Mall of Travancore: A one-stop-destination for retail, food and entertainment

Located in the heart of Trivandrum, Mall of Travancore is an unrivalled destination for shopping, dining and entertainment for consumers of all ages in the city and around. Developed by Malabar Developers, it is the first shopping mall of the city which is a very popular iconic landmark. Aside from this, Mall of Travancore – which spans over 6.5 lakh sq. ft, comprising 6
floors, including parking and premium retail space – is the first green mall of the region.
“We have had a major role in acclimatising the people of Trivandrum to the mall culture. While retail, food and entertainment are major draws of most malls, we have given a fourth dimension to the mall which helps lure consumers – intriguing architecture and a beautiful ambience along with a green wall, which is a vertical garden of approximately 10,000 sq. ft. These striking features of the mall help draw in more visitors,” says MP Ahammed, Chairman, Malabar Group.
Being the only mall in the radius of 80 kms, the place attracts footfalls from all nearby catchment areas, which is an estimated population of 8 million people.
“Positioned right in front of the International Airport on the National Highway, we are in close proximity to multi-specialty hospitals, railway stations, the city’s IT hub (Technopark, which is one of India largest IT parks), as well as tourist destinations like Kovalam,” Ahammed explains.
The Ideal Location
Trivandrum is considered to have a conservative outlook when it comes to shopping, especially with regards to brands and shopping. However, with the opening of Mall of Travancore, customers here have truly imbibed and embraced the mall culture. From government employees to techies and to students, all sorts of consumers visit the mall on a regular basis.
Sharing his thoughts on why Trivandrum is an ideal location, Ahammed says, “Trivandrum has witnessed massive changes in terms of technology and infrastructure, especially in the past 4 years. We are now home to major corporates like Oracle, Nissan, EY, Tech Mahindra, TCS, Allianz, Infosys and many more. A whopping Rs 30,000 crore worth of projects are expected to pour into the capital city, by way of ongoing and upcoming projects including the Vizhinjam Harbour project. The city has also been a well-connected city with a strong floating population (2.8 million). This makes it an ideal location to open a
mall.”
Fashion & Entertainment: The Crowd Pullers
The mall, which recently celebrated its second anniversary, boasts of 60,000 sq. ft entertainment area comprising of 7-screen multiplex, Playaza and Sports Park. The mall has dedicated 1,30,000 sq.ft. space for fashion brands and 19,000 sq.ft. for food court.
“We have been able to happily cater to the customers of each and every category, be it in case of price points or variety or brands, making this mall a melting pot of fashion, food, culture and entertainment,” Ahammed says.
The mall houses more than 110 national and international brands and is known for its trending, unique and distinctive retail concepts in various brands.Carnival Cinemas, Lifestyle, Playaza, Reliance Trends, Apple, Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Max, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Miniso and Tommy Hilfiger are some of the key tenants at the mall.
“Mall of Travancore has changed the way Trivandrum shops, today and this has boosted the retail sector as well. Being the first of its kind in the city, we have tested the waters and there has been a meticulous amount of planning that went into selecting the right brand mix, in the interest of the target audience here,” he explains.
“We have been able to successfully bridge the expectation and outcome gap. Until a couple of years ago, there were so many brands and even categories that were missing in the city. With the mall, brands like Lifestyle, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Miniso etc., to name a few, have been welcomed whole-heartedly by the customers here. To meet the ever changing customer demands, preferences and expectations, we are introducing highly rewarding, personalised and fulfi lling loyalty programs, working towards constantly improving the mall experience of people, hosting entertaining events like big budget movie promotions, celebrity fashion shows, cultural programs, band, music and dance shows,” he adds.
Aside from this, hospitality and customer-centricity play an immense role in retaining customers.
“We at Malabar Group give substantial importance to customer care, security as well as mall maintenance (M24), always ensuring that they feel comfortable, secure and assisted while at the mall premises,” Ahammed says.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Being a major retail entity, the mall has a huge opportunity and responsibility when it comes to corporate social responsibility.
“The 2018 Kerala floods, one of the worst disasters to hit the state saw the mall joining hands with a slew of NGOs, in an effort to do our part. We diverted all our resources, which were kept aside for Onam and other cultural events, to contribute towards the relief programs as well opened a successful collection point. Similarly, we habitually associate with prominent NGOs and have hosted events for various occasions” he says.
“Apart from this, adhering to our green mall concept, we do not use disposable plastic in any form in the mall premises and practices overall waste reduction. With regard to waste management, we have devised eco-friendly solutions supporting waste management and recycling options,” he concludes.