Saudi Arabia launches metaverse platform to explore cultural heritage

RIYADH: The Saudi Entertainment and Amusement Expo is set to return for its seventh year from May 20-22 at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center, bringing together the world’s top entertainment and amusement brands, and showcasing the latest advances in the sector.

SEA 2025 will run alongside the Saudi Light and Sound Expo and will showcase innovation and industry trends, bringing together global experts and sector leaders.

As Saudi Arabia accelerates its Vision 2030 ambitions and positions itself as the nexus of the global entertainment and amusement landscape, the expo serves as a central platform where industry leaders, investors, and visionaries from across the world converge to actively shape the future of entertainment.

From theme parks to experiential tech, local and global brands are finding new ways to be part of Saudi Arabia’s entertainment and amusement scene.

Sarkis Kahwajian, associate vice president at organizers DMG Events, said: “The SEA Expo exemplifies the Kingdom’s commitment to becoming a global leader in the entertainment sector.

“SEA Expo is fueling this shift in the entertainment and amusement sector, providing a sought-after platform for businesses to connect, collaborate, and innovate, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the wider Middle East’s fast-evolving entertainment landscape.”

Featuring over 300 local and global brands with the latest ingenuity in amusement, theme parks, entertainment tech and more, the expo is set to welcome over 15,000 entertainment industry professionals, opening the door for vital international collaborations and multi-billion-dollar investments.

Co-located with the SLS Expo, it doubles the opportunities and experiences, bringing together two distinct industry events at one venue. The co-location allows attendees to explore a diverse range of products, solutions, and innovations — not just in entertainment and amusement, but also in professional lighting design, technology, and audio advancements.

The SLS Expo will showcase the latest sound, lighting, and audiovisual innovations.

Kahwajian added: “SLS Expo 2025 is the perfect stage for professionals to see how new-age technology is propelling the Kingdom’s professional lighting and sound sector to new heights. We truly believe this expo is an accelerator for the industry in the region.”

As Saudi Arabia’s pro-light and sound industry grows in line with Vision 2030’s goals of economic development, entertainment expansion, and infrastructure advancement, SLS Expo plays an essential role in this progress, he said, adding that with major investments in awe-inspiring venues and ingenious event tech, it will showcase innovations shaping the future of professional lighting and sound in the Kingdom.

SLS Expo is the ideal meeting hub for suppliers, venue operators, and event organizers to engage with 200 local and global brands.

Beyond the exhibition, the dedicated SLS summit will host over 25 speakers across 10 conference sessions covering a wide range of topics, including captivating event technologies, sustainability in production, and the role of smart tech in live shows.

RIYADH: The Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority thwarted four smuggling attempts at King Abdulaziz Port and Al-Wadiah Border Crossing, seizing a total of 483,585 Pregabalin pills and 37,368 Xanax pills, both classified as controlled substances. The contraband was concealed in shipments and the luggage of two travelers arriving in the Kingdom.

Officials confirmed that the first attempt at King Abdulaziz Port involved 210,000 Pregabalin pills hidden in an incoming shipment, while the second involved 273,585 Pregabalin pills in a second shipment.

At Al-Wadiah Border Crossing, authorities uncovered 28,578 Xanax pills in the luggage of a traveler arriving in the Kingdom, while another 8,790 pills were found in a similar manner in a separate case.

Following the seizures, authorities arrested six individuals inside the Kingdom who were linked to the smuggling operations.

Saudi authorities reaffirmed their commitment to strict customs enforcement over the Kingdom’s imports and exports to safeguard the country from illicit trafficking, emphasizing their strategy’s main pillars of enhancing security and protecting society by cracking down on smuggling attempts.