Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All Public Company News
      • All Multimedia News
      • View All News Releases

      • Regulatory News

      • D/A/CH Regulatory News
      • UK Regulatory News
      • View All Regulatory News

  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads & Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking & Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers & Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalisation
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls & Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil & Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defence
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking & Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers & Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines & Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics & Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture & Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewellery
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film & Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks & Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels & Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Animal Welfare
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Economic News, Trends & Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • Labour & Union
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Public Safety
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • SocialBoost
  • Rooms
    • MediaRoom
    • ESG Rooms
  • AI Tools
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PR Newswire UK provides press release distribution, targeting, monitoring, and marketing services
  • Send a Release
    • Phone

    • +44 (0)20 7454 5110 from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us

      +44 (0)20 7454 5110
      from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT

  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • News in Focus
    • Browse News Releases
    • Regulatory News
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
    • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Overview
  • Distribution
  • Paid Placement
  • Multimedia
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®
  • AI Tools
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships
  • Client Login
  • Send a Release
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists

Riyadh Season Set to Transform Saudi Capital Into the Middle East's Entertainment Hub With Over 100 Events and Experiences


News provided by

Riyadh Season

29 Oct, 2019, 13:50 GMT

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Spanning 66 days under the leadership of H.E. Turki Al-Sheikh, the largest entertainment event in the Kingdom's history will drive tourism, job creation and economic growth

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Riyadh, the capital of the largest economy in the Middle East, has opened its doors to the world like never before, with the launch of Riyadh Season, the biggest cultural and entertainment program in Saudi Arabia's history. The biggest of 11 such events, planned as part of the Saudi Seasons initiative, the 66-day Riyadh Season is already underway and will run until 15 December 2019, offering over 100 exciting activities and allowing residents and tourists the opportunity to explore, experience and embrace Saudi Arabia in a different light.

Continue Reading
This image opens in the lightbox
Riyadh Season Fireworks
This image opens in the lightbox
Riyadh Season People

Riyadh Season builds on the Saudi Vision 2030 goal of establishing the entertainment industry as a key component of the national economy, and offers unprecedented opportunities for locals, residents, and visitors to enjoy world-class entertainment and activities across 12 themed zones spread around the city.

Under the supervision and leadership of His Excellency Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al-Sheikh, Chairman of General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of Riyadh Season, Riyadh Season is set to welcome more than 5 million visitors to the Saudi capital, boosting tourism and further enhancing the Kingdom's status as an attractive destination for travelers from around the world. With more than 40,000 hotel rooms across the city already booked, the abundant interest and influx of visitors has been supported by the recent launch of tourism visas for citizens from 51 countries, making the Kingdom more accessible than ever before.

"Riyadh Season is not just an event, it is a blockbuster initiative to truly introduce Riyadh and Saudi Arabia to the world and put the spotlight on its rich heritage, culture and diversity. It is a movement that will have an unfathomable impact in terms of defining the history of the country and shaping its future. The hospitality, traditions, talent and opportunities in the Kingdom are second to none, and we are excited to showcase this to the world. The Season is not just an assortment of events and activities, rather the intention and efforts go far beyond – it is all about creating memorable experiences that will be fondly reminisced. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone with open arms and placing Saudi Arabia firmly on the map as a leading entertainment destination," said Eng. Faisal Bafarat, CEO of GEA and Head of Riyadh Season.

"Hosting concerts from leading international artists such as BTS underlines the scope of our ambitions, while the inclusion of several Saudi superstars and homegrown talent showcases the best of local culture on the global stage. Both visitors and residents alike can now discover Riyadh, and Saudi Arabia, in unique and innovative ways," added Bafarat.

Saudi Arabia is home to over 33 million people, including nine million in the capital and its neighboring provinces alone. As the Kingdom's entertainment sector continues to flourish, demand is steadily growing for high-quality events that meet the evolving preferences of its citizens, particularly the youth. This surge of interest is reflected in the unprecedented speed at which tickets for performances from local, regional and international artists have been purchased by music fans.

More than 60% of tickets for the BTS concert at the 67,000 capacity King Fahd Stadium were snapped up within just a few hours, with fans traveling from all corners of the globe to witness the K-pop stars in action. Meanwhile, opening weekend performances from Egyptian singer Tamer Hosny and Lebanese star Nancy Ajram sold out in less than six hours. Events such as poetry evenings are also drawing large audiences, highlighting a thoughtful approach to programming that ensures Riyadh Season's myriad offerings have universal appeal, taking into account the diverse entertainment preferences of the different age and socioeconomic groups in the area.

Bafarat continued: "It was very important for us to create a truly inclusive program of events by catering to all generations, interests, and budgets. Each of the 12 zones has been carefully designed to offer all-day entertainment options, creating memorable experiences that encourage visitors to keep coming back for more. We are proud of what we have achieved to date and remain committed to the development of a thriving and sustainable entertainment ecosystem that will enable the Kingdom to emerge as a global entertainment hub, in line with the ambitions of Vision 2030."

The first Riyadh Season program will directly result in the creation of more than 46,000 job opportunities including full-time, seasonal, and volunteer work. GEA has a specialized department tasked with developing careers within the entertainment industry for Saudi nationals, together with a local content program that provides comprehensive assistance through scholarships, internships, and an online training academy.

Riyadh Season offers many exciting opportunities for Saudi businesses. More than 100 local small enterprises are set to benefit from their participation at the Ana Arabiah exhibition, representing half of the total vendors. Meanwhile, 80 new Saudi companies with business capacities and budgets in excess of SAR 1 million are taking part, providing growth opportunities that extend beyond service offerings and into strategy development. International and regional businesses working during the season are also expected to contribute to the development of indigenous talent, further enhancing the local content. In addition, the preparations for Riyadh Season have helped to boost the local real-estate sector and resulted in a general rise in economic activity throughout the capital and surrounding areas.

Saudi Arabia's biggest-ever event has already garnered sponsorships totaling over SAR 400 million, more than any sports or entertainment event in the Kingdom's history. This figure is expected to exceed SAR 1 billion over the course of the 66-day mega-event, underlining Riyadh Season's huge economic impact. Work is also underway to extend certain elements of Riyadh Season's activities and programs until Q1 2020, further consolidating the related infrastructure development that is taking place across the city.

The expanded and improved infrastructure includes upgraded roads and the construction of a state-of-the-art metro link to further enhance connectivity for visitors. These are complemented by cutting-edge facilities such as the recently opened Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center, which is three times the size of Riyadh's previous largest events space and provides a world-class venue for prestigious exhibitions and entertainment events of all kinds.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1019298/Riyadh_Season_Fireworks.jpg  
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1019299/Riyadh_Season_People.jpg

Modal title

Contact PR Newswire

  • +44 (0)20 7454 5110
    from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • General Enquiries
  • Media Enquiries
  • Partnerships

Products

  • Content Distribution
  • Multimedia Services
  • Disclosure Services
  • Cision Communications Cloud®

About

  • About PR Newswire
  • About Cision
  • Partnering Opportunities
  • Careers
  • APAC
  • APAC - Simplified Chinese
  • APAC - Traditional Chinese
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Czech
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Mexico
  • Middle East
  • Middle East - Arabic
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Slovakia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • United States
  • Vietnam

My Services

  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
  • Data Privacy

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via Privacy@cision.com 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact PR Newswire

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Customer Portal
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Journalists
+44 (0)20 7454 5110
from 8 AM - 5:30 PM GMT
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Information Security Policy
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 PR Newswire Europe Limited. All Rights Reserved. A Cision company.