RIYADH — Diriyah Season, which will start on Friday, is set to draw more than one million visitors throughout the season that will come to a close on Dec. 21. The month-long event will see many sports, cultural and food festivals as well as entertainment activities. The participation of several international celebrities in various sports and entertainment events in Diriyah Season will attract the world's attention to the Kingdom as a destination from around the world. It will also enable Saudi companies to transfer international expertise to the Kingdom, which contributes to achieving one of the most important pillars of the Kingdom's Vision 2030. The season is expected to attract tens of thousands of foreign tourists. Diriyah season, which takes place in the Historic Area bearing a rich legacy, is the point where from King Abdul Aziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, unified major portion of the Arabian Peninsula. The Formula E Race, which will start on Friday in the historic Diriyah Circuit, is the first sporting event of this season. It represents the opening round of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, organized by the International Automobile Federation within the activities of the Diriyah Season. On this occasion, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Sports Authority (GSA), expressed his confidence that the Formula E race will be excellent, adding "the past year we have succeeded in assuring the entire world of our leading capabilities in hosting international sporting events." On Dec. 7, visitors to Diriyah Arena will be enthralled to witness the biggest boxing bout on the planet between British boxers Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. of Mexico, along with other fights from Dec. 12 to 14. Diriyah Tennis Cup, which will be attended by eight international high-class players, as well as the presence of several leading international riders at the Diriyah Equestrian Festival to be held between Dec. 12-14 and 19-21. Tens of thousands of foreign tourists are expected to attend the festival and the hotel bookings surged by about 54 percent. Statistical figures indicate that there will be more than 50 million viewers for the festival in addition to elite group of international artists in the festival. There are more than 150 local companies working in the festival that are transferring international expertise and providing many job opportunities for young men and women, in addition to nearly 1,000 volunteers. The festival will have parking facilities for 10,000 vehicles. The public ticket holders will be able to park their cars in King Saud University parking lots and use the buses to move to the Diriyah Season site easily, while allowing the holders of the highest categories of tickets to take their cars to the site. The festival is being held on an area covering 130,000 square meters and a capacity of up to 30,000 visitors per day. The stunning ‘Diriyah Oasis' is a giant entertainment and art hub with fun for all the family. The Bujairi district of Diriyah will be home to elegant fashion and retail, and the finest dining Saudi Arabia has to offer. And the DGDA will be staging tours of the fascinating and beautiful At-Turaif district, the UNESCO World Heritage site that stands as a symbol of Saudi's rich history. Tickets for all of Diriyah Season's spectacular events and entertainment will be available at www.diriyahseason.sa.
