FootFall Experian is preparing announce the launch of Hong Kong's first ever Retail FootFall Index. The index, already established in markets such as the UK, indexes the total number of visits to retail shopping malls across the city.

Having consolidated their market position as leading distributors of their people counting technology to Hong Kong's shopping malls, Footfall are now confident that they have a access to a representative sample. "We have verified that 70 percent of 15-64 year olds in Hong Kong have visited a mall where we are present," explains Yannick Kennel, General Manager, FootFall Experian Asia Pacific.

In the UK, the index is regarded as the industry standard for measuring shopper visit, and is used by the Bank of England as an indicator of economic performance and consumer sentiment when adjusting the interest rate.

The Hong Kong index, Kennel believes, will be a valuable benchmark for retailers and mall developers and landlords alike. "The index can be used as a benchmark to evaluate marketing campaigns and as a management tool to determine seasonal staffing levels," he says.

The number of visitors also has implications for rental rates. Noting that initial figures show an increasing trend Kennel is frank that for retailers in Hong Kong, "It doesn't look like there'll be any decrease in rental prices soon, there has been a sustained increase in footfall." RFP