RIYADH — Riyadh Season has achieved a new milestone, with the total number of visitors reaching six million, just one week after announcing that it had surpassed 4 million visitors. This was announced by Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA) Advisor Turki Al-Sheikh. This huge draw of visitors may be attributed to the wide range of events and entertainment zones, which have witnessed a high turnout during the first-semester school break, as this made the season attractive to both domestic and international visitors. The areas that contributed to this significant turnout include "The Venue", the newly launched zone near "Kingdom Arena", as well as "Boulevard City", "Boulevard World", the "Zoo", and "Al-Suwaidi Park", which have witnessed remarkable attendance in recent weeks. "Wonder Garden," opened a week ago to the public, is also attracting large numbers of visitors. This new record number of visitors underscores Riyadh Season's global status as a leading entertainment destination that offers a wide range of entertainment: boxing, wrestling, tennis matches, concerts, restaurants, parks, and unique experiences in the new zones, providing visitors with an unparalleled experience. Riyadh hotels hit 97% occupancy rate The Ministry of Tourism has announced that Riyadh's 5-star hotels reached a 97 percent occupancy rate during the recent mid-year school break, and that overall, hotel and apartment occupancy in the city surpassed 90 percent. This surge in tourism is attributed to the Saudi Winter events calendar, Riyadh Season, and several international conferences held in the capital. To further boost the tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism is streamlining the process of licensing hospitality facilities, aimed to improve services offered to both local and international visitors. It is noteworthy that Riyadh welcomed 8.8 million domestic tourists and 1.3 million international tourists during the first half of 2024.
