bahrain-based retail complexes are made up of regional centres and malls (56.25 per cent), shopping centres (25 per cent) and multi-use centres (18.75 per cent), said the report.

Dispersed mostly across Manama, some of the regional centres and malls include ‘Seef Mall’, ‘The Bahrain Mall’, ‘Moda Mall’, ‘Isa Town Mall’, ‘Dana Mall’, Marina Mall’, and ‘Durrat Al Bahrain’.

The shopping centres include ‘Yateem Centre’, ‘Al Alawi Complex’, ‘Gosi Shopping Complex’, and ‘Villamar’; while leading multi-use centres include ‘Bahrain Commercial Complex’ and ‘Bahrain City Centre,’ he added.

“The presence of a significant number of retail centres in Bahrain is indicative of its thriving economy especially prior to the onset of the financial crisis. While the country recovers from the effects of the global downturn, these developments continue to attract foreign and domestic tourists and encourage cash flow within the retail sector,” said Ahmet Kayhan, CEO of REIDIN.com.

“Our aim is to provide investors, developers, buyers and real estate professionals with a solid foundation upon which they can base their important business decisions, by offering accurate data on retail and commercial developments in Bahrain,” he remarked.-TradeArabia News Service