Riyadh Session 2024 - KSA' Vision 2030

REPORTS - 14 day ago

Report on the Success of Riyadh Season 2024 and Its Role in Achieving Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030


"Riyadh Season" is one of the major initiatives launched by Saudi Arabia under the "Vision 2030" framework. It is an annual event that celebrates art, entertainment, and culture, enhancing the Kingdom's position as a global tourist destination. The first Riyadh Season took place in 2019 and achieved widespread success, attracting millions of local and international visitors. The latest edition of Riyadh Season in 2023 witnessed significant development in organization and events, reflecting the Kingdom's success in developing the tourism and entertainment sector and contributing to the national economy in alignment with Vision 2030.

Objectives of Riyadh Season
Riyadh Season focuses on achieving several objectives, including:

Diversifying income sources: Enhancing the tourism and entertainment sector as part of a long-term plan to diversify the economy away from oil.
Creating job opportunities: Providing jobs and new economic opportunities for Saudi citizens in sectors such as entertainment, hospitality, and services.
Improving quality of life: Offering entertainment and cultural events that enhance the well-being of citizens and residents in the Kingdom.
Promoting Saudi culture: Highlighting Saudi heritage and culture through events that enhance its positive image globally.
Strengthening the Kingdom's position as a global tourist destination: Attracting visitors from around the world to enjoy a variety of modern, diverse entertainment facilities and events.
Achievements of Riyadh Season 2023
Riyadh Season 2023 has seen remarkable growth in the number and variety of events offered. Key achievements include:

Organizing large and diverse events: Riyadh Season 2023 included a wide range of activities, from music concerts, plays, and fashion shows to sports tournaments and art exhibitions, offering unique experiences catering to various tastes.
Attracting global stars: Many international artists and celebrities were invited to host events, further increasing its global appeal and drawing visitors from around the world.
Developed infrastructure: Saudi Arabia invested significantly in upgrading the infrastructure in Riyadh to accommodate the increasing number of visitors, including creating modern entertainment zones and world-class tourist facilities.
Record visitor attendance: Riyadh Season recorded record attendance, highlighting its success in attracting both local and international visitors. This boosted the local economy through increased spending in the entertainment and tourism sectors.
Supporting entrepreneurship: Many startups and small businesses were engaged in Riyadh Season events, allowing local entrepreneurs to benefit from the economic and tourism momentum associated with the season.
Economic Impact of Riyadh Season
The success of Riyadh Season has directly contributed to the Saudi economy through:

Increasing non-oil revenues: The entertainment and tourism sector has become an essential revenue source, contributing to reducing reliance on oil.
Stimulating related sectors: Such as hospitality, transportation, and retail, as visitors flock to enjoy events, leading to growth in these sectors.
Job creation: Riyadh Season is estimated to have created thousands of seasonal jobs across various fields, including hospitality, logistics, and marketing.
Encouraging foreign investments: By enhancing the entertainment environment and developing infrastructure, Saudi Arabia becomes an attractive destination for foreign investors.
Contribution of Riyadh Season to Vision 2030
Riyadh Season is a key component of the Vision 2030 plan, aimed at diversifying the economy and achieving sustainable development. The main ways Riyadh Season contributes to this vision include:

Strengthening the tourism sector: Attracting tourists from around the world contributes to achieving the Kingdom's goal of increasing the tourism sector's share of the GDP.

Empowering the community: Riyadh Season encourages Saudi youth to engage in new sectors, such as entertainment and hospitality, contributing to improved quality of life and overall public welfare.

Highlighting the cultural and civilizational face of the Kingdom: Riyadh Season has promoted Saudi Arabia as a cultural and artistic destination, enhancing its positive image and attracting international media interest.

Achieving sustainability: Riyadh Season represents a model for sustainable development, as it seeks to establish sustainable income sources that strengthen the Kingdom’s economy away from reliance on non-renewable natural resources.

Challenges and Opportunities
Despite the success of Riyadh Season, some challenges still face the achievement of the objectives related to Vision 2030, such as:

The need for broader infrastructure development to accommodate the growing number of visitors.
Regional and global competition, as many other countries also seek to attract tourists by organizing similar events.
Maintaining sustainable growth in the entertainment and tourism sectors and ensuring the continued quality of events.


Riyadh Season is a successful model of Saudi Arabia's efforts to achieve Vision 2030, transforming Riyadh into a global center for entertainment, culture, and tourism. Through this event, significant progress has been made in diversifying the economy, strengthening the Kingdom's international standing, and creating economic and cultural opportunities for its citizens. Sustaining this success requires continued investment in infrastructure, developing more innovative events that meet the expectations of local and international visitors, and enhancing the contribution of the entertainment and tourism sectors to sustainable economic development.