The Mall Group expects its shopping malls - The Emporium, Siam Paragon and the six branches of The Mall Department Store - to contribute a combined Bt6 billion in sales in the remainder of the year, boosted by marketing campaigns.

This would enable the group to achieve its annual revenue target of Bt40 billion, with Bt29 billion from The Mall, Bt7.5 billion from The Emporium and Bt5 billion from Siam Paragon, its assistant chief marketing officer Natsamon Vongkittipat said yesterday.

Major campaigns during the period include The Mall's D-Day Sales, The Emporium's Midnight Fest from November 11 to December 3, and "20 Million Thanks", which will run in all its malls from tomorrow to January 7.

Natsamon said consumer spending during the period usually increased by between 150 and 200 per cent from normal spending throughout the year due to the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

She said the economic slowdown and political uncertainty during the first nine months of the year had challenged The Mall Group, but it has still been able to perform well.

The group achieved accumulated revenue of Bt29 billion during the first three quarters.

Among the three campaigns, "20 Million Thanks" seems to be the biggest. The Mall Group has arranged the campaign to bring in huge sales and to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

The campaign will cost Bt250 million. Incentives include a Bt8.8-million Land Rover and Range Rover Vogue, a Bt7.5-million Water Mark condominium, four diamond rings worth a combined Bt4 million, and discounts from 10 to 50 per cent.

Natsamon said the Bt40-billion sales target meant 40-per-cent sales growth, which is almost double its 25-per-cent growth last year. The main driver is the gigantic Siam Paragon complex, which was opened last December.

She said Siam Paragon was receiving more visitors than it earlier expected. At first, expatriates and local people who live in Bangkok as well as foreign tourists were its targets, but it turns out that the shopping complex attracts shoppers nationwide.

Average visitor numbers at Siam Paragon during working days are 50,000, and during weekends can be as high as 100,000 per day. Other branches have similar numbers, according The Mall Group senior vice president Paiboon Kanokwattanawan.

Next year, the company targets Bt44 billion sales.

Natsamon said the retail industry would certainly be better than this year as politics are already back on track, which boosts consumer confidence.

In addition, companies in various industries will arrange activities to celebrate His Majesty the King's 80th birthday, which will lead to a colourful mood nationwide and indirectly increase sales for the group.

It has started promoting the Thailand Unforgettable campaign abroad, particularly in Europe, and also is preparing to arrange events with Japan throughout the year to celebrate 120 years of the Thai-Japanese relationship.

Spending on marketing next year will remain at 5 per cent of annual expected sales.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation