JEDDAH: Malls in Saudi Arabia are getting ready to take advantage of the government’s decision allowing them to open cinemas. Mall operators across the Kingdom say they are locating space for theaters and exploiting empty units.
Major work is expected in the next seven months in the preparation of malls. Mohammed Rashid Aba Al-Khiel, head of the digital sector and marketing at the Arab Centers, the largest developer, owner and operator of commercial centers in Saudi Arabia, told Arab News that the decision had been expected since the end of 2016.
“The decision comes as part of the package of economic entertainment projects to ensure that the money, or part of it, remains at home in the local content,” he said. Aba Al-Khiel added that the plans extended to cafes, entertainment and sales.
“Cinema adds to the experience of the beneficiary, especially with high temperatures and the dearth of (entertainment) options for Saudi families, which are limited to malls...”
He added: “If the operators can run movie theaters effectively, it is possible to keep pace with similar experiences in neighboring countries. We lack the operational experience in dealing with the film industry and its economic benefit. We suffer from a lack of experience in this field. Global experience should be considered.”
Malls have multiple options to take advantage of the decision, depending on the sizes and allocations of screens, diversity of the target segments and the value of the content, he explained.
The chairman of the commercial centers’ committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Mohammed Alawi, told Arab News that a large group of malls had considered this decision and some included its engineering plans. Some malls have included it as their first choice to expand their investment and development plans.
Alawi said: “Some of these malls are targeting areas that were vacant and will begin to move directly to reformulate these sites and arrange them economically so that they can be configured.
“After the approval, global operators from all over the world will come to create an integrated cinema style according to the latest standards. This will encourage investors to move and find financial flows in the markets.”
Alawi expects that all malls in Saudi Arabia will work to keep up with the decision in the next seven months. “Malls that do not have cinema-equipped buildings will move and provide space even if they exploit some economically inefficient locations.”
Alawi, who previously ran the Red Sea Mall, said: “The Red Sea Mall, for example, would provide at least 12 cinema screens, with at least 300 seats each, currently being built.”
He explained that the flow of capital abroad throughout the year was not justified, and greatly hurt the Saudi economy. Alwai said that 6.5 million cinema tickets are booked annually online in Bahrain, of which 5 million are from Saudi Arabia.
“SR80 billion ($21.3 billion) is spent annually outside the country. The Vision (2030) aims to keep 50 percent of them domestically. The cinema decision can revive transport, subsistence, contracting companies and jobs for Saudis.”
Ryan Kadouri, director of the Red Sea Mall, told Arab News that the decision is great and will have a positive impact on the retail sector, will create a huge economic momentum in doubling the number of visitors to malls and will revive markets after the recession experienced in the past two years.
“It will provide support to the local market and create great job opportunities for Saudis. It will help increase the number of visitors to the malls.”
He said the volume of visitors accustomed to traveling abroad is expected to reach 21 million to the Red Sea Mall in 2018 from 18 million visitors in 2017.
Kadouri said: “Cinema projects are expected to take time because they are linked to specialized international companies, and all are waiting for the official mechanisms. We are in the process of preparation. The market will recover significantly.”
He pointed out that commercial malls are looking for open spaces and to keep pace with the variables of the market.
“The right operator should be chosen as well as the importance of quality, transfer of expertise and the use of modern technologies … and the allocation of showrooms for different segments of society, and so on.”
Saudi malls gearing up for a new future with big screens and entertainment
Saudi malls gearing up for a new future with big screens and entertainment
Saudi cabinet calls for Arab-Islamic summit, urgent political solutions amid regional crises
RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet discussed the Kingdom’s call for an Arab-Islamic summit to address ongoing Israeli aggression in Palestinian territories and Lebanon, in a session chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday.
The cabinet also stressed the urgent need for a political resolution to the crisis in Sudan, urging all parties to honor the commitments outlined in the "Jeddah Declaration" of May 2023. It emphasized the importance of an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, a cessation of hostilities, and the unobstructed delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need.
The cabinet also reviewed the Kingdom’s recent hosting of the inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance to Implement the Two-State Solution, which brought together representatives from 90 countries and international organizations.
Understanding fans key to building sports brands, says football marketing guru
- Manchester United connects with audiences and “converts followers to fans”
- Saudi clubs should find their own unique point of view
RIYADH: Understanding your fan base is a key element of successfully marketing your sports brand, Manchester United’s director of marketing told the audience at the Athar Festival of Creativity in Riyadh.
During his keynote speech, “Cultural Connection, Unbreakable Bonds and the Power of Stories: Lessons Learnt From a Career in Sports Marketing,” Matt McKie talked about his experience working in notable roles for the Olympics, Nike and EA Sports.
Whether you are a football fan or not, there is no denying that Manchester United is one of the most well-known clubs in the world. But how did it gain its reputation?
Like many popular teams, it is about connecting with your audience and Manchester United has a unique way of “converting followers to fans,” McKie told Arab News.
“I would say the absolute key to finding an audience and growing is really understanding your fans and, in the UK and in Europe, football clubs are bigger than just sports assets, than community assets, they mean more,” he said. “There will be generations of families that have gone to watch the team and support them, so honoring that and respecting that is absolutely key.”
An important marketing tactic for McKie involves researching the upbringing and backgrounds of athletes before their rise to stardom. This is a way to humanize them and create campaigns with a personal touch.
“I think humanizing athletes is an important marketing tactic (and) I think it’s an important human tactic,” he said. “These are individuals in the public eye, there are millions and millions of people watching them, expecting things from them. They have the same problems we have ... so it’s incredibly important that we understand that.”
McKie highlights unique brand identities for emerging football clubs, such as FC Como and Venezia, in Italy, and Forest Green Rovers in England. Venezia is known for its love of fashion while the latter has claimed the title of becoming the first fully vegan football club.
“It’s really about building a profile and understanding who the audience is and then you can serve them the things that will drive them down towards being a fan, and a committed fan, that comes to games etc.
“It’s very important in women’s sports because of the very high proportion of fandom that exists there. It’s important as marketers that we actually bring them closer, we understand them, we give them content that’s going to engage them and not just bring the ideas of men’s football across and expect it to work.”
For Saudi teams, McKie’s advice is to “have a point of view.”
“Within Saudi, a lot of these teams are new or relatively new in the grand scheme of football. So there’s an opportunity to have a point of view and stand for something … to form a team that plays a certain way and isn’t bound by baggage that can come from being a really big heritage brand.”
KSA showcases urban initiatives at Cairo forum
- The pavilion highlights Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in urban development and sustainable city planning
RIYADH: Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, head of the Kingdom’s delegation, visited Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the 12th World Urban Forum in Cairo, which began on Monday and ends on Nov. 8.
The pavilion, organized by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, features spaces for meetings, workshops and dialogue sessions. It includes over 40 interactive activities and hosts 150 representatives from various Saudi entities.
The pavilion highlights Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in urban development and sustainable city planning, showcasing innovative projects and successful experiences, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
It also showcases the Kingdom’s achievements under Vision 2030, including sustainable transport networks, infrastructure improvements, and enhanced municipal services in cities.
On the sidelines of the forum, Prince Faisal met with several delegation heads to discuss enhancing cooperation and exchanging expertise.
He discussed potential collaboration between Riyadh and Istanbul with Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, focusing on the exchange of skills.
He also met with Anar Guliyev, a member of the cabinet and chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan, to discuss cooperation.
Athar Festival begins in Riyadh
- Almost 2,000 people registered for second edition, says organizer
- Veteran Gulf publisher aims to gather region’s creative community
RIYADH: The second Athar Saudi Festival of Creativity kicked off on Tuesday with a full house in Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC.
Hosted by UAE-based Motivate Media Group and communications consultancy TRACCS, the festival will feature 100 regional and international speakers and is expected to bring together almost 2,000 professionals and leaders from the creative marketing industry.
Ian Fairservice, managing partner and group editor-in-chief of Motivate Media Group, will chair the event, with Mohammed Al-Ayed, CEO of TRACCS, as vice chairman.
In an interview with Arab News, Fairservice said: “Athar has a role in bringing together the creative community, and the marketing community.
“The whole ethos of Athar is to create a community, albeit just for a couple of days, where everybody can come together and communicate and share ideas and develop new ones.”
He highlighted the increase of attendees this year, compared to last year’s event.
“All of our numbers have pretty much doubled on last year. We have almost 2,000 attendees registered and, as you can see around us here, it’s absolutely buzzing. The main stage area is completely full. There are probably 100 people standing at the back watching our first keynote speaker today,” he said.
“In terms of other numbers, we have 400 entries for the awards for tomorrow night, of which there are 211 shortlisted.”
Fairservice’s knowledge of the region comes from living in Dubai for 47 years. He formed Motivate Media Group back in 1979 and launched one of the country’s first English-language magazines, “What’s On,” which had a primary readership of tourists and expatriates.
The inspiration behind it was simple — there was no media. It was, he recalls, an era “with no television, no radio, no newspapers, no magazines.”
Today, Motivate Media Group publishes numerous magazines such as “Emirates Woman,” “Gulf Business” and “Business Traveler Middle East.”
“We’ve grown the company organically and have gone into every different aspect of media across the board,” said Fairservice. “It’s been a privilege and a fantastic opportunity to have been able to do this from the ground floor.”
Athar Festival will continue on Wednesday with panel discussions, presentations and fireside chats focused on growing the creative landscape in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and beyond, covering various sectors such as sports, entertainment, and tourism.
The event will conclude with the Athar Awards ceremony on the evening of Nov. 6.
KSrelief expands humanitarian aid to crisis zones
- The 19th plane sent from Riyadh to Lebanon arrived at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Tuesday
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief is intensifying efforts to deliver aid to Lebanon and recently supported those in need of medical assistance in Turkiye.
The 19th plane sent from Riyadh to Lebanon arrived at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Tuesday, carrying food, shelter and medical supplies, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The aid will be used to assist the growing number of people displaced by Israeli airstrikes. Countries such as the UAE, Turkiye, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Canada, Romania and France are also sending aid to Lebanon.
In Turkiye, KSrelief recently concluded a week-long voluntary medical program for specialized surgeries in Tarsus. A team of 32 volunteers performed 31 open-heart operations, five therapeutic catheterizations, and 18 diagnostic catheterizations.
The Saudi aid agency also completed a medical project in Reyhanli for victims of the earthquake in February last year. During this campaign, the medical team treated 537 patients in family medicine, 417 in dermatology, 380 in optometry, and 219 in endocrinology.
In February 2023, KSrelief launched a campaign through the Sahem platform to aid earthquake victims in Syria and Turkiye, raising more than SR524 million ($139.5 million) from more than 3.4 million donations.
