.svg)
Mall Momentum Continues in H2 2026
Malls' H1 2026 momentum continued going into the second half of the year, with year-over-year (YoY) visits to shopping centers up across all three formats analyzed (indoor, open-air, and outlet) in July 2026. Open-air shopping centers – which have led the category since the beginning of the year – continued their outperformance, with YoY traffic up 5.1%, followed closely by indoor malls (+4.3%). Outlet malls, which spent much of last year trailing 2024 levels, posted a 0.5% increase in traffic – a notable showing given their slightly more modest audience profile and still-elevated gas prices.
Mall Engagement on the Rise
Even more encouraging for malls, however, may be the shift in visitor behavior. Between February and June 2026, average dwell time declined YoY across all three mall formats even as visits grew – suggesting that much of the traffic increase came from task-oriented shopping behavior, which limited opportunities for cross-shopping and dining. But July saw a reversal of the trend, with average dwell time up across all three mall formats – indicating that shoppers are once again spending more time at malls, creating greater opportunities for incremental spending.
Strong Fundamentals Ahead of Back-to-School & the Holiday Season
July's combination of rising visits and longer dwell times suggests that shopping centers are not only attracting more consumers but also creating more opportunities for discretionary spending—a positive signal for retailers and landlords alike. If this shift in engagement persists through the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons, it could support stronger tenant performance and reinforce demand for experiential merchandising, dining, and entertainment that encourages shoppers to stay longer.
.avif)
