Retail Geoanalysis with Transport Accessibility

This showcase is provided by Smart Indexes for informational purposes only. It showcases the capabilities of geoanalytics to address complex business challenges, including real estate investment in the Emirate of Dubai, based on Smart Indexes empirical and analytical data on geo-objects and locations in the region.

Technologies: Python Microservices JavaScript Mapbox GeoJSON

The expansion of mass market and luxury brands in the Middle East requires detailed analytical research to ensure that investments are profitable in the medium term based on a maximum yield strategy. The Smart Indexes team demonstrates a geoanalysis of retail locations in the emirate of Dubai, including major roads and the planned expansion of the metro network until 2030.

Task

Search for optimal locations for opening new retail outlets to expand the retail network in Dubai.

Requirements for completing the task

• Transport accessibility of metro stations
• Proximity to the main highway, preferably at the intersection of roads
• Conformity in terms of target audience coverage for the mass-market segment

Introduction to the solution

To complete this task, it is necessary and sufficient in the first approximation:

• Display shopping malls with retail classification in the legend on a geoanalytical map with the ability to segment at the user's choice.
• Display the layers «Major Roads», «Dubai Metro 2025-2030».
• Use the filter function “Show retail near the metro” (Retail nearby metro) to filter by condition: show only shopping malls near the metro in a radius of no more than 500 m.

Why was the metro layer with prospective Dubai metro stations used?

It is necessary to be guided not only by the currently open metro stations, but also to take into account the prospects for the next 5 years.

Prospective transport network of Dubai Metro by 2030

Using the geoanalytics layer «Dubai Metro 2025-2030» calculation of the development of the metro transport network until 2030. This allows analysts to formulate medium-term investment scenarios for expanding the retail network in Dubai.

You can learn more about the development of the Dubai metro by 2030 in the case «Dubai Metro Map»

Retail Classification

The classification of retail objects used is based on standard commercial formats:

• convenience stores,
• neighborhood shopping center,
• community shopping center,
• district shopping center,
• super regional center.

This classification takes into account factors such as the size of retail space, location and service area.

Read more in Smart Blog: Geoanalysis of retail locations in Dubai taking into account transport accessibility

Map of retail with transport accessibility of open and prospective metro stations and main roads in Dubai

Geoanalytics function:
search for retail near the metro

The interactive map demo highlights:

• Transport layers: major roads, rail network, metro lines and stations (including planned Blue Line operational by 2029)
• Filtering tools:
  • Show retail within 500 m of metro stations
  • Reset filters

User interface: Retail Map with Transport Accessibility

Map Interface Details

The left panel offers geo‑analytic insights, including:

• Major roads
• Color‑coded retail subtypes
• Existing and planned metro lines and stations

Retail properties near metro stations

The user can select metro lines via the legend. Clicking on "Retail nearby metro" applies a filter for objects within a 500m radius from the station - this helps to find places with favorable transport accessibility.

Remoteness of retail branches from the metro

For geoanalysis, it is important to compare the distance of commercial retail branches from metro stations and the actual coverage of stores, showrooms of the mass market segment.

This dependence determines the influence of the distance from the metro on the profit of a retail company along with the proximity of major highways and the landing capacity of parking lots in shopping malls.

The walking distance of a shopping mall to the metro and to one of the main roads of the Emirate of Dubai ensures the effect of store traffic: stable consumer traffic, to whom this retail location is available.

This "Retail nearby metro" function on the geoanalytics map allows you to select objects for further comparison by commercial index (for example, Cap Rate) among locations near active and planned metro stations (up to 2030).

The population density of each Dubai community is calculated as the ratio of its population (according to the Dubai Statistics Center’s Population Bulletin) to its area (from the Dubai Land Department source file: community.kml).

Important for geoanalytics of retail locations

• According to Dubai Statistic Center, there are 221 communities unevenly distributed in 9 sectors of the Emirate of Dubai.
• Population and population density vary depending on the development of the areas.
• It is important to evaluate the proximity of high-rise buildings and the amount of occupancy in them, taking into account the 3D view layer, so that the population density by location is estimated as accurately as possible.

Conclusions

A complete solution to the task of choosing the optimal location for retail should take into account a comprehensive analysis of promising locations based on a number of interrelated factors:

• transport accessibility
• interests of the brand's target audience
• consumer behavior
• population density by location (community)
• car traffic
• pedestrian traffic
• other related factors, such as crime rates, transport accident rates, etc.

Smart Indexes Solution for Retail

Specifically for the task of expanding retail trade, Smart Indexes offers a comprehensive solution adapted to the customer's requirements, taking into account the available open data from Dubai Pulse and analytical indices calculated at the level of empirical dependencies of open metrics for conducting a comprehensive geoanalysis on the map of Dubai according to the scenario agreed with the Customer for selecting locations for opening retail outlets.

Meeting Demo

A corporate demo is available upon request. Please contact Smart Indexes through our communication channels.

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