“This project is a unique tourist attraction, which is expected to attract tourists from all over the world,” said Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in a statement.
Earlier in October, the Arab empire announced that it would turn an offshore drilling rig out in the Arabian Gulf into a 150,000-square-foot extreme park and resort.
100 million tourists
While millions of religious tourists make the pilgrimage to the Saudi holy city of Mecca each year, the country’s disturbing human rights history and conservative views of women and laws have made Saudi Arabia a less interesting destination for many international tourists.
Now the country is determined to transform itself into an alluring global destination that can compete with nearby countries such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Oman. The plan is to attract 100 million tourists each year by the end of the decade, writes CNN.
The oil rig will include three hotels and eleven restaurants, distributed on a number of connected platforms. In addition to roller coasters and adrenaline rush activities such as bungee jumping and skydiving.
Responds to new Qatar agreement
The world’s fastest roller coaster
In other words, although Saudi Arabia is trying to become less dependent on oil, it has not stopped the country from using its petroleum industry as a foreign traction.
The area is being built as part of a new city located outside the capital Riyadh, and will be home to the world’s fastest roller coaster when it launches in 2023.
– The upcoming attraction will be developed in line with the long-term Saudi vision 2030 strategy, the Investment Fund writes on Twitter.
A strategy aimed at making Saudi Arabia a top international destination by 2030.
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