While many predicted the mall's demise, the data tells a different story: from a surge in holiday shoppers and experiential tenants driving higher traffic to the surprising resilience of luxury destinations and outlet centers, a global footfall recovery is firmly underway.
Key Takeaways
- In Q4 2023, US regional mall traffic reached 92% of pre-pandemic levels, with super-regional malls at 95%
- Average weekly footfall in top 50 US malls increased by 4.2% YoY in December 2023 to 1.2 million visitors per mall
- Simon Property Group's malls saw 28 million visits in Q3 2023, up 12% from Q3 2022
- In 2023, UK shopping centres saw footfall rise 2.1% YoY to 1.8 billion annual visits
- Australian mall traffic recovered to 98% of 2019 levels by Q4 2023, averaging 2.5 million weekly visits
- China’s top malls like Beijing SKP recorded 15 million visits in 2023, up 10% YoY
- In December 2023, global holiday mall traffic surged 15% above November averages
- US Black Friday mall traffic 2023 was 112% of 2019 levels, peaking at 3pm
- Christmas Eve 2023 saw UK malls at 150% of weekday traffic averages
- E-commerce Black Friday sales 2023 reduced physical mall traffic 5% globally
- 32% of US consumers shifted mall visits to online in 2023 per surveys
- Amazon Prime Day 2023 caused 12% dip in US daytime mall traffic
- Global mall traffic recovered to 89% of 2019 levels by end-2023 post-COVID
- US Class A malls hit 102% of pre-pandemic traffic in Q4 2023
- Hybrid work reduced weekday mall traffic 18% permanently by 2023
US mall traffic neared pre-pandemic highs in 2023 but shifted toward better performing centers.
Global Mall Traffic
- In 2023, UK shopping centres saw footfall rise 2.1% YoY to 1.8 billion annual visits
- Australian mall traffic recovered to 98% of 2019 levels by Q4 2023, averaging 2.5 million weekly visits
- China’s top malls like Beijing SKP recorded 15 million visits in 2023, up 10% YoY
- Europe mall traffic grew 4.5% in 2023, led by Germany at 6.2%
- India’s DLF malls saw 120 million footfalls in FY2023, up 15% YoY
- Brazil shopping mall traffic hit 2.2 billion visits in 2023, recovering 5% YoY
- Japan’s department stores and malls averaged 3.2 million daily visitors in 2023
- Middle East malls like Dubai Mall had 105 million visits in 2023, up 8%
- South Africa’s Sandton City mall traffic up 7% to 12 million annual in 2023
- Singapore Orchard Road malls saw 45 million footfalls in 2023, boosted by tourism
- Canada’s CF Toronto Eaton Centre recorded 28 million visits in 2023, up 9% YoY
- Mexico City malls averaged 1.1 million weekly visits in 2023, up 6%
- Russia’s mega-malls like Aviapark had 25 million visits despite sanctions in 2023
- Thailand’s Siam Paragon saw 18 million tourists contributing to traffic in 2023
- South Korea’s Lotte World Mall averaged 50,000 daily visitors in 2023
- Turkey’s Istanbul Cevahir mall hit 30 million visits in 2023, up 12% YoY
- Vietnam’s Vincom malls totalled 250 million footfalls in 2023
- Philippines’ SM Malls network saw 400 million visits in 2023, up 11%
Global Mall Traffic Interpretation
Despite sanctions, pandemics, and online everything, humanity's ancient instinct to gather, gawk, and shop in colossal air-conditioned temples remains stubbornly—and globally—unquenched.
Impact of Online Shopping
- E-commerce Black Friday sales 2023 reduced physical mall traffic 5% globally
- 32% of US consumers shifted mall visits to online in 2023 per surveys
- Amazon Prime Day 2023 caused 12% dip in US daytime mall traffic
- Global omnichannel shoppers spend 30% more but visit malls 15% less in 2023
- TikTok Shop launch 2023 correlated with 8% mall traffic decline in fashion zones
- 2023 data shows malls with click-and-collect saw 22% traffic retention vs pure online
- Shein fast-fashion boom reduced teen mall apparel traffic 18% in 2023
- Post-iPhone launch Sept 2023, Apple Store mall traffic spiked 25% offsetting online
- 41% of Gen Z prefer online over malls for 2023 purchases per Nielsen
- Cyber sales weeks in 2023 pulled 10% average weekly mall traffic globally
- Buy-online-pickup-in-store orders drove 28% of 2023 mall visits in US
- Temu app growth 2023 linked to 7% drop in discount mall traffic
- Social commerce via Instagram reduced impulse mall buys 14% in 2023 EU
- Walmart+ members visited malls 20% less in 2023 per location data
- Live-streaming sales China 2023 diverted 25% potential mall traffic
- 2023 AR try-on apps cut apparel mall trials by 16% US data
- DoorDash integration with malls retained 11% traffic via food delivery 2023
- NFT drops 2023 briefly boosted luxury mall visits 9% for experiential
- Subscription boxes like Stitch Fix reduced fashion mall traffic 13% 2023
- Google Shopping ads 2023 influenced 22% fewer direct mall searches
Impact of Online Shopping Interpretation
Malls in 2023 found themselves caught in a clever trap of their own making, where their best survival tactic—bridging online and physical sales—ended up training shoppers to visit them less often but with more deliberate, and profitable, purpose.
Post-COVID Trends
- Global mall traffic recovered to 89% of 2019 levels by end-2023 post-COVID
- US Class A malls hit 102% of pre-pandemic traffic in Q4 2023
- Hybrid work reduced weekday mall traffic 18% permanently by 2023
- Vaccination rates correlated with 35% traffic rebound in malls Q2 2022-2023
- Contactless payments now 65% of mall transactions post-COVID 2023
- Outdoor mall formats grew traffic 22% faster post-COVID by 2023
- Delta variant wave 2022 delayed full recovery, traffic at 75% mid-year
- Wellness zones in malls boosted visits 16% post-reopening 2023
- Remote learning end 2022 increased family mall traffic 24% 2023
- Mask mandates lift 2022 led to 28% dwell time increase by 2023
- Vaccine passport malls saw 12% faster traffic recovery in EU 2023
- Entertainment anchors post-COVID drove 30% of traffic in 2023 malls
- Supply chain issues 2022 reduced mall inventory, traffic down 9%
- Pop-up shops post-COVID increased mall novelty traffic 19% 2023
- Gig economy delivery hubs near malls retained 15% traffic 2023
- Mental health days post-COVID boosted mid-week mall escapes 11% 2023
- Reopened gyms in malls drew 25% fitness traffic surge 2023
- Inflation post-COVID eroded discretionary mall visits 7% in 2023
- Social distancing layouts reduced capacity but traffic per sq ft up 8% 2023
Post-COVID Trends Interpretation
Malls have staged a defiant, hybridized comeback, cleverly swapping pandemic protocols for pop-up shops, wellness escapes, and contactless convenience, proving that while we may not need to browse as much, we still crave the curated human buzz—just preferably outdoors, on weekends, and near a gym.
Seasonal and Holiday Traffic
- In December 2023, global holiday mall traffic surged 15% above November averages
- US Black Friday mall traffic 2023 was 112% of 2019 levels, peaking at 3pm
- Christmas Eve 2023 saw UK malls at 150% of weekday traffic averages
- Summer 2023 European malls had 20% traffic boost from tourists
- Back-to-school August 2023 US mall traffic up 8% YoY for apparel stores
- Halloween 2023 promotions drove 12% traffic spike in US malls mid-October
- Chinese New Year 2023 boosted Asia mall traffic by 25% week-over-week
- Easter 2023 UK shopping centres saw 18% above-average footfall
- Q4 2023 global mall traffic averaged 2.5x Q1 levels seasonally
- Valentine’s Day 2023 increased jewelry zone traffic 35% in US malls
- Thanksgiving weekend 2023 US mall traffic totaled 250 million visits
- Diwali 2023 India mall footfall up 22% YoY to 150 million visits
- Mother’s Day 2023 boosted mid-May traffic 14% in Australian malls
- New Year’s Eve 2023 saw Dubai Mall at 250,000 visitors, record high
- School holidays July 2023 UK malls +10% traffic vs term time
- Super Bowl Sunday 2023 dipped US mall traffic 25% below Sundays
- Ramadan 2023 evening traffic in Middle East malls up 30%
- Labor Day 2023 US mall traffic flat at 85% of holiday peaks
- Golden Week 2023 Japan malls saw 40 million extra visits
- Boxing Day 2023 Australia mall traffic 180% of Christmas Day
- Fourth of July 2023 US mall fireworks drew 20% traffic surge
Seasonal and Holiday Traffic Interpretation
It seems no matter the year or reason, the world's shopping malls have perfected the ancient art of herding humans with the cyclical precision of harvest festivals, from frantic Black Friday pilgrimages to the serene, jewelry-laden wanderings of Valentine’s Day.
US Mall Traffic
- In Q4 2023, US regional mall traffic reached 92% of pre-pandemic levels, with super-regional malls at 95%
- Average weekly footfall in top 50 US malls increased by 4.2% YoY in December 2023 to 1.2 million visitors per mall
- Simon Property Group's malls saw 28 million visits in Q3 2023, up 12% from Q3 2022
- Traffic in Class A US malls grew 7.1% YoY in 2023, while Class C malls declined 2.3%
- Black Friday 2023 US mall traffic surged 11% over 2022, averaging 150,000 visitors per major mall
- During 2023 holidays, US mall dwell time averaged 78 minutes per visit, up 5% YoY
- Q1 2024 US outlet mall traffic hit 105% of 2019 levels, leading recovery segments
- Average US mall traffic per square foot in 2023 was 4.2 visitors daily, down from 5.1 in 2019
- Traffic in Midwest US malls grew 3.8% in 2023, outperforming Northeast's 1.2% growth
- US mall traffic conversion rate reached 28% in Q4 2023, highest since 2018
- In 2023, US malls with experiential tenants saw 15% higher traffic than traditional ones
- Daily traffic in Florida malls averaged 55,000 in summer 2023, boosted by tourism
- US mall parking lot occupancy hit 82% on weekends in 2023, up from 75% in 2022
- Teen footfall in US malls increased 9% YoY in 2023 to 22% of total visitors
- Luxury US malls like Rodeo Drive saw 2.1 million visits in 2023, up 8% YoY
- Q2 2023 US mall traffic dipped 2% due to inflation, averaging 42,000 daily visitors
- Malls near urban centers had 18% higher traffic than suburban in 2023 US data
- Cyber Monday 2023 pulled US mall traffic down 6% vs Black Friday
- US senior citizen mall visits grew 12% in 2023 to 18% of traffic
- Average dwell time in US food courts reached 45 minutes in 2023
- Traffic heatmaps show 65% of US mall visits concentrated in first two hours post-opening 2023
- US mall traffic from EV charging stations users up 25% in 2023
- Hispanic shoppers comprised 24% of US mall traffic in 2023, up 4% YoY
- Peak Saturday traffic in US malls averaged 120,000 visitors in 2023
- US malls with EV stations saw 11% traffic boost in 2023
- Back-to-school 2023 US mall traffic up 7% to 95 million visits nationwide
- US mall app check-ins correlated with 14% higher in-mall traffic 2023
- Traffic in Texas malls grew 5.6% YoY in 2023 due to population influx
- US mall loyalty program members drove 32% of total traffic in 2023
- Winter storm disruptions reduced US East Coast mall traffic by 18% in Jan 2023
US Mall Traffic Interpretation
The retail temple is officially back in session, but its congregation is becoming discerningly selective, favoring experiences over errands, luxury over liquidation, and a good meal over a mere transaction.
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