SEA Expo 2021 Closes with Record Attendance As Industry Gets Back on Track

One of KSA’s leading trade shows for the country’s burgeoning entertainment industry, Saudi Entertainment and Amusement (SEA) Expo and Summit, concluded its three-day run at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center on Tuesday, 9th September. Co-located with The Hotel Show Saudi Arabia and INDEX Saudi, the  trio of entertainment, hospitality and interior design events saw a return after a two-year hiatus, hosting over 300 leading local and international businesses and welcoming over 10,000 visitors eager to take advantage of the expo’s plethora of content streams, live activations and face-to-face networking opportunities. 

The event was officially inaugurated by Mishal Al Hokair, Deputy CEO and General Manager of Al Hokair Group’s Entertainment Division and President of MENALAC.

Attendees of the free-to-attend SEA Summit which took place over two days and hosted over 30 renowned industry speakers, were able to take part in a number of industry sessions covering some key topics such as the role that ‘Innovation and disruption will play in the future of the Kingdom’s entertainment & leisure business’. 

Commenting on the success and challenges of running SEA Expo 2021, Sarkis Kahwajian, Event Director at dmg events, organisers of the event, said; “Delivering a face to face event in the current climate is never easy, but I feel the response we have received, and the number of visitors attending to make deals with new suppliers at the show, with significant purchasing power, is testament to the industry’s appetite for live event experiences as a catalyst for trade. 

As the industry starts to witness green shoots of growth, and restrictions on entertainment, live events, and amusement parks are being gradually lifted, the industry is only set to improve. Testament to this is the fact that out of our portfolio of exhibitions, SEA Expo is the only event where we have seen an increase in participation. If you take all of this into consideration, I see a pretty quick return to normality as people want to be out and about doing business once again.” 

One of the major deals coming from the show came the announcement, International themed attraction designers, Katapult who exhibited at SEA Expo with Experience UK, have signed an agreement to work alongside renowned hospitality and entertainment company, Al Hokair Group.

Dawn Foote, CEO and Co-Founder of Katapult, said: “We are delighted to work alongside Al Hokair to help them reimagine existing and create brand new themed attractions across the Middle East. Our working relationship over the last three years has been a joy, and we’re proud to formally agree our partnership in what is Katapult’s 20th year in existence.”

According to Kahwajian, there are also plans to expand the event offering to attract more international heavyweights in the form of a sister event – the Saudi Light and Sound (SLS) Expo which will be co-located next to SEA Expo from 16-18 May 2022 in Riyadh.

With the Kingdom planning to invest $64 billion into its entertainment industry as part of Vision 2030, all of these ambitious projects have in common is a demand for professional light & sound. Consequently, the demand for suppliers and manufacturers that cater to the AV technology industry in Saudi Arabia is at an all-time high and only looking to grow in the coming years.

SLS Expo brings together manufacturers, distributors, buyers and professionals from

around the world to Saudi Arabia to meet this demand. SLS Expo offers a stage where

people can stop, look and listen to the latest technology developments and illuminating innovations.