Page 22 - RLIJune2026
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COVER STORY
s the global retail and leisure
industry continues to evolve at pace,
the most successful destinations are
RLI Connect Global 2026 offer or commercial scale. Increasingly, they are
A no longer defined purely by retail
Destinations being shaped by emotion, immersion and the
ability to create meaningful human connection.
Across the globe, owners, developers and
brands are reimagining traditional models to
create immersive mixed-use ecosystems where
Reimagined retail, hospitality, entertainment, culture and
wellness seamlessly converge. Consumers are
increasingly drawn to destinations that feel enga-
ging, social and culturally relevant - places desig-
ned around lifestyle, discovery and connection
rather than transaction alone.
It is within this rapidly changing landscape
that RLI Connect Global 2026 will take place
As retail, leisure, hospitality and culture from 21-24 September 2026 at St James’ Park,
continue to converge, the industry’s most home of Newcastle United Football Club,
influential leaders are rethinking what bringing together an influential international
defines a successful destination. Ahead of community of owners, developers, investors,
retailers and operators shaping the future of
RLI Connect Global 2026 in Newcastle, RLI experience-led growth.
Owner & Publisher Jayne Rafter explores Presented by RLI - Retail & Leisure
how experience-led environments, cross- International Magazine and held in association
border collaboration and evolving consumer with Strategic Partners Cenomi Centers and
Sands Retail, this year’s edition of RLI Connect
expectations are reshaping the future of Global will incorporate elements of the postponed
destination development on a global scale. RLI Connect MENA event, originally due to take
place in Riyadh in April. As a result, the Newcastle
gathering will bring together an even broader
international audience of owners, developers,
investors, retailers and operators from across
Europe, the GCC, Asia and the Americas.
“Global markets are now more interconnected
than ever before,” says Jayne Rafter, Owner &
Publisher of RLI. “The conversations shaping
the future of retail and leisure are now truly
international. Capital, brands, ideas and
experiences are moving fluidly across borders
and destinations are increasingly being shaped
through collaboration between multiple sectors
and international stakeholders.”
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22 Retail & Leisure International June 2026
