Saudi Arabia is preparing to unveil the first Dragon Ball Z theme park, a 5.3 million square foot entertainment venue part of the Qiddiya project. The theme park will feature seven areas based on the popular anime television series, as well as over 30 themed rides, hotels, and restaurants. Five of the rides will be “world firsts,” including a 230-foot-high roller coaster named Shenron.
The kingdom has been investing significantly in video games and anime, with collaborations with Toei Animation and MiSK to create anime movies. Additionally, Saudi’s Public Investment Fund is the third-largest shareholder in Nintendo. Qiddiya, located in Riyadh, is a planned multibillion-dollar city with attractions like golf courses, theme parks, and a Six Flags and waterpark.
The PIF aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a tourist hub by diversifying the economy away from oil dependence. Vision 2030, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, targets 150 million tourists annually by 2030. Tourism in 2023 hit a record high of 106 million visitors, a 56% increase from 2019.
Saudi Arabia is planning to open the first-ever Dragon Ball Z theme park as part of the Qiddiya project. The theme park will cover 5.3 million square feet and feature seven different areas based on the popular Japanese anime television series, as well as over 30 themed rides, hotels, and restaurants. Five of the rides will be “world firsts,” including a 230-foot-high roller coaster named Shenron. The project is a collaboration between Toei Animation, producers of Dragon Ball Z, and MiSK, a foundation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The country’s Public Investment Fund, the third-largest shareholder of Nintendo, is also involved in the project. Qiddiya City, where the theme park will be located, is a multibillion-dollar planned “city” outside of Riyadh that aims to become a tourist hub with attractions such as golf courses, theme parks, and hotels. This project is part of Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the country’s economy away from oil by attracting 150 million tourists annually by 2030. Tourism in Saudi Arabia reached a record high in 2023 at 106 million visitors, a 56% increase from 2019.
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