RIYADH — The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) announced its most remarkable achievements in the 3Q report for 2024, as it held 536 events across various regions of Saudi Arabia, with a total attendance of 8.3 million visitors. The number of license applications during the period increased to 9,000 licenses, indicating a growth of 20 percent, compared to the previous quarter, when the number of applications reached 7,498 applications. The report indicated that the number of licenses issued reached 1,827 in the third quarter, an increase of 5.7% compared to the same period last year. These licenses included entertainment events (481 licenses), entertainment shows (412 licenses), live shows in restaurants and cafes (567 licenses), in addition to 82 licenses for organizing and managing crowds. The GEA also registered 5,225 companies operating in the entertainment sector, and the number of licensed entertainment cities rose to 106. In terms of control and inspection, the Authority conducted 21,749 control visits during the third quarter, representing an increase of 3.9% compared to the previous quarter. The report also indicated that Riyadh was at the forefront of cities in terms of number of control visits, as it recorded 7,108 visits, followed by Makkah with 6,222 visits. In its role of raising the quality of entertainment options to ensure the availability of entertainment activities of a high professional level, the General Entertainment Authority has classified more than 250 investors in the entertainment sector, and 455 entertainment activities. This growth in entertainment activities is an indicator of the efforts made to enhance the sector in Saudi Arabia in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
