This edition of Saudi round-up highlights $575B in US-Saudi deals and business expansions in the aviation, hospitality, and tech sectors amid ongoing Vision 2030 initiatives.
General Economy News
Eastern Province Signs $1.35bn Investment Deals At Cityscape Global 2025
The Eastern Province Municipality signed 14 investment and development deals worth over $1.35 billion during its participation in Cityscape Global 2025 in Riyadh. The Eastern Province signed agreements spanning vendor empowerment, digital infrastructure, and tourism development.
Key deals include mobile vendor incubator sites under the “Roaming Seller” initiative with the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, a contract with Center3 (STC subsidiary) to establish digital data centers for smart cities, and investments in Half Moon Bay entertainment, tourism, and retail projects—including amusement parks with Kuwaiti partners and the region’s first outlet shopping complex.
Business Expansions
Accredit Solutions Expands to Saudi Arabia for Vision 2030
Accredit Solutions, a leader in accreditation, credentialing, and access-management technology, has expanded into Saudi Arabia by establishing a local presence. The company has been supporting significant Saudi Arabian projects since 2019, providing its technology platforms for high-profile events including MDL Beast, Riyadh Season, and Winter Wonderland Diriyah, along with other major occasions.
AWS Expands Deal With Humain To Deploy Nvidia, Trainium Chips
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and HUMAIN, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, announced plans to deploy up to 150,000 AI accelerators—including the latest NVIDIA GB300 AI infrastructure and AWS’s Trainium chips—in a data center facility known as an “AI Zone” in Riyadh.
Lockton Expands Into Saudi Arabia To Strengthen Middle East Presence
Lockton, the world’s largest privately held independent insurance brokerage, has announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia. The launch of Lockton’s Saudi Arabia retail operations coincides with growing demand for insurance and risk advisory services across sectors such as construction, energy, healthcare, and financial services.
Archer Aviation Partners with Saudi Entities to Air Taxi Operations
Archer Aviation, a prominent U.S. manufacturer of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, has entered into a significant agreement with Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC) and Red Sea Global—both entities linked to the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF)—to collaboratively develop and trial air taxi services in Saudi Arabia.
AtkinsRéalis Wins Cost Consultancy Role For Phase II Of $4.6 Billion Avenues In Riyadh
AtkinsRéalis Group Inc., a world-class engineering services and nuclear company, has been appointed as the Cost Consultant for Phase II of The Avenues–Riyadh, one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious mixed-use developments. Phase II builds on the success of Phase I and introduces five iconic towers that will house premium hospitality, commercial, and residential offerings.
Trade & Investments
Over 5K Chinese Firms Explore Investment Opportunities In Saudi In 2025
The Saudi-Chinese Business Council has received over 5,000 Chinese companies in 2025 exploring investment opportunities in the Kingdom, reflecting strong momentum driven by the convergence of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Saudi Vision 2030. The council now includes more than 1,800 members with an 85% agreement implementation rate.
Saudi-US Trade Volume Surpasses $500 Billion In 10 Years
The volume of trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and the United States has surpassed $500 billion over the past decade, making the US the Kingdom’s second-largest import partner. Since 2020, the trade volume has grown by more than 50%, demonstrating the depth and strength of the economic relationship between the two countries.
Total Investments And Agreements Signed By Saudi, US Companies Account For $575 Billion
Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih announced that total investments and agreements signed between Saudi and American companies have reached $575 billion.
These investments include $307 billion in commitments announced during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Riyadh in May 2025, plus an additional $267 billion in new deals concluded at the second U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum held in Washington. The agreements span a wide range of sectors, including energy, artificial intelligence, defense, space, finance, education, infrastructure, and healthcare.
Arts & Culture
Kingdom’s Film Revenue Hits $225M
Saudi Arabia’s box office revenues reached $225 million in 2024, with Riyadh leading the way by generating $104.2 million and selling 7.4 million tickets.
The capital’s cinema boom is driven by its young, affluent population, expanding multiplexes, and Vision 2030’s entertainment initiatives. The Saudi film market, valued at $584 million in 2024, is projected to reach $950 million by 2030.
Entertainment Sector Draws Over 12 Million Visitors In 3Q 2025
The entertainment sector attracted 12.6 million visitors during the third quarter of 2025, with 468 entertainment events held across 116 cities throughout the Kingdom, according to the General Entertainment Authority (GEA). The number of firms operating within the sector rose to 6,499, while the compliance rate for licensed entertainment activities reached 93%.
Tourism
Madinah Welcomes Over 3.7 Million Visitors In Q2 2025
Madinah received 3.767 million visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom during the second quarter of 2025, according to a bulletin released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). The data show that 2,102,425 visitors arrived from abroad, with females accounting for 53.9% and males for 46.1% of the total.