Jaime Zobel de Ayala (middle) presses the button at Greenbelt 5 to signal the start of Christmas activities at Ayala Malls, with, from left, Ayala Land VP Ruby Chiang, Ayala Land SVP Junie Jalandoni, Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, Ayala Land president and CEO Bobby Dy, Ayala Malls Inc. president Rowena Tomeldan and Ayala Land VP Myrna Fernandez. — Jaime Zobel de Ayala (middle) presses the button at Greenbelt 5 to signal the start of Christmas activities at Ayala Malls, with, from left, Ayala Land VP Ruby Chiang, Ayala Land SVP Junie Jalandoni, Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, Ayala Land president
and CEO Bobby Dy, Ayala Malls Inc. president Rowena Tomeldan and Ayala Land VP Myrna Fernandez.

Malls need to offer consistently fresh and exciting experiences that people will not get from electronic gadgets.

Rowena Tomeldan, president of Ayala Malls Inc, revealed this secret as the retail conglomerate launched its “Lov ‘Em Lit Holidays” season of festivities last Wednesday at The Gallery at Greenbelt 5, Makati.

“It’s very important to always have something new to offer, to surprise our customers. We don’t do more of the same. We always give surprises from time to time, give customers a good experience to get them to put aside their gadgets,” she told Inquirer Lifestyle.

Malling is now “part of every Filipino’s life,” Tomeldan noted. But with the ever-widening range of choices available, it is necessary for developers to remain one step ahead by continuously upgrading the experience—“and giving them a compelling reason to choose you over others.”

Zobel family greets the media: Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, Bea Zobel de Ayala, Jaime Zobel de Ayala and Mariana Zobel de Ayala —PHOTOS BY KIMBERLY DELA CRUZ

Ayala Malls revs up for the holiday season by mounting activities the whole family can enjoy together.

This month, celebrity performers will serenade Christmas crowds—Piolo Pascual performed last Nov. 13 at Alabang Town Center, and will perform again at Market! Market! on Dec. 2; Xian Lim at Harbor Point on Nov. 25; and Sam Milby at Trinoma on Nov. 27.

The Steps Dance Project will impress crowds with their world-class routines in “I Got Stung,” inspired by the British music legend Sting, featuring former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performers Aubree Brown and Jamal Brown in performances directed by James Laforteza, with Maribeth Roxas-Dobrish as guest choreographer.

There will also be performances by the Manila Symphony Junior Orchestra in several Ayala Malls nationwide as part of fund-raising initiatives to build their new home, the MSO Recital Hall at Circuit Lane.

Mariana Zobel de Ayala, general manager of AyalaLand Malls Inc., announced the opening in January of Ayala Malls The 30th, a new lifestyle center in the Ortigas District that promises to deliver a different, more family-targeted mall with a clubhouse feel.

Tomeldan said Ayala Malls intends to put up more retail developments in various formats such as neighborhood and community centers and mixed estate and communities across the country.