Universal Studios to build multi-billion dollar theme park in Saudi
What's the story
Universal Studios, the American entertainment giant, is mulling over the idea of building a multi-billion dollar theme park in Saudi Arabia. The proposed development would be a major boost for the country's entertainment industry. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts recently visited Saudi Arabia for an investment conference and toured the Qiddiya site. He confirmed that while the project is in its early planning stages, it has not yet been finalized.
Location details
Qiddiya: The potential site for Universal Studios park
The proposed theme park is likely to be located in Qiddiya, a massive entertainment, sports, and tourism hub southwest of Riyadh. It is a massive 334 square kilometers in size. That's about two and a half times bigger than Disney World in Florida. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) hopes that the overall Qiddiya project will eventually draw 48 million visitors a year and add $4.5 billion to the country's GDP.
Strategic move
Universal Studios park: A part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030
The potential theme park comes as part of a larger trend of developing large-scale theme parks in the Gulf region. Earlier this year, Walt Disney Company announced a partnership with Abu Dhabi developer Miral to build a theme park in the UAE capital. The proposed Universal Studios park also fits into Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, a national strategy aimed at diversifying its economy away from oil and boosting leisure, tourism, and cultural infrastructure.
Tourism boom
Saudi Arabia's tourism sector sees rapid growth
Saudi Arabia's tourism sector has already witnessed a massive boom. In 2024, the Kingdom welcomed more than 100 million visitors, including some 30 million international tourists. Early data for 2025 shows that this trend is continuing with an estimated 60.9 million visitors in just the first half of the year.