USD 347m entertainment destination incoming in Saudi Arabia’s Aseer

Dhaka: Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, is developing a USD 346.6 million entertainment destination in the region of Aseer as part of its efforts to diversify the Kingdom.

The development—Seven Abha—is spread across 64,000 sqm with a built-up area of over 79,000 sqm. It is the company's fifth such project in the Kingdom, said Seven on November 26, as per reports.

Seven Abha will feature eight attractions, including a family entertainment centre with arcade games, rides and virtual reality areas. It will also have a Discovery Adventures jungle-themed attraction, a Play-Doh themed entertainment centre and a 12-hole indoor golf adventure area. A multipurpose venue will host live events, while the project will also have indoor e-karting on multilevel tracks, a 10-lane futuristic bowling concept, a 10-screen cinema from AMC as well as retail and food and beverage offerings.

The project is forecast to contribute over SAR 4 billion to the gross domestic product and attract over five million visitors by 2030, while also creating "hundreds" of direct and indirect jobs in Aseer, added reports citing Seven.

Reports cited Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chairman of Aseer Development Authority, saying, "Seven's entertainment destination in Abha is one of the key projects in Aseer which will support our ambition to become a global destination all year round.”

Tourism is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s diversification plan. It seeks to raise the economic contribution of the tourism sector from 3 per cent of GDP to 10 per cent by 2030.

The Kingdom is developing a number of tourism projects, including Neom, a USD 500 billion futuristic city and Qiddiya, a huge entertainment and sports project in Riyadh. The Red Sea Development Company is also building a mega-tourism project on Saudi Arabia’s west coast.