The International Council of Shopping Centers’ is taking its Outlet Centre Conference to Milan for the first time. The event is being held on 14 & 15 October at the Starhotels Business Palace, Milan.

The International Council of Shopping Centers’ is taking its Outlet Centre Conference to Milan for the first time. The event is being held on 14 & 15 October at the Starhotels Business Palace, Milan.

The ICSC said that the conference, now in its fourth year, is becoming the 'must-attend' event for the European outlet industry as the concept of Outlet Centre Retailing spreads from its traditional home in North West Europe and into Central and Eastern European countries.

Outlet Centres have traditionally traded counter-cyclically, performing well in previous recessions as shoppers seek to buy what they want for less. Leading developers will discusss whether this trend is holding true during the current global recession. They will highlight what gives outlet centre retailing the edge above tradional shopping centres and how it can be sustained for the future.

Leading outlet centre retailers (including major luxury brands), developers, investors and fund managers will be speaking at this event, which offers professionals in this niche industry the opportunity to discuss important topics often overlooked at other, less focussed, retail industry conferences.

New outlet centres and those yet to be opened will be showcased during the conference, and experienced outlet centre retailers will discuss what really drives outlet centre footfall.