In attendance at IAAPA Expo 2019 in Orlando was Saudi Arabia-based Seven Entertainment Ventures, SEVEN.

The company’s presence at the Expo was to highlight its ambitious vision for the leisure and entertainment sector in Saudi and to seek out potential partners from around the world to help it achieve its vision.

SEVEN is a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, (PIF), which is aimed at developing a world-class entertainment ecosystem in Saudi Arabia.

IAAPA Expo 2019 gave SEVEN the opportunity to reveal plans for entertainment sites, amusement parks and movie theatres, to help create a pioneering leisure industry in Saudi and to assist the country in diversifying its economy predominantly centred on revenue from oil, gas and petrochemical.

As part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 mapped out by the government, SEVEN plans to create new family-friendly entertainment facilities and, in collaboration with US-based AMC Group, 50 cinema chains to the Kingdom during the next decade.

The new entertainment sites will be home to augmented reality activities, cinemas, live shows, dining facilities, and green open areas designed for sports and aquatic activities.

Bill Ernest, CEO of Seven, commented: “To ensure our entertainment offerings across Saudi Arabia are world class, we are constantly looking to partner with global innovators, game-changers and those with deep industry experience.”

The average age of Saudi Arabia’s population of around 34 million, is 30. 80% of the population lives in urban communities, meaning a large segment of inhabitants are poised to enjoy the country’s entertainment sector.

By 2030, Saudi Arabia hopes to increase international and domestic visits to 100 million a year, in a drive that the government expects to create one million tourism jobs.