Entertainment Newbies

I think wives have some of the most astonishing associations whenever they are planning to attend an entertainment event with their families! Things can get even more serious if the event is on one of Eid's days (Muslim celebration). Why on earth should such plans include shopping new clothes and shoes for the children?  

Well, obviously I had to keep this thought to myself. What actually took place is that, with the biggest smile on my face, I took my family to Al Hamra Mall, and, proudly, I paid for what my dear wife bought for our children at Zara, Mamas & Papas, and Riva to name just a few.

On the second day of Eid we took off in the family car I bought from Al Jazeera Dealership to head to Aldress gas station, and then along King Salman Road to our destination; Princess Nora University. The entrance to the show hall was buzzing with excited audience on their way to attend the show organized by the General Entertainment Authority.  

I have to say that the event was very well-organized, with dozens of organizers, promoters and security men. During the show, it struck me that it had been quite some time since I heard the lovely loud laughs of my children. They were really enjoying their time. On our way out, some irresistible temptations in the form of mouthwatering odors of pastries and burgers pushed us to join long queues of people standing in front of food carts ran by cheerful young men.

This entertainment experience; simple as it might seem, triggered some questions that I could not help pondering:

1. How many jobs were created so that people like ourselves would go and enjoy good times at such events?
2. How many companies and startups were established and grew to as a result of such events?
3. How to, properly, respond to the claims that it is better to spend the money I spent in any other country than the Saudi Kingdom to keep the society's values intact against alien ones?

The answers to the previous questions are no less than stunning:

1st: 22.000 jobs were created by the General Entertainment Authority in 2017 to serve more than 8.000.000 visitors to these events. Let us not forget the jobs created in the supporting sectors which include salespersons at kid's stores, staff members at vehicles agencies, security men, etc.

2nd: Approximately 500 companies and agencies were established and efficiently contributed to the success of the events organized by the Authority in 2017 alone. The crowds traffic and families' going outs helped in the flourishing of different businesses such as gas stations, restaurants, shops and certainly the sector of construction and real estate.    

3rd: Saudis were very willing to spend more than half trillion Saudi Riyal on outgoing tourism over a period of only 10 years (2007 – 2016). It is shocking to know that this sum equals 12% of the total government spending of the Kingdom in the very same period. Assuming the investment of this money in the government spending and its reflection on the labor force, the result would be the creation of 1.500.000 jobs; a number that is enough to provide every unemployed individual with at least 2 jobs.

For certain entities, attempts to abort tourism and entertainment activities in Saudi Arabia is a strategic option which has much more influencing results than that of terrorism operations. An action of terror is too direct and abhorrent with a violent but yet a short impact. On the other hand, however, fighting entertainment activities is disguised in the skin of patriotism and fear for the society's stabilization. The success of such malicious efforts could force us to spend our Eids alone watching our children and grandchildren virtually on our mobile phones screens. Only this time, the reason for their travel will not be tourism, but it will be to seek job opportunities in other tourist countries. We could unconsciously be used to force them to such a doomed future when we blindly follow a fanatic hashtag aiming to destroy the second biggest contributing sector in national economy after oil.       

What does the future hold? It holds the ambitious projects of Al-Qidiyah, the Red Sea, Al-Ula, and the biggest Islamic museum in the history. It holds 1250 tourism islands and the construction of hundreds of theaters, halls, and entertainment activities facilities. The future holds 179 billion Saudi Riyals of tourism revenues and 36 billion Riyals in entertainment revenues in addition to the creation of two million jobs. The umbrella of all this sought-after prosperity is a wise and determined leadership standing behind the Saudi Vision 2030.