|
|
For
the first time in many moons a great shopping opportunity was arranged for
the Indian customers to visit the Magnum Opus of Asian festivals. It was a
festival bigger than any shopping or cultural festival celebrated ever. In
fact, the Great Mall of Hyderabad was a combination of both and of a
magnitude never witnessed before, anywhere in India or even Asia.
Organized by the Department of Tourism, Government of Andhra Pradesh,
together with Ogilvy Live, The Great Mall of Hyderabad extravaganza was
held in the city of Hyderabad from October 13th to November 14th, 2001. A
kaleidoscope, in which diverse shopping experiences both national and
international and bargains, mingled with spectacular events, cultural
shows, cuisine, art, dance and music. This event brought to life the
vibrant and diverse images of Hyderabad and India for the world to see and
applaud.
Exuding
the atmosphere of Nizami splendour, Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra
Pradesh, has today evolved as one of India's modern and fastest growing
cities, second only to Bangalore in software exports. Today the city
presents an attractive amalgam of Old world charm together with the
ebullience of growth and enterprise. Beautiful edifices built in the
medieval times share their presence with large glass and chrome temples of
commerce. The city with its regal charm, numerous street bazaars and
heritage monuments is coupled with a hi-tech, modern image and a
futuristic vision.
Besides, the world over Hyderabad has also gained recognition as the
Pearl City. Strangely there is no sea near the city, yet Hyderabad and
pearls have become synonymous. Legend has it that the affluent lifestyle
of the Royalty ensured the flourishing of arts, crafts and cuisine. And
beckoned many a skilled craftsmen from distant parts of the world,
specially the Arabian Gulf, where rare original pearls are found in
abundance. It wasn't long before Hyderabad became the one-stop destination
for pearls. And the largest centre not only in India but also around the
globe.
Naturally, Hyderabad has become the Numero Uno destination for tourists
from India and the rest of the world and was the perfect city to play host
to the biggest shopping event ever held in the history of the city.
International festivals like the Dubai Shopping Festival,
Great Singapore Sale and The Malaysian Festival have become popular
tourists events bringing in more tourists every year. In the year 2000,
the Dubai Shopping Festival attracted a record of 2.5 million visitors and
was considered the biggest entertainment of its kind in the Middle East.
While the Singapore sale was predominantly a shopping sale, with malls
slashing prices by almost 70% and the Malaysian Festival carrying the
colours of Malaysia was mainly a cultural experience.
The Great Mall Of Hyderabad was a combination of the magnificence, the
events, the experiences, the enormity and the joie de vivre of all three
shopping festivals. It was the blend of the best offering a rich cultural
extravaganza, with great shopping opportunities and entertainment that
sizzled. 
Constructed Venues: There were four air conditioned
Pavilions housing international as well as the domestic and local
participants.
· The Global Pavilion: For international participants - The
NAC Grounds, Izzat Nagar Village, Cyberabad.
· The India Pavilion: For participants from the various
states of India at the NAC Grounds.
· Hyderabad Pavilion: For all the local participants from
Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh at the NAC Grounds.
· The Entertainment Pavilion: A stage was set at the NAC
Grounds and Shilparamam for hosting the entertainment events featuring
cultural and music performances of international and national artistes.
Besides these Pavilions, the entire city of Hyderabad was wearing a celebratory and festive look. All the streets were decorated and brightly lit during the night. Posters, banners, scrolls, flags and kiosks with the festival logo embellished and created hype all over the city including hotels and the airport. All the major STD booths in the city were converted into interactive cyber kiosks. Several roadside beer cafes were also created around the city. Specially made designer coaches plied all around the city-taking tourists from one venue to another.
The Great Mall of Hyderabad was aptly timed during the Indian festival season of Dussera (also spelt as Dusshera) and Diwali, as this is the time when most Indians splurge on shopping and are seeking great sales, bargains and entertainment. The festival's main aim was to attract the local Hyderabad population of over 4 million people as well those from the rest of Andhra Pradesh. It was also the season for NRIs to return to the country to join family and friends in the celebrations.