Drivers for increasing attractiveness of commercial centers

Commercial centers play an important role in the complex ecosystem of cities. Although improving the attractiveness of commercial centers is a fundamental factor for their success, few works address the drivers that contribute to this improvement. This study has two objectives: (1) to research the main drivers that increase the attractiveness of commercial centers; (2) to prioritize these drivers from the perspective of professionals with experience in the concerned field and users of commercial centers. We conducted a wide and detailed literature review, in which 14 potential drivers were identified, and a survey with 47 professionals and 137 users. The results showed that the fourteen divers were considered important by the survey respondents, of which four were considered the most important. By exploring the concepts related to drivers and their degree of importance, this work contributes to the decision-making process of investors about the characteristics and functionalities of the building to be adopted. It also contributes to the improvement of meeting the expectations and needs of users.