The Annual Eilat Shopping Malls and Retail Conference, held for the 17th consecutive year under the leadership of its founder, Ddy Ryzl, focused on the key challenges facing Israel's shopping mall and retail sectors. Among the topics discussed were the impact of economic uncertainty, changing consumer behavior, and the adaptation of shopping centers to an evolving digital landscape.

As part of the conference, Eran Harel, CEO of Ariel Properties, participated in a panel alongside senior leaders from the retail industry. The discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of shopping malls and retail, while addressing the major trends influencing the industry and the strategies required to respond to them.

During the panel, Eran Harel addressed decision-making under conditions of uncertainty, analyzed the decisions made following the events of October 7, discussed emerging retail trends, the growing influence of technology on the customer experience, and the need to adapt retail strategies to an environment that combines physical and digital commerce. He emphasized the importance of flexibility, innovation, and continuous evolution in enabling retailers to remain relevant to their customers.

Additional conference sessions explored topics including customer experience, market dynamics, and innovative planning for retail destinations. The participation of senior executives from Israel's leading retail chains and shopping malls reinforced the conference's position as one of the industry's most significant professional events.

According to Efrat Shabtai, Manager of Street Mall in Ramat Yishai: "Each year, we attend the Annual Shopping Malls and Retail Conference in Eilat. The conference is not only an opportunity to learn about the industry's latest challenges and gain practical tools and ideas for addressing them, but also a place to strengthen professional relationships and build valuable collaborations that help us all navigate this challenging period."

Zehava Shalom, Manager of the Weizmann City Complex in Tel Aviv, added: "This year's conference was very different from previous years. Naturally, the security situation and the challenges the market has faced since October 7 dominated the discussions, lectures, and panel sessions. These events significantly affected consumer behavior, shopping basket size, purchasing patterns, where customers chose to shop, and customer profiles, while also reflecting the personal impact experienced by all of us during this period. As always, meeting colleagues from across the industry was both valuable and meaningful, and in my opinion, the conference fully achieved its purpose."

Representing Ariel Properties at the conference were Eran Harel, CEO; Guy Rothstein, VP of Operations; Adi Sharvit, VP of Operations; Anat Madmon, Finance Manager, Street Mall; Yonatan Roeh, Tenufa Complex Manager; Alon Rafael, Shufersal Real Estate Complexes Manager; Efrat Shabtai, Street Mall Manager; Zehava Shalom, Weizmann City Complex Manager; Veronica Zaks, Marketing Manager, Shop; and Ayelet Michelson, Marketing Manager, Shop.