| Most travelers to a new country usually want to know what they must do or not do in order not to put a foot wrong and offend the locals. The Mall of the Emirates posts a courtesy policy on its doors and it has a couple of points that are distinctive to the UAE. The blue sign placed on the sliding glass doors advises visitors to: "Please wear respectful clothing" "No kissing or overt displays of affection" "No smoking in the mall" "No consumption of alcohol in the mall" "No dangerous activities, ie sport games, rollerblading or skateboarding" "Courtesy policies have always applied to malls in the MAF Shopping Malls portfolio [Majid Al Futtaim shopping malls]," said Fouad Sharaf, Vice President of Mall of the Emirates. Asked about what they meant by "respectful clothing", Sharaf said, "The mall is a place for enjoyment and relaxation, but also a place where families and children come. If any visitor is overly-exposed, our security guards will make them aware that it is not culturally acceptable. The policy is enforced in a positive and constructive way." Asked if he feels that this policy may have a negative effect on visitors, Sharaf said: "It will only have a positive effect because ours has always been a mall for all age groups and backgrounds and steps like these will only further enhance the goodwill among shoppers and the cultural understanding of one another." |
