Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation

Saudi startup signed up to develop aquapark projects

By Andrew Hammond
Aquarabia, the first water park in Saudi Arabia and the largest in the Middle East, is scheduled to open in 2025 FamVeld/Shutterstock
Aquarabia, the first water park in Saudi Arabia and the largest in the Middle East, is scheduled to open in 2025
  • Ministry hires Nowaar Entertainment
  • First aquapark scheduled for 2025
  • Likely to be part of Qiddiya plan

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment has signed an agreement with startup Nowaar Entertainment to develop a series of aquaparks. 

The first aquapark will be operational in Riyadh in 2025, the ministry said on X, formerly Twitter. 

Nowaar will “develop a number of entertainment and water cities in the kingdom”, in cooperation with the General Entertainment Authority, it said. 

Person, Electronics, Mobile Phone

Newsletter
Get the Best of AGBI delivered straight to your inbox every week

Nowaar Entertainment, which is based in Riyadh, did not respond to requests for comment but the aquaparks appear to be part of Qiddiya’s planned water parks. 

The giga-project, owned by the Public Investment Fund, said in May that next year it will open Aquarabia, the first water park in Saudi Arabia, and the first Six Flags amusement park outside North America. 

It was also announced last month that Qiddiya, a Disneyland-like entertainment city being built outside Riyadh, would absorb the giga-project entertainment developer Seven, which is to open a series of centres in remote parts of the country. 

PIF is trying to streamline projects as it manages cashflow problems in the light of oil prices below Saudi Arabia’s breakeven price of around $96 per barrel, low foreign investment and rising costs. 

The giga-projects have been valued at over $1.25 trillion, including around $500 billion for the futuristic city Neom. 

Nowaar Entertainment develops and invests in events and audiovisual content and has about 50 employees.

Latest articles

Gulf airlines, Gulf airlines conflict, Gulf conflict risk, Gulf flights cancelled rerouted

Conflict risk leads Gulf airlines to cancel regional routes

Gulf airlines are among airlines that have cancelled and rerouted flights across the Middle East as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates. They are avoiding Iranian airspace and many have cancelled routes entirely following a major missile attack by Iran against Israel on Tuesday. Immediately after the attacks about 80 flights operated by carriers […]

Taaleem's schools offer 'exclusive educational experiences' including access to high-tech equipment profits

Dubai school operator Taaleem increases profit by 55%

Dubai school operator Taaleem has reported revenue of AED945.2 million ($257.3 million) for its 2023-24 financial year – a 15.5 percent year-on-year increase. More student enrolments and the opening of new schools helped Taaleem to increase net profit before tax by 55 percent, to AED182 million, in the financial year ending August. Taaleem’s shares were […]

Shein IPO

Mubadala-backed Shein courts investors before London IPO

Chinese fashion retailer Shein, which is backed by the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, is courting European investors before an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange. Shein is due to hold informal meetings to answer questions and test the investment appetite of major investors in the coming weeks, before its planned IPO […]

Workers stand on a scaffold in Dubai. Building a high rise in the UAE can be as much as two thirds cheaper than in other major cities

Apartments in UAE among cheapest to build in the world

Building a standard residential high-rise in Dubai or Abu Dhabi is up to two-thirds cheaper than in other major global cities, thanks to land, labour and raw materials all costing much less. Land is up to three times cheaper in the UAE compared with the prices paid in New York, London, Hong Kong and Singapore […]