Restaurants and cafes will now be able to apply for entertainment licenses to host music and comedy events as Saudi Arabia in 2019.
Speaking to media in Saudi Arabia, General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh said that the move forms part of a wider plan to turn Saudi Arabia into one of the world’s top 10 entertainment destinations.
Al-Sheikh added that the GEA is also exploring the possibility of holding a US National Basketball Association (NBA) event in the kingdom, and plans to open a Madame Tussauds wax museum in 2019.
“Competitions are an important element of entertainment,” Al-Sheikh was quoted as saying by Arab News. “The most important will take place during Ramadan and will be of an Islamic nature.”
Other entertainment options will include e-gaming events, concerts, plays, car ‘drifting’ competitions, stand-up comedy and magic shows, as well as exhibition football matches featuring the likes of David Beckham and Zenedine Zidane.
All the events, he added, will respect local cultural values.
