The entertainment sector in Saudi Arabia is experiencing unprecedented growth as part of Vision 2030. In January 2023, Mohammed bin Salman announced Diriyah as the fifth giga-project under the PIF’s umbrella. Diriyah, located on the outskirts of Riyadh, joins a list of already announced giga-projects, including Neom, The Red Sea, Qiddiya, and Roshn. These projects are not only large in scale but are also strategically designed to foster economic diversification, create jobs, and attract international tourists and investors. In addition to these giga-projects, Saudi Arabia is also developing several other significant initiatives. For instance, Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), a subsidiary of Qiddiya, is investing a staggering $13 billion to develop 21 entertainment destinations across the kingdom. Other notable projects include AlUla, which is being developed as the world’s largest living museum, and Amaala, a luxury destination focused on wellness and sustainable tourism. Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry has seen rapid growth since the kingdom opened its doors to international tourists in 2019. By 2022, the country had recorded 93.5 million visits, making it one of the fastest-growing tourism markets globally. The kingdom aims to reach 100 million visits annually by 2030, a target that seems increasingly achievable given the current pace of development and investment. Since Vision 2030 was launched in 2016, Saudi Arabia has awarded construction contracts worth a total of $250 billion. According to Knight Frank’s 2023 Saudi Giga Projects report, the kingdom has initiated approximately $1.25 trillion worth of real estate and infrastructure projects, underscoring the scale and ambition of Vision 2030.
Qiddiya
Qiddiya, a mega entertainment city under construction near Riyadh, is poised to become the largest entertainment city in the world, surpassing even Walt Disney World in Florida. Developed by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) with a master plan by the renowned architectural firm Bjarke Ingels Group, Qiddiya promises to be a groundbreaking destination offering over 300 facilities, including theme parks, water parks, and a sports city.
There will be nature and adventure experiences, and events and cultural attractions. In addition, Qiddiya will boast shopping outlets, F&B strips, a performing arts theater, a multiplex cinema, an aquatic center, and a motorsports facility. “This is a super exciting project,” Philippe Gas, a Disney veteran and CEO of Qiddiya, told a source. “It is the world’s biggest venture when it comes to entertainment, sport, arts, all together and integrated. This has never been done before. So the complexity of it is exciting,” Gas said. “It is almost three times the size of Walt Disney World. It is huge. This is a place that will, by its size, offer people days of entertainment.”
Bigger than Walt Disney World
In February 2022, Qiddiya awarded a $750 million construction contract for Aquarabia, the first water park in Saudi Arabia and the largest in the Middle East. Located within Qiddiya City, Aquarabia will feature record-breaking attractions, including the world’s tallest water coaster and the world’s longest mat racer. The park is being developed with the expertise of Falcon’s Creative Group, while Dewan Architects + Engineers serve as the lead design consultants. WhiteWater, a leading waterpark manufacturer, will deliver 22 exhilarating rides and attractions, many of which will set new records in the industry.
Another highlight of Qiddiya is the $1 billion Six Flags Qiddiya City, which will be the largest and most expensive Six Flags theme park ever built. Spread across 79 acres and divided into six themed lands, the park will offer 28 rides and attractions. Among these is Falcons Flight, the world’s tallest, longest, and fastest roller coaster, which is being designed in collaboration with Intamin, a company known for creating record-breaking amusement rides.
The anticipation surrounding Falcons Flight has been building since the ride was first announced. Philippe Gas noted that roller coaster enthusiasts around the world are eagerly awaiting its debut, as there is nothing quite like it anywhere else. The coaster will dominate Qiddiya’s skyline, offering breathtaking views as it weaves through the park, ascends a cliffside, and plummets down the cliff face in what will be the greatest drop of any ride in the world.
Six Flags Qiddiya City will also feature other world first attractions, including Sirocco Tower, the world’s tallest free-standing shot tower ride, and Gyrospin, the world’s tallest pendulum ride. The park’s diverse lands—Steam Town, Twilight Gardens, Discovery Springs, City Thrills, Valley of Fortune, and Grand Exposition—will each offer unique experiences, from interactive dark rides to immersive water attractions. The development of Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia is expected to be completed by 2025. These attractions are part of the broader Qiddiya City development, which will serve as a hub for entertainment, sports, and culture. The city’s construction is already underway, with contracts worth SAR 10 billion ($2.6 billion) awarded so far.
Dragon Ball theme park
Qiddiya City will also be home to the world’s first Dragon Ball theme park, a 500,000-square-meter destination with seven areas themed to iconic locations from the original series. The park will feature more than 30 attractions, including five state-of-the-art rides. Also, a 70-meter-high figure of Shenron (the magical dragon from the Dragon Ball series) containing a large-scale roller coaster is planned for the site.
Neom: A Vision of the Future
Neom is perhaps the most ambitious of all the giga-projects under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Announced in 2017, this $50 billion project aims to create a futuristic city that is 33 times the size of New York City and nearly the size of Belgium. Neom will be home to cognitive cities, advanced research centers, entertainment venues, and tourist destinations. Saudi officials have described Neom as “the world’s most ambitious project,” with plans to welcome around one million visitors by 2025 and five million by 2030.
Neom’s CEO, Nadhmi Al-Nasr, emphasized the project’s goal of addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity. Neom aims to bring together a community of the brightest minds to reimagine what a sustainable future will look like in 20 to 30 years and to start building that future today. “We are redefining the future now. Neom is open for business,” Al-Nasr said.
A $500 Billion ‘Land of the Future’
Neom’s first luxury island, Sindalah, is set to open in early 2024. Spanning approximately 840,000 square meters, Sindalah will offer a marina, a golf course, a beach club, and a yacht club, along with luxury hotels and F&B outlets. Another key development within Neom is The Line, a revolutionary zero-carbon city with vertically layered buildings designed for work, living, and leisure. The Line will stretch over 105 miles and rise 500 meters above sea level, with residents able to access all facilities within a five-minute walk.
Other notable destinations within Neom include Trojena, a mountain resort with a ski village, wellness retreats, and a nature reserve; Octagon, an octagonal floating port city; and various other hubs like Treyam, Leyja, and Epicon. These areas will each offer unique attractions and experiences, from immersive art and entertainment to cutting-edge research and development centers.
The Line, in particular, represents a bold reimagining of urban life. It will vertically layer homes, offices, parks, and pedestrian areas within two mirrored facades that run parallel for over 105 miles. The city will be just 200 meters wide and will operate entirely on renewable energy, making it a model for sustainable urban development.
Despite reports suggesting that plans for The Line had been scaled back, Saudi Arabia’s economy minister, Faisal Al Ibrahim, confirmed in May 2024 that all projects within Neom are proceeding as planned. “We set out to do something unprecedented, and we’re doing something unprecedented—we will deliver something that’s unprecedented,” Al Ibrahim said, reaffirming that the scale of Neom’s projects remains unchanged.
Neom aims to become the world’s most competitive free zone, with plans to incorporate innovative technologies such as electric flying taxis and ships. The project also includes the world’s largest coral garden at Shushah Island, further underscoring its commitment to sustainability and environmental conservation.
The Red Sea: A Sustainable Luxury Destination
Red Sea Global, formerly known as the Red Sea Project, is another major giga-project within Vision 2030, focusing on luxury, sustainability, and innovation. The Red Sea is on track to welcome its first visitors in 2023 and is being billed as the world’s most sustainable luxury tourism destination. Located along Saudi Arabia’s west coast, The Red Sea project covers 28,000 square kilometers of land, including coral reefs, desert canyons, dormant volcanoes, and archaeological sites. John Pagano, the CEO of Red Sea Global, emphasized the responsibility to protect and enhance the extraordinary natural beauty of the region for future generations. Red Sea Global aims to build 50 resorts along the Red Sea coast by 2030, with each resort committed to environmental protection. The company has already been awarded over.
Seven
saudi seven entertainment destinations As well as Saudi Arabia’s giga-projects, the country has many smaller projects – still worth billions – on the go. Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), for example, is investing $13bn in the development of 21 entertainment destinations. These will be in 14 cities in the kingdom. Leading the team at Seven is CEO and former Disney executive, Bill Ernest. Seven, now a subsidiary of Qiddiya Investment Company, has secured partnerships with companies including Mattel, Hasbro and Warner Bros. Discovery. The new entertainment destinations will be located in Riyadh, Kharj, Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, Dammam, Khobar, Al Ahsa, Madinah, Yanbu, Abha, Jazan, Buraidah, and Tabuk. It’s Showtime. Introducing our new powerhouse projectors from Digital Projection
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Abdullah Al-Dawood, Seven’s chairman, said the group is “redefining the future of entertainment in Saudi Arabia”. He added: “We are partnering with leading entertainment brands. We will continue to do so to develop entertainment destinations like no other. We believe that the entertainment sector in Saudi Arabia is full of opportunities. These will play an important role in the growth of the local economy.”
Seven’s new venues will include FECs, Discovery Adventures edutainment attractions, an e-karting experience under Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand, and a new Transformers-themed coaster. There will also be a Clip ‘n Climb climbing experience, a futuristic bowling experience, cinemas, F&B and retail outlets.
AlUla
AlUla, billed as the world’s largest living museum, is another major attraction for Saudi Arabia, though not a giga-project. The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) is investing $5.2bn in the first phase of AlUla. This is set to complete in 2023. The $15bn AlUla project will be created in three phases in 2023, 2030 and 2035. RCU is working alongside the French government agency Afalula on the development.
There is an extraordinary volume of work ongoing in AlUla by both local and international archaeological teams. However, we are only just beginning to understand the complexity of AlUla’s past,” said Rebecca Foote, director of archaeology and cultural heritage research at RCU. “AlUla is a true hidden gem in the Arabian Peninsula, and we are slowly revealing its secrets.”
AlUla is located close to Saudi’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra. This was opened to the public for the first time in 2020. AlUla’s first masterplan was unveiled in 2021 by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. It includes five unique districts, five heritage sites, 15 cultural assets and museums, 10 million square metres of green spaces, and 5,000 hotel rooms.
