The Saudi Entertainment and Amusements Expo (SEA) 2023 took place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre from 28 – 30 May. The Middle East’s leading gathering of leisure and entertainment professionals, the SEA Expo 2023 was the biggest to date, with over 200 exhibitors.
Sponsors for the event included SEVEN and Al Hokair Group (both platinum), Embed (lanyards), Shipping Monster (conference), Semnox (badges) and the TEA. Blooloop was a media partner.
This fifth SEA Expo was opened by the chairman of Al Hokair group, Majid Al Hokair together with Mohamed Attia, Al Hokair Group’s GM-Entertainment.
In his speech, Majid Al Hokair said that the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was set to “become the main entertainment hub in the Middle East”. He also mentioned how the SEA Expo had grown over the years and was now an important fixture in the global attractions industry.
Giga Projects and Vision 2030
The background to SEA Expo 2023 is that Saudi Arabia is ramping up development of its entertainment, cultural and leisure market into a multi-billion dollar economy as part of its social and economic blueprint Vision 2030, and in doing so transforming the country into a major international tourist destination.
It plans to invest USD 64 billion in the leisure and entertainment market from 2020 to 2030. as a result, the industry is set to grow at an annual rate of 47.65%. They also expect the sector to be worth approximately USD 1.17 billion by 2030.
A key aim of this year’s SEA Expo was to highlight these investment plans and initiatives. Central to these plans are the 5 “Giga projects”, which form a major part of the Vision 2030.
Underwritten by the nation’s PIF, or Public Investment Fund, these are a series of large-scale development initiatives aimed at diversifying the country’s economy, creating jobs, and attracting foreign investment.
The Giga Projects are Neom, Red Sea, Qiddiya and Roshn. Diriyah, which I was fortunate enough to visit, was recently added to the list when Mohammad bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, confirmed it as the PIF’s fifth giga-project.
Progress on the Red Sea projects has been remarkable, especially with the challenges posed by the pandemic. As CEO John Pagano recently told Blooloop, sustainability has been embedded in the project from the start.
In addition, there are plenty of other major projects in development. Further projects include AlUla, the world’s largest living museum, and Amaala, a luxury development with a focus on wellness.
Diriyah
Located on the edge of Riyadh, Diriyah is the latest giga-project. Known as The Kingdom’s crown jewel and home to the first Saudi dynasty, the UNESCO World Heritage site is undergoing a $50-billion revamp.
I was fortunate enough to visit the site, where an impressive visitor centre neatly puts the historic site in context.
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority is redeveloping the “birthplace of the Kingdom” into a world-class and sustainable tourism, entertainment and cultural destination.
Diriyah’s mud-brick walls once contained a thriving desert city that was a business and cultural powerhouse in the region. The Turaif district was the original seat of power for the Kingdom’s Al-Saud family. In 1727, the city was named the country’s capital. This laid the foundations for what would later become a unified Saudi Arabia.
SEA Expo 2023 exhibitors
Exhibitors, left to right. Top row: Premier Rides, Lagotronics, ADG. Bottom row: Semnox, SEP Productions, Simtec.
Over 200 exhibitors showcased their skills, services and products on the show floor at SEA Expo 2023. You can see a full run down of the exhibitors here.
Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN), had a prominent booth at the Expo and was a platinum sponsor. A wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) it is investing SAR 50 billion ($13 billion) in the development of 21 entertainment destinations across 14 cities.
Seven is set to transform the entertainment sector in Saudi. It recently bought the AMC Entertainment Holdings’ equity stake in Saudi Cinema Company (SCC) for $30 million.
Exhibitors, left to right. Top row: Subsea Systems, Triotech, Great Coasters. Bottom row: Kraftwerk, M&V, Red Raion.
SEA Expo 2023 conference sessions
The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) hosted a panel titled “Themed Attractions 101”. Speakers Paul Kent, VP of global business development at Mad Systems Inc., Louis Alfieri from Raven Sun Creative, Jill Wu, president/chairman of the board at Yaox Entertainment, Rick Hunter, president and CEO of ProSlide Technology Inc. and Val Syganevich of Freckled Sky discussed what they thought vital when creating successful attractions.
Rick Hunter thought the buzzing market in Saudi reminded him of the early days of water park development in North America. Jill Wu stressed the importance of a good management. Louis Alfieri said that “radical transparency” was vital and Val Syganevich said that “synchronising with the client is the most important thing about a successful project”.
Paul Kent concluded the session on an existential note.
In a session looking at “The Entertainment Logistics Shipping Experience”, Robert Aspinall, CEO and founder of The Shipping Monster along with Travis Kline, Regional Director Of Operations in the Middle East at WhiteWater, and Amer Abou Zour, head of commercial at Al Hokair Group discussed the challenges faced when transporting goods overseas, made all the more more acute by the recent pandemic.
Good communication was the key to a smooth relationship said Amer Abou Zour. Travis Kline agreed, “talk early and talk often” he said.
An exciting opportunity
With its rich history and culture, young and vibrant population and a rapidly growing entertainment and leisure market, Saudi represents an exciting opportunity for companies involved in the sector. The SEA Expo looks set to be right at the heart of this development.
