Brief
New Africa Developments urges retailers to adopt hospitality‑focused experience
The CEO of New Africa Developments says retail owners must look beyond bricks and focus on people, safety and experience.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Japie van Niekerk, chief executive of New Africa Developments (NAD), argues that retail centres should adopt a hospitality‑style mindset, treating shoppers the way hotels treat guests, according to a Bizcommunity article published on 12 October 2026.
What happened
NAD, which owns a portfolio that includes shopping centres and the Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, is promoting a shift from viewing properties merely as buildings to viewing them as experiences for people. Van Niekerk says the approach involves examining how visitors arrive, move through, and feel within a space, ensuring they feel safe, comfortable and valued.
What the reports add
The article explains that hospitality, at its best, is deliberately curated—from arrival and service to the physical environment and small details that shape perception. NAD does not intend to turn malls into luxury lodges; rather, it wants to apply the same intentional thinking to retail environments. Practical examples cited include cleanliness, landscaping, signage, security, frontline service quality, intuitive navigation and comfortable pause areas.
What was said
“Whether someone is visiting a shopping centre for groceries or travelling across the world for a luxury safari, they are looking for an experience that feels welcoming and effortless,” van Niekerk told Bizcommunity.
“Hospitality is not limited to hotels or lodges. It is an attitude. It is about making people feel welcome, comfortable, safe and valued every time they interact with one of our properties,” he added.
How it came about
The shift stems from NAD’s dual exposure to retail and hospitality through its ownership of both shopping centres and a private game reserve. Van Niekerk says traditional retail metrics such as trading performance, footfall and tenant mix remain vital, but experience adds a new layer of questions about emotional response, gathering points for families and incentives for longer stays.
Key facts
- New Africa Developments owns both shopping centres and the Cheetah Plains Private Game Reserve. (bizcommunity.com)
- CEO Japie van Niekerk says retail should focus on people’s experience, safety and comfort. (bizcommunity.com)
- Hospitality mindset includes attention to cleanliness, signage, security and comfortable pause areas. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “Beyond buildings: What retail can learn from a hospitality mindset - Catchwords”
