Westfield Prepares for Record Visitors for Chinese New Year for a Second Year

BEIJING, Jan. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Domestic and international Chinese shoppers are expected to descend on both Westfield centres to enjoy a variety of events this Chinese New Year (8th February 2016) to make the most of the celebratory week.

On Chinese New Year's Day, Westfield Stratford City will be hosting face painting and Chinese calligraphy classes throughout the day, while Westfield London will have a Chinese art workshop, Chinese stilt walkers and Chinese dancers. Both centres will be celebrating with traditional Lion Dance performances throughout the weekend. 

WHAT'S ON:              

WESTFIELD STRATFORD CITY:

Saturday 6th: Chinese calligraphy workshop, face painters, lion dances
Sunday 7th: Chinese art workshop, Humanimal (monkey as it is year of the monkey), Chinese silk and bamboo ensemble, Chinese lantern workshop
Monday 8th: lion dances, face painters, Chinese calligraphy workshop         

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Tuesday 11th: lion dances

WESTFIELD LONDON:

Monday 8th: Chinese art workshop, face painters, humanimal, Chinese silk and bamboo ensemble
Tuesday 9th: face painters, Chinese calligraphy workshop, Chinese lantern workshop
Wednesday 10th: Chinese art workshop, Chinese stilt walkers, lion dance, Chinese dancers

Chinese New Year is one of the strongest months for Chinese spending at Westfield, alongside Chinese Golden Week in October and increasingly, the January sales period. 

In 2015, Chinese spending at Westfield Stratford City during February increased 57% year on year, with Chinese shoppers accounting for 16% of non EU-spend. Spending in Westfield London's luxury quarter, The Village, grew by 22% in February 2015 with China being the largest non-EU spending market at Westfield London (14% total).

Myf Ryan, Marketing Director - UK & Europe, said: "China is the number one international market to visit Westfield London, particularly The Village. These visitors are driven by their favourite designer brands, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Gucci*. Each year during Chinese New Year local and international Chinese shoppers visit both centres to shop at our luxury brands and experience Westfield's unrivalled, personalised Chinese service."

Westfield's sophisticated services include Mandarin speaking concierge and retail staff, bespoke collateral such as Mandarin mall guides and digital in-centre screens, and an optimised Mandarin website. Westfield also widely accepts China Union Pay cards, as well as on-site tax refunds and free coach parking for group visits.

Visitors looking for convenience will be met by the concierge and valet team providing services such as hands-free shopping, UK and international hotel delivery. What's more, if visitors crave a flavour of home during their visit, Westfield offers a variety of Chinese restaurants at their two London centres.

About Westfield Corporation

Westfield Corporation (ASX Code: WFD) is an internally managed, vertically integrated, shopping centre group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing and marketing activities and employing approximately 2,000 staff worldwide. Westfield Corporation has interests in 40 shopping centres in the United States, and the United Kingdom, encompassing approximately 7,400 retail outlets and total assets under management of $29.3bn.

This release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future earnings and distributions. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees or predictions of future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements contained in this release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date of this presentation. Except as required by law or regulation (including the ASX Listing Rules) we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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