Major Saudi-based operator Al Othaim Leisure and Tourism Company will open as many as six new venues in July of this year, says general manager Mohammad Attia, talking with InterGame for its April issue, Part II of the publication’s Middle East Special Issue, now available.

Extreme zone

Attia goes on to say in his interview that the company will open three more venues in August, two in September, two in October and another five before the end of the year. “It will be the biggest year of expansion that the entertainment segment of Al Othaim has experienced.”

The report states that those openings will be across all of the many brands that have been developed by the Al Othaim team over the past few years. It has resolved itself into a pattern. The anchor FEC brand, so well known in KSA, is Safforiland, but that stays in Saudi. It’s ‘exportable’ equivalent is now the established Fabyland. Almost as well known are the teenager thrills outlets of Xtreme Zone, and the children’s adult play venue My Town, plus the real snow experience Snow City. And this year another new brand Mattel, obviously in partnership with the famous toy-maker.

Among them will be a new VR concept, Virtu, scheduled to open at the Mall of Qatar in July of this year.  Says Attia: ““We believe that the technology is now right and used selectively it is now a commercial proposition. What is always key to FEC operators in the Middle East is that they have the very latest that technology will provide and a variety of themes that will ensure that the players return time and again. We now think that this is the right time to embark on this sector.”

The full interview and more reports from Al Othaim can be found in the April issue.