Designer Outlet Algarve, the premium outlet village in the South of Portugal and Spain, began its expansion project on 1 July, promising to elevate the shopping experience of its visitors.

The planned expansion of the project will add around 4,000 m2 of Gross Lettable Area (GLA) by the summer of 2025, including the installation of 25 new stores, as well as a café.

The space will therefore have a total area of 17,000 m2 and an enhanced portfolio of premium brands, with more than 80 fashion and lifestyle stores.

With a tourist potential of more than 5 million tourists per year, the Algarve is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Portugal and Europe. Designer Outlet Algarve is billed as the perfect destination for a day out and shopping, for both locals and tourists. 51 percent of its annual visitors are foreigners – with the United Kingdom, Brazil, Spain, France, and Ireland being the main countries of origin – and 49 percent are Portuguese, of which almost 20 percent come from outside the area of ​​influence and from other regions of Portugal, highlighting the gathering spot's growing popularity as a diverse and attractive shopping location.

Managed by ROS Retail Outlet Shopping, the space, one of the main outlet operators in Europe, presents a unique selection of brands, guaranteeing an exclusive consumer experience in a welcoming environment, and has demonstrated constant growth year after year. In the last nine months, compared to the same period of the previous year, it registered an increase of 13.2 percent in revenue and 6.3 percent in traffic, revealing the effectiveness of innovative strategies.

“We are very pleased with the trajectory that Designer Outlet Algarve has been following over the last few years. It is with immense pride that we have witnessed its growth and we look forward to this expansion, which will consolidate Designer Outlet Algarve as the main premium outlet village in Portugal”, says Thomas Reichenauer, Co-founder and Managing Director of ROS Retail Outlet Shopping.

Reinforcing its positioning in the South of Portugal and Spain, the main architectural features of the space include a new square with a fountain that will incorporate modern and typical elements of the region, which are an important highlight for events at the location.

“The extension of the meeting point will allow us to enrich the current selection of premium brands and satisfy the growing needs of customers and brands. In recent years, Designer Outlet Algarve has undergone an intense process of premiumisation, evidenced by the recent incorporations of renowned brands, such as Karl Lagerfeld, Boss, Invicta, Façonnable, Hackett London, Adolfo Dominguez, GANT, and many others”, adds Thomas Reichenauer.

The Designer Outlet Algarve expansion work will comply with the highest standards of sustainable construction management to meet BREEAM requirements. In 2022, the space was recognised with the international BREEAM-In-Use certificate, the world's leading method of sustainability analysis, with “Very Good” and “Excellent” ratings in terms of asset performance and building management, respectively. For Thomas Reichenauer, “this is something very important for us because it testifies to our commitment to sustainable performance and business practices. Designer Outlet Algarve is recognised as an organisation that best contributes to sustainability and a responsible management policy. We want to ensure that our business respects the environment in all dimensions of its activities”.

These actions are in line with other innovative initiatives by the premium outlet destination, such as the installation of solar panels and used clothing collection boxes to promote their reuse as part of the #bettershopping campaign, launched by operator ROS Retail Outlet Shopping across all its locations to meet.

It is estimated that the expansion of the meeting point will result in the generation of approximately 150 new direct and indirect jobs in the region, contributing to the economic growth and sustainable development of the local community.

It is important to note that Designer Outlet Algarve, which opened in November 2017, offers more than 70 fashion and lifestyle brands, such as Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Levi's, Calvin Klein, Bimba y Lola, Guess, Adidas, Puma, Asics, Timberland and many others, with discounts of 30-70 percent all year round.

The space is part of the large Algarve Commercial Complex, which includes the MAR Shopping Algarve shopping center, an outdoor leisure area, and the only IKEA store in the region, reads the press release.