Maluku’s capital Ambon City has got a new mall: Ambon City Center, the province’s largest shopping mall.

Developed by Bliss Group, a family-owned enterprise with roots in Indonesia but founded in the US, the two-storey Ambon City Center will be anchored by retailer Hypermart.

“We believe in the next five years Maluku province, especially Ambon, will become a promising business center for Indonesian investors,” said Isaac Bliss Tanihaha, chairman of Bliss Group.

Apart from retail spaces, Ambon City Center will also house hotels, sports stadium and convention centre. While Bliss Group did not disclose the amount it invested in the project, it said that the shopping mall will give the city’s residents access to varieties of products who travel 900 kilometers to Makassar in South Sulawesi for shopping.

Although Maluku and Papua regions are considered less developed than other regions in the western part of the country, it is predicted that the province will gain an economic growth of 5.7 per cent this year.

Maluku has a catchment of 2.4 million residents who are potential customers for Ambon City Center.

GB