Thursday, 27 November 2025
Nhood has released the first dedicated study on the active entertainment market within Romanian shopping centers: “Beyond Retail: Mapping the Growth of Active Entertainment in Romania’s Shopping Malls – The shift from pure retail to experience-driven destinations.”
Conducted across 60 shopping centers with a cumulative gross leasable area of over 2.7 million square meters, the study maps 116 distinct entertainment formats operated by 54 providers. It highlights a rapidly expanding sector marked by diversification, professionalization, and increasing sophistication. The research conceptually differentiates between active and passive forms of entertainment, aligning with industry best practices, and focuses specifically on documenting active entertainment formats and models.
“The entertainment sector within shopping malls is enjoying rapid growth, fundamentally redefining the relevance of a commercial center. However, the market lacked concrete data to guide industry players in their investment decisions or development strategies. Nhood took the initiative to conduct the first study of its kind in the market, a necessary step to professionalize the sector and facilitate the development of more competitive, well-founded projects better adapted to current trends. As the analyzed data revealed, we are no longer talking about a complementary service, but an engine of the overall experience – an essential differentiator in attracting visitors and transforming malls into leisure destinations. Nhood will continue to support the industry’s evolution through data, expertise, and initiatives that foster innovation,” stated Bogdan Aldea, Head of Business Development at Nhood Romania.
The analyzed data indicates significant growth potential for the entertainment market in the coming years, driven by a structural shift in how visitors perceive and use commercial spaces. Furthermore, the active entertainment component within shopping malls was valued at €28–30 million in 2024, excluding competitive socializing venues (bowling, billiards, table tennis, etc.), which are also growing rapidly.
According to the Nhood study, Romania is experiencing its most dynamic period in the history of its active entertainment sector, which is defined by experiences that involve visitor participation – from playgrounds and arcade games to immersive attractions and Family Entertainment Centers. The data points to a clear trend toward sophistication, modernization, and diversification as malls redefine their role from simple commercial hubs to genuine recreation and socialization destinations.
Currently, 95% of the analyzed malls integrate at least one active entertainment component, and the market is almost three times larger compared to 2019.
