VOX Cinemas opened its tenth cinema at Tabuk Park in Saudi Arabia (the first ever cinema in the city of Tabuk) on Monday 27th July 2020, in line with its commitment to expand its footprint to new cities across the country.
The 11-screen multiplex has a seating capacity of 831 and features VOX Cinemas’ signature concepts including two KIDS screens, a colourful and dedicated auditorium for young movie lovers, and VIP, which offers guests a more luxurious experience. VOX Cinemas Tabuk Park combines world-class entertainment with an enhanced range of innovative and homegrown food and beverage options, including a Nutella Bar as well as the VOX Cinemas Candy Bar.
Tabuk Park is the second VOX location to open in Saudi Arabia since the reopening of cinemas in the country following the COVID-19 cinema closure. With a total of 112 screens across 10 movie theatres in four cities, VOX Cinemas is the largest exhibitor by screen count, admissions, market share and the largest independent distributor in the Kingdom.
Speaking on the opening of Tabuk Park, Mohamed Al Hashemi — Country Head, Majid Al Futtaim Ventures KSA said, “We are extremely proud to be bringing the magic of motion picture to Tabuk for the first time, which demonstrates our commitment to supporting the Quality of Life Program by enhancing participation in cultural and entertainment activities and creating job opportunities in the film industry. It also marks another major milestone for VOX Cinemas, which surpassed 100 screens in Saudi Arabia with the opening of VOX Cinemas Sahara Mall, Riyadh in June. We continue to build on that momentum by expanding our footprint in new cities such as Tabuk with plans to open in Hail and Jubail in the coming months. We will also be bringing our world class experiences to Jeddah at the end of the year, in line with our ambitious plans to build 600 cinema screens across the Kingdom by 2023 as part of a SAR 2 billion investment. Saudi Arabia has a burgeoning entertainment sector and we look forward to leveraging the growth opportunities that Vision 2030 presents.”
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates VOX Cinemas on the opening of Tabuk Park and warmly welcomes this new location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at this new VOX location in KSA.
Related Articles:
VOX Cinemas Opens Ninth Location at Sahara Mall in KSA
VOX Cinemas Opens Eighth Location at Atyaf Mall in KSA
VOX Cinemas Opens Sixth Location in KSA at West Avenue Mall Dammam
VOX Cinemas Opens Fifth Location in KSA at Kingdom Centre
VOX Cinemas Opens Fourth Location in KSA – The Roof
VOX Cinemas Opens at Al Qasr Mall in Riyadh
VOX Cinemas Opens at Red Sea Mall in Jeddah
VOX Cinemas Opens in Saudi Arabia at Riyadh Park Mall
Source: VOX Cinemas
As part of the latest offering by cinema exhibitors in the UAE – in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Reel Cinemas has launched its latest drive-in cinema in Abu Dhabi, brining the total count to five drive-ins across the UAE.
Reel Cinemas launched its third drive-in cinema at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on Thursday 9th July 2020, and will screen movies three nights a week on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:45pm. The entrance to the drive-in cinema is located at Yas Marina Circuit’s East Gate.
The cinema accommodates 63 cars, with a limit of up to five people per vehicle if family or up to three if not. Tickets are priced Dh160 per car, and includes a food and drinks package (popcorn, soft drinks, water and chocolate). Extra snacks can be ordered from inside the car, by alerting staff using the hazard lights.
Upon entry, guests will have their temperatures checked, before being directed to a specific parking spot. Visitors are requested to remain in their vehicles at all times, with the exception of using the toilets. Wearing of facemasks are mandatory if windows are lowered to speak to event staff, or when leaving the car.
Reel Cinemas launched its first drive-in experience at The Dubai Mall in late May, followed by another in Dubai Hills Estate in the fourth week of June – both launching after VOX Cinemas’ drive in at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, and the announcement by Urban Entertainment of a free drive-in cinema in Sharjah at Madar – Aljada (which opened to the public on Wednesday 1st July 2020).
For more information on movie schedules, visit www.reelcinemas.ae, and don’t forget to check out their Drive-in experience FAQs.
Please Note: Drive-in movie sessions at Yas Marina Circuit currently show up to 1st August 2020. Additional movie sessions beyond 1st August will be added closer towards those dates.
Related Articles:
Reel Opens Second Drive-in Cinema at Dubai Hills
Reel Launches Drive-in Cinema at The Dubai Mall
VOX Opens Rooftop Drive-in Cinema at Mall of the Emirates
Sources: The National & Reel Cinemas
A big congratulations out to the winner of the MVM ‘Spot the Difference’ challenge: Cristina Oanes from C2 Communications.
Having successfully spotted the five difference between the two images, Cristina won 2 x VOX Cinemas movie passes to watch a movie of her preference.
Below are the five differences between the two images:
Thank you to all who participated, and stay tuned for future Motivate Val Morgan competitions!
VOX Cinemas launched its ninth cinema in Saudi Arabia at Sahara Mall (Riyadh) on Wednesday 24 June 2020.
The cinema features 11 screens with a total seating capacity of 991 seats and includes VOX Kids and GOLD cinema experiences.
The launch of the cinema at Sahara Mall also marked a significant milestone for VOX, having surpassed 100 screens in Saudi Arabia in just over two years.
With the opening of Sahara Mall closely following the reopening of cinemas after a three-month closure in KSA due to the COVID-19 pandemic, VOX has undertaken extensive precautionary measures and has implemented thorough sanitization and physical distancing protocols across all cinema locations in the country.
Majid Al Futtaim also conducted extensive research to identify the top safety measures that would make guests feel comfortable about returning to its venues and used the findings to proactively reimagine the guest experience, which translated into a comprehensive site and training plan to ensure that all leisure, entertainment and cinema experiences were completely prepared for the reopening.
Mohamed Al-Hashemi, Country Head, Majid Al Futtaim Ventures, said, “We look forward to reopening VOX Cinemas, Little Explorers, Magic Planet and Yalla! Bowling in the Kingdom and welcoming our guests back through our doors. After weeks of preparation, we have introduced innovative new health and safety measures which have been successfully implemented across our entertainment experiences in Dubai.
“Since we reopened last month, 93% of guests have said they are satisfied or extremely satisfied with our enhanced measures. We will ensure a best in class experience in the Kingdom across our experiences with health, safety and customer satisfaction at the core of our reopening plans.”
“Having established VOX Cinemas in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, we are excited to expand our footprint in Tabuk, Hail and Jubail later this year. We remain greatly appreciative of the ongoing support and guidance given to us by the Ministry of Media, GCAM and the Quality of Life Program.”
VOX Cinemas presently operates 101 screens across 9 locations in KSA.
Motivate Val Morgan congratulates VOX Cinemas on the opening of Sahara Mall and warmly welcomes this new location to our regional cinema circuit.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at this new VOX location.
Related Articles:
VOX Cinemas Opens Eighth Location at Atyaf Mall in KSA
VOX Cinemas Opens Sixth Location in KSA at West Avenue Mall Dammam
VOX Cinemas Opens Fifth Location in KSA at Kingdom Centre
VOX Cinemas Opens Fourth Location in KSA – The Roof
VOX Cinemas Opens at Al Qasr Mall in Riyadh
VOX Cinemas Opens at Red Sea Mall in Jeddah
VOX Cinemas Opens in Saudi Arabia at Riyadh Park Mall
Sources: VOX Cinemas and Zawya
VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia has revealed findings of a new research study which demonstrate that the cinema industry in the MENA region will bounce back as an overwhelming 98% of respondents intend to return to movie theatres soon after reopening.
The research was conducted in waves between April to May 2020 by Majid Al Futtaim’s Happiness Lab — its proprietary market research online community in the UAE — and surveyed 1,240 respondents during the temporary closures of cinema, leisure and entertainment experiences. The research findings explored consumer sentiment as well as the health and safety measures that consumers would expect to see when returning to the cinema.
After dining out at a restaurant or café, going to the cinema was the second-most missed activity during restrictions and 75% of respondents stated they are eager to resume their cinema-going habit within just four weeks of reopening.
When asked to identify the top safety measures that would make them feel most comfortable about returning to the cinema, physical distancing in queues was deemed the most important by 86% of respondents, with 81% citing a preference for advance contactless booking of tickets and F&B online to avoid queuing altogether. Other factors encouraging the movie-going population to return include staff wearing masks and gloves (81%) and physical distancing between seats (73%).
Commenting on the research, Cameron Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment said, “We remain fundamentally confident about the future and resilience of the cinema industry. This research demonstrates that the industry will bounce back and the culture of cinema-going will resume. We have proactively reimagined the guest experience at all of the Majid Al Futtaim entertainment experiences, including VOX Cinemas, Ski Dubai and Ski Egypt, Magic Planet and Dreamscape, and we are delighted that the measures put in place are all aligned with the feedback that was evidenced in these surveys.”
Mitchell added “Internationally, cinemas have reopened across Europe and Asia, as well as in a number of American states, and attendance is increasing week on week. The theatrical box office in the cinema-going nation of South Korea, for example, has recently showed a significant sign of recovery, with weekend ticket sales reaching 402,000, a week-on-week gain of 112%. These figures bode well for the future of cinema and we are confident that ticket sales in other markets will follow a similar trend.”
Jocelyn Davies, Head of Customer Experience and Insights at Majid Al Futtaim, Leisure, Entertainment and Cinemas added, “Listening to our guests is a core value at Majid Al Futtaim, and during our period of closure, it was essential to understand customer sentiment to enable us to develop new concepts and evolve the entire cinema experience. We are delighted that the new measures included have reassured our guests, with over 93% of guests who have returned since reopening being satisfied/extremely satisfied with the new protective measures that we have in place.”
In addition to its already stringent sanitisation standards, VOX Cinemas has introduced extensive precautionary measures including disinfecting auditoriums using fogging machines and sanitizing surfaces after every guest interaction. It is also now mandatory for employees to wear masks and gloves, and all team members have their temperatures checked on arrival for shifts.
Safe distancing ambassadors have been introduced and instructional signage has been installed to guide guests on best physical distancing practices. The capacity in auditoriums has been reduced and seats in front of, behind and next to a guest’s selection will be left vacant to maintain physical distancing. The occupancy has also been decreased in other public areas such as restrooms and elevators.
Guests can enjoy a queue less cinema experience by advance booking their tickets and F&B options online as well as a contactless collection service. To further minimize physical contact and exposure, VOX Cinemas offers contactless payment options and guests can self-scan their tickets before entering the auditorium.
Source – Majid Al Futtaim (Press Release)
More cinemas reopen in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and parts of UAE after the three month COVID-19 closure.
Saudi Arabia lifted its national curfew on June 21, 2020 and resumed commercial activities, which included the reopening of cinemas across the country. However, in line with government restrictions, social distancing remains in place and wearing of masks is mandatory.
VOX and Muvi Cinemas have opened its door to patrons who have dearly missed one of their favourite pastimes since the lockdown was imposed. The two cinema exhibitors also posted videos on their social media channels highlighting the safety and precautionary measures they have taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for cinemagoers:
View this post on Instagram
Click here for more information on VOX health and safety measures
Egypt significantly eased regulations against the spread of the coronavirus, cancelling the overnight lockdown on June 23, 2020, with cinemas among the list of venues allowed to reopen. VOX Cinemas Egypt opened its doors to the public on June 27, 2020, with all necessary health and safety measures in place – in line with government guidelines.
View this post on Instagram
Following the reopening of cinemas in Dubai and Ajman, and as part of the reopening of economic and tourism activities, cinemas in in Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah also reopened at 50 per cent capacity on June 24, 2020. Individuals entering cinemas are still required to have their temperature checked at the entrance, wear face masks and observe physical distancing of two metres.
Cinemas in UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt will screen previously released blockbusters from 2019 and early 2020, until new blockbusters start releasing from July 2020.
Contact us for more information on our attractive reopening cinema advertising packages in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and UAE.
Related Article:
Cinemas Reopen in Dubai and Ajman – UAE
Sources: Gulf Business and The National
Majid Al Futtaim in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and VOX Cinemas celebrated World Environment Day by hosting the region’s first carbon neutral drive-in movie screening for Tesla cars.
The special screening, which took place at VOX Cinemas Drive-In on the rooftop of Mall of the Emirates on 6th June 2020, was attended by the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, along with over 100 movie enthusiasts in their Tesla electric cars.
To mark the international awareness day, and in continuation of its ongoing sustainability efforts, Majid Al Futtaim also announced that it is partnering with Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence to offset the carbon emissions from all VOX Drive-In screenings.
Majid Al Futtaim’s partnership with Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence will ensure that all screenings held at the VOX Drive-In will have a carbon neutral footprint. This will be done by assessing and minimising climate impact through carbon measurement, reduction of avoidable carbon emissions, and offsetting the remaining ones. In addition, Majid Al Futtaim has implemented a waste collection process to ensure 100% waste recycling rates.
Cameron Mitchell, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas said, “Our Mall of the Emirate’s Drive-In, has proven to be incredibly popular, not only when it was the only cinema in the MENA region that was operating, but even more recently as cinemas have started to open across Dubai. This has reminded us that our guests are missing the big screen movie experience, made even more impressive when set beneath the iconic Ski Dubai indoor ski centre, and accompanied by their favourite popcorns, nachos and Pepsis. We are very proud to partner with Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence to ensure that the VOX Cinemas Drive-In is a carbon neutral experience. Sustainability is a core pillar of Majid Al Futtaim, and VOX Cinemas is committed to finding sustainable ways to minimise our carbon footprint and protect our planet for future generations.”
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Chief Sustainability Officer, at Majid Al Futtaim Holding commented: “The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic will be felt well into the future. As we look to rebound and rebuild businesses and economies, we must place as much emphasis, if not more, on social and environmental prosperity. This year’s World Environment Day is a great opportunity to take a brief step back from the COVID-19 headlines and raise awareness of the implications climate change has on our lives. For Majid Al Futtaim, it is an opportunity to influence sustainable behavior across our communities and ask our partners, tenants and suppliers to join the fight against climate change. Joining the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and VOX Cinemas to host the first carbon-neutral drive-in cinema screening is a testament to the power of collaboration to tackle the issue and drive impact.”
Tickets for the VOX Cinemas Carbon Neutral Drive-In can be booked on voxcinemas.com or through the VOX Cinemas iOS and Android app.
Contact Motivate Val Morgan for cinema advertising opportunities at the VOX Drive-In.
Source: Majid Al Futtaim (Press Release)
Related Article:
VOX Opens Rooftop Drive-in Cinema at Mall of the Emirates
Dubai resumed the gradual reopening of business activities on Wednesday 27th May 2020 from 6am to 11pm in the city’s latest move to ease Covid-19 restrictions – which also included the reopening of cinemas across the emirate.
The emirate of Ajman followed suit with the opening of cinemas on Saturday 30th May 2020.
Currently, in line with government restrictions, individuals are still required to observe precautionary measures including wearing face masks and observing physical distancing of two metres, and individuals above the age of 60 and children under 13 years will not be allowed to enter cinemas.
Re-opening Dubai (Post Eid Al Fitr) – Cinema Protocols
VOX and Reel posted videos on their social media channels highlighting the safety and precautionary measures they have taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for moviegoers:
View this post on Instagram
Click here for more information on VOX health and safety measures
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
Click here for more information on new safety measures at Reel.
Movies screening across cinemas in Dubai and Ajman include: Bloodshot, The Gentlemen, Bad Boys for Life, The Invisible Man, Baaghi 3 (Hindi), 1917, Birds of Prey, The Way Back, Midway, The Call of the Wild, Thief of Baghdad (Arabic), Sonic the Hedgehog, Jojo Rabbit and many other previously released blockbusters from 2019 and early 2020.
Contact us for more information on our attractive reopening cinema advertising packages in Dubai and Ajman.
Sources: Arabian Business, Khaleej Times and Dubai Economy – Government of Dubai
VOX Cinemas’ drive-in cinema offers Dubai moviegoers a classic movie night under the stars.
Movie nights have taken a bit of a hit with the closure of cinemas across the globe amid the coronavirus pandemic. However, in response to the easing of restrictions imposed during the coronavirus pandemic in United Arab Emirates, while maintaining the safety of audiences by adhering to social distancing guidelines, VOX Cinemas launched its latest vintage style drive-in cinema at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai on Sunday 17th May 2020.
Situated in the shopping mall’s upper parking lot, on level 3, the drive-in cinema features a large screen underneath the Ski Dubai slop, where patrons can park in front of to enjoy a movie under the open air, while adhering to social distancing rules.
“The health and wellbeing of our guests and employees remains our top priority and moviegoers can be rest assured that the VOX Cinemas Drive-in complies with all government and best practice guidance, while still allowing guests to enjoy the big screen experience,” said Cameron Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim – Cinemas.
“Drive-in visitors will earn Share Points and can access the Mall of the Emirates mall and facilities before the movie,” he added.
VOX drive-in accommodates 75 cars with a maximum of two people each, and in line with government regulations, individuals above the age of 60 and children between 3 and 12 years of age are not permitted to access the mall and drive-in cinema.
Tickets are priced at AED180+VAT, which includes the movie and a robust F&B package – popcorn, nachos, big bag of M&Ms and drinks (plenty for two people to enjoy throughout the film).
How the concept works
Step 1:
Purchase tickets online at uae.voxcinemas.com (movie showtimes will be revealed every Monday.)
Step 2:
Once patrons arrive at the Mall of the Emirates car park, they will be given clear instructions on how to proceed towards the red-carpeted entrance by VOX staff.
At the red-carpeted entrance, the ticket QR codes are scanned and soft drinks and snacks handed over.
Step 3:
Patrons will then be directed to their designated parking slots and asked to turn off their headlights. Parking spaces are allocated based on the height of the vehicle in and effort to ensure that everyone can easily see the large screen.
The movie’s audio will be transmitted through a FM frequency directly to the In-Car Entertainment System, which will be indicated on the screen prior to the start of the pre-show and movie.
Within days of its official launch, the new VOX concept has been so well received, with all movie sessions sold out till early June. However, due to the extended lockdown in the UAE, which will take effect from 8pm to 6am starting Wednesday 20th May 2020, the drive-in cinema will remain closed till further notice.
Nevertheless, given its demand, the concept won’t be going anywhere, and you can expect it to generate as much popularity once it resumes operation.
Check out media kit and contact a member of our UAE sales team for more information on cinema advertising at the VOX drive-in cinema.
Sources: What’s On Dubai, Gulf News, Variety, The National and Arabian Business
Godiva – veteran chain specializing in gourmet Belgian chocolates, truffles, cocoa & other sweet gift items, booked an integrated cinema campaign with Motivate Val Morgan – through Arab Reach Media, for the launch of their newest chocolate flavors in Saudi Arabia.
The 15 sec. on-screen commercial screened for a period of 4 weeks (21st November to 18th December, 2019) at AMC Cinemas – KAFD and VOX Cinemas – Red Sea Mall, Riyadh Front and West Avenue Mall.
The off-screen component included a sampling activity at VOX Cinemas – Red Sea Mall, Riyadh Front and West Avenue Mall over the weekend of 12th – 14th December 2019.
Promoters were hired by the brand to oversee the 3-day sampling activity at the respective cinema locations, and to assist with the distribution of chocolates to cinemagoers walking out of the auditoriums at which the brand’s on-screen ad was playing.
Combining on-screen advertising with sampling at the cinema is an effective strategy to implement when seeking to engage audiences with a new product.
Got a product launch coming up? Contact us to know more on how integrated campaigns can help move your brand closer to its target audience.
Related Articles:
McVitie’s Digestive Nibbles | Integrated Cinema Campaign | KSA
Ülker O’lala Sufle | Integrated Cinema Campaign | KSA
Double Delights Sampling Activity at VOX Cinemas
