Malls must become destinations beyond leasing space: Sino CCO

Operators must now create destinations that move customers from footfall to revenue.

Hong Kong shopping malls must move beyond leasing space and focus on creating destinations that turn footfall into revenue, said Sino Group Chief Commercial Officer Bella Chhoa.

Speaking at the Retail Asia Summit 2026 in Hong Kong, Chhoa said leasing space is no longer the reason for running a mall. Some brand-building events also deliver no return on investment (ROI), she added.

“We have to create a destination,” Chhoa said.

Chhoa, who also chairs the Retail, Culture, Tourism, and Sports Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, said the committee has expanded its scope beyond retail and tourism to include culture and sports.

She cited Olympian City as a destination mall that draws visitors through events such as concerts, a double-decker bus display, and a kids’ car wash.

Sino broadcast 64 World Cup matches on big screens, and Chhoa said time zone gaps in coverage were filled with 15 themed workshops over the month. Tenants joined the campaign to generate revenue, she said.

The events are linked to the S+ REWARDS platform, which aims to be something customers use every day instead of a one-off coupon. Parents who bring children to the car wash join the platform and earn points.

Chhoa said the partnership with 130 brands generated more than $3.8m (HK$30m) in revenue, “not just for us, actually for our tenants”.

Sino has chosen pickleball as its sports focus for next year, Chhoa said, citing its accessibility and appeal to people who are not typically sporty but may buy outfits for the activity. Tennis events will also run alongside it.

Chhoa said the mall “didn’t spend a dime” on a Beyblade event. Instead, its team brought Beyblade activities into shops and food and beverage outlets, where shop managers played with children.

She added that a mall must spend a substantial amount on its platform but avoid spending more than necessary to build loyalty.

She identified four platform costs: hardware, software upgrades, a social team and a rewards payback of 4%, 6%, or 7% of each dollar spent.

Chhoa said the payback adds up as sales grow.

“You can cap the points that could be added up for each customer,” she said, adding that how much to cap depends on what a mall can afford.

Chhoa said staging events means balancing licensing, noise complaints, and traffic flow with police and government, and “safety always comes first”.

She said some brand-building events “do not have an ROI”, but Sino stages them as a corporate citizen for community work. One such event drew 100 media.

“The platform is just the tool,” Chhoa said, and the content is the events the team must keep bringing.

(US$1 = HK$7.85)