Cinema chain hopes to cash in on 3D appeal

James Cameron's blockbuster Avatar was both a blessing and a curse for cinemas.

The largest-grossing film of all time saw a boom in box-office sales last year, but the numbers did not hold up at the beginning of 2011.

In the UAE, the number of cinema admissions fell by 6 per cent, with 3.5 million tickets sold between January and April.

Some attribute the popularity of James Cameron's 3D blockbuster Avatar to higher ticket sales last year, when 3.8 million tickets were sold over the same period.

And so local cinemas are now looking at ways to boost ticket sales.

The UAE's CineStar chain, which is owned by Majid Al Futtaim, today rebranded as VOX Cinemas.

The VOX Cinemas brand will be extended to 50 screens in five locations across the UAE, including Deira City Centre and Mall of the Emirates.

Part of the relaunch will be the premium 'Vox Gold' screens, which will offer reclining arm chairs and a table service for food. Notably, these screens will also show 3D movies.

"We're the only cinema in the UAE to have 3D in their premium cinemas," said Cameron Mitchell, the chief executive of VOX Cinemas.

Mr Mitchell acknowledged that box-office sales were "a bit disappointing at the beginning of this year" due to the popularity of Avatar at the beginning of 2010.

He added that 3D movies in the 'premium' cinemas would give consumers more choice, but said that "3D will never replace a great script or a great story."

Overall, he expects growth in UAE box-office admissions in the first six months of this year. This will fuel VOX's expansion outside the UAE, as it looks to open a cinema in Beirut in 2012.

"We're looking for opportunities across the Middle East: Syria, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar," said Mr Mitchell, who added that a presence in North Africa is also on the agenda. "We envisage in the next three to four years we'll double our screen count."