Dubai's snow is not just for frolicking

The Life: Majid Al Futtaim, the operator behind Ski Dubai, is launching a campaign to attract companies for team-building days.

For Omar El Banna of Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, corporate team-building activities can be a mix of business and pleasure. Pawan Singh / The National

Tourists queue in droves during the weekend to get to the top of the Ski Dubai slope. But there are certainly times of the week when the slopes are a lot quieter. That is why Majid Al Futtaim, Ski Dubai's operator, is launching a campaign to attract companies to book team-building days at its activity centres. Omar El Banna, the sales and marketing director at Majid Al Futtaim Leisure and Entertainment, explains the plan.

So you are trying to get more business tourists and corporate group bookings. How much of total bookings do these currently make up?

These are currently around 5 to 10 per cent. We know that the market is still virgin and think we can quadruple that number easily. People know Ski Dubai, but they don't know that they can go for groups. We are focusing on the local market across all the companies. We will start approaching them to do all their activities and corporate events in our facilities, whether it's Ski Dubai or Playnation at Mirdif City Centre.

Will you look at adding any other major attractions to your malls?

All the other malls have Magic Planet, but the main focus for us is Mall of the Emirates because it has Ski Dubai and Magic Planet, and Mirdif City Centre because we have Playnation, which has indoor skydiving and a high-ropes course.

Are you also looking abroad for group bookings?

We are working with the Chinese and India market, because the Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) business, we want to capture them while they are here. They are always looking at what they can do and differently, uniquely.

Dubai continues to see huge numbers of tourists coming into the emirate. Why even bother going for this corporate business?

Always, you want to diversify. You don't want to focus on the main business. People are always looking for something new, and if you can offer them all these experiences under one roof - for example, Playnation - it is easy.

Do you charge more to the big corporations, compared with individuals who visit the mall?

Not really. Whatever the added value [costs] - for example, dedicated people - that's what we charge. Some people ask for their own banners; this is what we charge [for]. On the contrary, we give [companies] discounts, because there's so many people.

When are the busiest times at your centres?

Definitely weekends, and Christmas and New Year, summertime and the public holidays.

Is Ski Dubai as busy in the summer as it is in January?

Almost the same. At Christmas, all the expats want to experience the snow.

When will you be happy with the level of corporate customers?

When I start seeing loads of buses. I want to see more people coming - not just to play in the snow park; I want people to come for a team-building activity.

* Rory Jones

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