After the first three weeks of post-lockdown business, Sicilia Outlet Village has made its restart with optimism and enthusiasm. It is offering numerous initiatives to its customers and guaranteeing maximum safety in the village for an enjoyable and comfortable outdoor shopping experience. 

To make shopping more fluid, Sicilia Outlet Village is about to launch a ‘Priority Entry’ service, enabling customers to book entry to their favourite stores in advance, via the Village’s website, specifying date and time, to avoid having to queue. Village customers will be able to view a full list of brands offering this service and consult the calendar to see if their desired shopping date and time are available. 

To book a shopping session, customers simply need to register with the site and confirm their booking with a simple click. They will then receive e-mail confirmation along with a QR code which will enable the store to identify them, so they can use a priority entrance to bypass any queuing. 

Bookings may also be made from within  the  Village itself by pointing a smartphone at the special QR codes on store windows to access the online booking system. 

An exclusive ‘loyalty programme’ will also be launched. By simply making purchases, a registered customer will be able to collect points, giving them access to the various levels of the programme (platinum, gold, silver) and thus take part in draws for numerous prizes and benefits offered by prestige partners. 

This initiative, in partnership with other businesses representing the territory’s best in the hospitality and food service sectors, but also well-being, sport and tourism, will give the Village’s customers a chance to enjoy unique and unforgettable experiences: star-chef dinners, five-star beauty sessions, exclusive hotels, tastings at top local wineries, professional workshops, excursions and guided tours to discover the beauties of Sicily. 

“In the first weeks after reopening, Sicilia Outlet Village recorded an increase in local customer flow well beyond expectations, peaking at over 40 per cent. These results are the fruit of relationships of trust built up over the years with our customers,” commented Sicilia Outlet Village’s management, “and show that we are a consolidated and recognised shopping destination. Further, at this rather particular time, customers feel reassured by the numerous safety measures adopted to safeguard their health, and that of our employees, and can calmly enjoy their open-air shopping experience on the Village’s boulevards.” 

Inside the Village, distancing is guaranteed by special signage, new rest areas have been provided to ensure correct distancing in the food service points and leisure terraces, and there are columns dispensing hand-cleansing gel along the boulevards and outside stores and bars. 

Access to the Village is only allowed if a mask is used. Masks for adults and kids and single-use gloves for customers can be picked up free-of-charge at the Infopoint by anyone arriving without them. 

Further, sanitisation and cleaning of all outdoor spaces and communal areas were carried out ahead of the reopening and continue to be carried out on a regular basis. 

Lastly, additional surveillance is being deployed to continually check on the aforementioned measures and to avoid gatherings. 

“The outlook for summer 2020 is positive, considering the exceptional situation Italy finds itself in,” the Village’s management said. 

“The return of international tourists to Sicily is imminent, from neighbouring countries, starting with visitors incoming from Malta. What’s more, Sicily will be the first region in Italy to open the summer sales this year, on July I, a month ahead of the rest of the country. We’re expecting this to be an added attraction for tourists, on top of the countless beauties and excellences the island has to offer.”