Saudi Arabia’s upcoming Riyadh Season is set to feature key events, global attractions as well as rich Saudi, Gulf, and Syrian content.
Following the major success of last year’s season, Turki Alalshikh, advisor and chairman of the board of directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), previewed the upcoming Riyadh Season, highlighting that the city is currently experiencing an unprecedented entertainment movement.
Riyadh is hosting the Esports World Cup — the largest esports tournament in the world — with a prize pool exceeding $70 million and drawing significant global attention. He affirmed that the season’s activities will continue to accelerate week after week.
Riyadh Comedy Festival announced
Aalshikh announced the launch of the highly anticipated Riyadh Comedy Festival in September, after unveiling some of the performers earlier today. More than 50 comedians and actors from various countries will participate, giving audiences the chance to enjoy international talent on the stages of Boulevard City.
He added the upcoming Riyadh Season will feature a strong representation of Saudi and Gulf content, along with notable Syrian artistic contributions in plays and concerts.
The season will also include global events such as music concerts, football matches, boxing bouts, UFC fights and a WWE showcase. Wrestling fans can look forward to the “Royal Rumble” taking place in January.
Alalshikh added that more surprises will be announced soon, including events in collaboration with global YouTube star MrBeast and the “Six Kings Slam” tennis tournament, which will bring together the world’s top six players to compete for the largest prize in the sport’s history—following the major success of last year’s edition.
Riyadh Season 2025 marks record-breaking success
The fifth annual Riyadh Season received a record-breaking 20 million visitors, marking an unprecedented milestone since the event’s inception in 2019, announced the Saudi General Entertainment Authority‘s (GEA) chairman of the board of directors advisor, Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, in February.
Riyadh Season has solidified its position as a global entertainment hub, attracting visitors from across the Kingdom and beyond. Popular destinations such as Boulevard World, Boulevard City and Boulevard Runway saw particularly high foot traffic this year, offering a diverse range of artistic performances, international games, fine-dining experiences and immersive cultural exhibits.
In a report, Visa examined Riyadh Season 2025’s impact on inbound tourism and the local economy, revealing a 47.6 percent annual increase in international visitors and substantial growth in spending. Riyadh welcomed over 500,000 Visa cardholders from around the world in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking an impressive 47.6 percent annual increase. Of these, 20,000 visitors attended Riyadh Season events.
“Riyadh Season is more than just entertainment – it is a catalyst for economic growth, and a key component of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 tourism goals,” said Ali Bailoun, regional general manager for Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman at Visa.
These insights underscore Riyadh Season 2025’s pivotal role in accelerating Saudi Arabia’s transition into a world-class tourism and entertainment hub, reinforcing the Kingdom’s drive to attract 150 million visitors annually by 2030.
Read: Etihad Airways targets 21.5 million passengers and 18 new aircraft in 2025, says CEO
Entertainment sector to contribute 4.2 percent of GDP by 2030
According to a report from the Ministry of Investment, the entertainment sector is expected to create 450,000 jobs by 2030 and contribute 4.2 percent of the gross domestic product. The sector has seen several record highs in the last five years, including attracting over SAR1 billion in total revenues and more than 75 million event attendees.
In line with Saudi Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to diversify its economy and enhance the quality of life by promoting tourism and Saudi culture internationally to attract visitors. The entertainment sector is a crucial pillar in achieving these ambitious goals, with a focus on enhancing the quality of life through a variety of cultural and entertainment activities.
