The McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Vancouver won the award for best outlet centre at a major international retail property conference in France.
The MAPIC awards named winners in categories such as best retail design concept, best retail digital strategy and best new shopping centre.
London-based McArthurGlen’s only award at the MAPIC expo, which was attended by more than 8,400 people, was for its shopping centre in Richmond near Vancouver International Airport.
MAPIC provided no explanation for why the centre merited being named the best outlet centre in the world but Vancouverites have been voting with their feet for how much they like the centre.
About 160,000 people flocked to the centre during its first four days, which was the busiest for any opening four days in McArthurGlen history. The company operates 20 other malls in Europe.
It also only took a mere three months for the centre to welcome its millionth customer .
The centre’s manager, Robert Thurlow, told Business in Vancouver at the time that traffic was about 66% higher than anticipated.
His mall, which opened July 9, would have been considered for the MAPIC award for best new shopping centre. That award, however, went to the Milaneo mall in Stuttgart, Germany.
“The reception from both the local community and tourists alike has been exceptional,” Thurlow said.
