On 7 September Dostyk Plaza shopping mall celebrated its tenth anniversary, summing up the results of the decade and entering a new milestone of its development with record financial performance and ambitious plans.

One of the largest projects in Kazakhstan, the Dostyk Plaza shopping and entertainment centre, celebrated its 10th birthday last weekend in a creative and imaginative way. Dostyk Plaza has become an integral part of the cultural and social life of the city, becoming one of the most popular shopping centres in the country, and has taken a leading position as a trendsetter in the retail industry.

On 6 and 7 September, visitors of the shopping mall could listen to lectures on art by Olga Baturina on the topics ‘City and Man’ and ‘Public Art’ - on the interaction between man and art. An art exhibition of 35 paintings dedicated to Almaty and its rapid architectural development was presented to the guests. The centrepiece of the exhibition was the work of the famous Kazakh artist Alexey Utkin depicting Dostyk Plaza as one of the new modern symbols of the city. The painting was donated to the A. Kasteev State Museum of Art of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Alexey Khegay, Partner of TSPM. and Akzharkyn Kumarbaeva, Researcher at the A. Kasteev State Museum of Art of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

These days the festive atmosphere was created by musical groups and choirs, colourful stilt walkers and living statues, modern technological interactive entertainment.

For the first time, an AI avatar created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI, artificial intelligence) in the image of a beautiful girl Aliya became the host of the event in the Kazakh language. The developed AI-avatar allows to lead the evening in real time, which gave the possibility of full immersion in the event and interaction with the second presenter and the audience. The image of the artificial intelligence presenter was developed by AKMARAL, a modern Kazakhstani designer, participant of Visa Fashion Week.

The final chord of the celebration was a live concert by the Tynda music symphony orchestra.

Since its technical opening in August and official opening in September 2014, Dostyk Plaza has become an iconic destination for visitors and residents of Almaty. The architectural concept of the shopping centre was created by the famous British architectural company BENOY, known for Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, Elements in Singapore and Westfield shopping centre in London, among many others. Today we can confidently say that Dostyk Plaza has become a place of attraction where culture, innovation, comfort and high level of service meet.

‘Dostyk Plaza is not just a shopping centre, it is a place where the quality of service and the mood of our guests are always a priority. Every day more than 2,600 employees work to ensure that each of our visitors receives quality service. We are proud that our mall remains a leader in the industry due to not only its scale, but also its high level of customer experience,’ said Alexey Khegay, Partner at TSPM. - ‘Today, Dostyk Plaza has over 200 tenants, the centre has 1,300 parking spaces and occupies a total area of 134,000 m², of which over 57,000 m² is retail space. Annual footfall at the centre exceeds 13.5 million people and total turnover in the last year was an impressive $272 million.’

Over the past 10 years, Dostyk Plaza has been repeatedly recognised as the best shopping centre in Kazakhstan. In 2021, it was named ‘Best Large Shopping Centre’ by the Central Asia Awards, recognising its contribution to the development of commercial retail real estate in the country.

‘This anniversary is an important date for all of us, as it is a testament to the hard work, professionalism of the team and the ability to overcome any challenges in synergy with the tenants of the shopping mall,’ said Shakhbutova Madina Zhakupovna, General Director of Galmart supermarket chain.

‘Time flies by, and over these 10 years we have been through a lot together, sharing both the joys of victories and the difficulties of difficult times. For us, Dostyk Plaza is not just a shopping centre, but a strategic partner with whom we are building long-term plans. We are proud of our co-operation and are glad that we have extended the lease agreement for another 7 years,’ shared Udebin Alexander Olivier Henri, one of the founders of French bakery La Tartine.

An important event of the current year for TS Group projects was the transfer of key assets, including Dostyk Plaza shopping centre, to REIT TSPG - the first retail real estate investment fund operating in the regulatory environment of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC). This is the next stage of development, which sets new trends for investing in Kazakhstan's real estate market, focusing on healthy competition and best international practices, opening up opportunities for growth and development, attracting investment and strengthening Dostyk Plaza's position in the market.

‘The year 2024 marks the transfer of assets to REIT TSPG, which represents an important step towards sustainable growth. Plans for the future are ambitious: REIT TSPG plans to expand in the coming years, including the construction of new shopping centres and the acquisition of existing sites. The focus will be on Almaty and other major cities in Kazakhstan,’ said Almas Idrissov CEO of REIT TSPG. - ‘The company's portfolio is expected to grow and NOI (net operating income) in excess of $100 million is expected to be achieved. Our goal is to become an attractive player for institutional investors and take a leading position in the market of Kazakhstan and neighbouring countries. In 2-3 years, we plan to obtain a high credit rating and consider issuing shares to qualified investors, followed by a successful IPO’.

                                            Almas Idrissov, CEO of REIT TSPG

On its 10th anniversary, Dostyk Plaza is one of the iconic places in Almaty, often leading the list of the most favourite shopping centres in the city. The mall has big plans and new challenges ahead, but the constant priority is to take care of our clients, partners and customers, for whom we always strive to make shopping a special and pleasant experience. Dostyk Plaza is 10 years old, everything is just beginning!