ACTDIVATE’s Demand Intelligence Engine predicts Economic Surge of over $500m to be generated from Riyadh Season 2025

19 Sept

*ACTDIVATE predicts that this Riyadh Season will be twice as big as last year’s event in both expected revenue and attendance.*

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – September, 2025 – As Riyadh prepares to host its biggest cultural and entertainment season yet, Riyadh Season 2025, local businesses are bracing for an unprecedented surge in visitors and spending. Running from October through March, Riyadh Season is projected to generate more than $525 million USD in economic impact, spanning mega-concerts, international sports, immersive cultural zones, and world-class shopping experiences.

ACTDIVATE, a real-time Event Intelligence Engine, has launched in Saudi Arabia to help local businesses predict demand surges, optimize staffing and pricing, and capture maximum value from this once-in-a-generation opportunity.

The Opportunity: Riyadh Season Drives 3.7× Visitor Spend

Based on analysis of historic event data and projected international attendance, visitor spend during Riyadh Season is expected to be nearly four times higher than a typical weekend in Riyadh.

  
    Category
    Steady State Weekend (2–3 nights)
    Riyadh Season 2025 (3 nights, 2 comp days)
    Projected Uplift
  

    Mega-Events & Tickets
    $120 (cinema, local sports, attractions)
    $1,200 (Boulevard World, Winter Wonderland, concerts, esports, combat sports)
    +900%
  

    Accommodation
    $450–$600 (2–3 nights @ ~$200)
    $1,050 (3 nights @ ~$350; premium hotels at 90%+ occupancy)
    +75–130%
  

    Food & Beverage
    $180–$250
    $450 (Michelin pop-ups, themed dining districts, nightlife experiences)
    +80–150%
  

    Transport & Mobility
    $60–$100 (metro, taxis, rideshare)
    $220 (premium rideshare, event shuttles, domestic flights, chauffeur services)
    +120–260%
  

    Shopping & Experiences
    $50–$100
    $300 (exclusive merchandise, luxury shopping, immersive cultural activations)
    +200–500%
  

    Total
    $860 (avg.)
    $3,220 (proj.)
    +275% (≈3.7×)
  

As a Business, are you ready to take Advantage?

ACTDIVATE furthermore looked into revenue generated from Riyadh Season 2024 and via our prediction engine - STREAM - then projected revenue for this upcoming season.

ACTDIVATE 2025 Projection:

Total revenue rises from $270M in 2024 to $527M in 2025 (+94% growth)

  
    Category
    2024 Estimate (USD)
    2025 Projection (USD)
    % Uplift
  

    Events & Tickets
    $102.6M
    $210.8M
    +105%
  

    Food & Beverage
    $86.4M
    $158.1M
    +83%
  

    Retail & Shopping
    $59.4M
    $105.4M
    +77%
  

    Transport & Miscellaneous
    $21.6M
    $52.7M
    +144%
  

    Total
    $270.0M
    $527.0M
    +95%
  

Insights & Implications

Events & Ticketing revenue nearly doubles, reflecting more premium events, higher ticket prices, and possibly more international acts.

F&B also sees strong growth, especially as visitor spending per capita rises, premium dining becomes more common, and festival activations expand.

Retail has a higher growth rate (percentage-wise) than some other categories — likely from premium merchandising, exclusive deals, and higher visitor disposable income.

Transport & Misc still grows, especially for mobility, premium travel, and related services, but remains a smaller piece of the pie.
Key Takeaways

Total revenue uplift: Nearly 2× vs Riyadh Season 2024.
Per-visitor spend grows from $209 → $224, thanks to premium events, luxury shopping, and hospitality pricing.
Accommodation & retail see the biggest growth as international visitors stay longer and spend more on luxury experiences.

What most Businesses Miss when it comes to taking advantage of events occurring in their city.

Despite Riyadh Season’s scale, many businesses fail to maximize returns:

Only 1% of event & location data is used for decision-making (Harvard Business Review).
Data teams spend up to 80% of their time cleaning data rather than analyzing it (TechCrunch).

This often leaves businesses reacting after visitors arrive—missing the chance to optimize pricing, staffing, and promotions in advance.

ACTDIVATE: Helping businesses to maximise Riyadh’s Event Economy

ACTDIVATE equips Saudi businesses with real-time event intelligence, enabling them to:

Predict crowd flows across zones like Boulevard World, Winter Wonderland, and Combat Field
Align, plan and optimise to ensure you have the right levels of staffing, supply chains, and inventory to cater for increased anticipated footfall demand
Adjust pricing dynamically across hotels, dining, nightlife, and retail to maximise pricing
Plan tactically with Event-based Digital Out of Home Tactical Marketing

“Riyadh Season is one of the largest cultural and entertainment festivals in the world, attracting millions of visitors and billions in spending,” said Ian Clark, Director of Partnerships at ACTDIVATE. “Our mission is to ensure Saudi businesses don’t just watch the crowds pass by, but are ready to capture maximum value.”

From FOMO to ROI

With an estimated $527m in total economic impact, Riyadh Season 2025 is more than a celebration—it’s an engine for growth across hospitality, retail, F&B, and mobility. Businesses leveraging ACTDIVATE’s Demand Intelligence Engine, STREAM - are positioned to capture a larger share of this surge—turning seasonal crowds into long-term prosperity.

For more information or to book a demo, visit: https://actdivate.com/book-a-demo

Seth Shenbanjo