Work on Saudi Arabia’s first Madame Tussauds museum to begin soon

Photo courtesy of Center for International Communication

The year 2019 will mark the start of a new phase for the entertainment sector in Saudi Arabia with a staggering number of projects and events lined up, including live performances, international exhibitions, Ramadan competitions, e-gaming events, and even the world-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum, the Center for International Communication (CIC) said on Wednesday citing the General Entertainment Authority (GEA).

The Chairman of the Board at the GEA, Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Sheikh, announced the authority’s new strategy during a press conference held on Tuesday in Riyadh in the presence of several officials and media representatives, CIC report added.

The new ambitious strategy seeks to position the Kingdom among the top four entertainment destinations in the Asian region and the top 10 globally.

The GEA also signed numerous MoUs with major international and local private entertainment companies to begin activities in the Kingdom.

These companies include Balich from Italy, AVEX from Japan, the truly global Broadway Entertainment, the Middle Eastern 1001 Inventions, and many others, CIC report added.

“The entertainment sector is an important sector, and the Saudi leadership takes every interest to ensure it fulfils the objectives of enhancing the quality of life in the Kingdom, effectively contributing to the economy and creating jobs,” said GEA Chairman Al Sheikh.

He also outlined a number of entertainment initiatives being prepared for the next phase of GEA’s new strategy. These include mounting international exhibitions, constructing theatres, and organising large-scale live performances in cooperation with the General Sports Authority.

GEA will work to attract global exhibitions and interactive presentations and shows, including the world-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum which will visit the Saudi capital Riyadh as well as the Red Sea port city of Jeddah.

Also in the card is a Saudi version of Dutch reality television show "The Voice" as well as professional bull riding, and negotiations to win one of the National Basketball Association (NBA) professional basketball matches.