Middle East Archives

Middle east

The Middle East is a vast geopolitical region spanning south-western Asia and northern Africa. 18 countries are traditionally included within this area, including Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.

The attractions industry in the Middle East has been growing rapidly in recent years, and some of its most popular attractions include the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

With significant investment in the development of theme parks and water parks, museums, and zoos, the region has become home to some of the world’s most innovative and exciting attractions, typified by the use of technology to enhance the visitor experience.

Several large-scale projects are set to further transform the attractions industry in the Middle East. For example, Saudi Arabia’s array of giga-projects and attractions are part of the Public Investment Fund’s (PIF) Vision 2030 and are designed to stimulate the economy. The Qiddiya project is one of the giga-projects and is set to become the world’s largest entertainment city, with attractions such as theme parks, water parks, and sports facilities.

The Neom project, also in Saudi Arabia, is a futuristic $500 billion tourism development that will feature attractions such as an artificial moon and a Jurassic Park-style island.

Miral, a developer of immersive attractions and experiences in Abu Dhabi, announced projects worth over AED 13 billion ($3.4bn) in 2022. The group is responsible for the design, development, and management of leisure, entertainment, and cultural destinations and experiences both on Yas Island and across Abu Dhabi. It oversees sites including Warner Bros. World, Ferrari World, and SeaWorld.