Exports from the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector in 2025 grew by 212.8% compared to the previous year, while imports from the sector decreased by 33.5%. As a result, the trade balance was 977.1 million, 198.9% higher than the previous year.
Arts, entertainment and recreation sector achieved positive growth in the foreign direct investment (FDI) stock at the end of 2024, which amounted to 1.8 billion, compared to the FDI stock of 2023, which was 1.7 billion.
The inflows of FDI in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector decreased by 87.8% in 2024 compared to the previous year, whereas the outflows of FDI showed a decrease of 88.3% compared to previous period. Thus, the net flows amounted to 128.0 million in 2024, while in 2023, it recorded 1.0 billion.
The overall distribution of the employed in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector reached 0.3% in first quarter of 2026, decreased from last quarter by 0.06 percentage points (pp) and decreased from a year ago by 0.43 pp.
For its part, the average weekly working hours was 42.7 hours in the third quarter of 2023, registering a decrease of 4.5% compared to the previous period and a decrease of 3.7% compared to the same quarter of 2022.
The operating revenues of the sector reached 13.8 billion in 2024, an increase of 12.5% compared to the previous year. For its part, the operating expenses amounted to 4.6 billion, showing an increase of 8.3% compared to the previous period. As a result, the operating surplus of the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector was 6.4 billion, 16% higher than the previous period.
In July 2026, the value of points of sale (POS) transactions amounted to 1.6 billion in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector, being 7.1% higher than the previous month and 5.4% higher than the same month from the previous year.
The graph shows the monthly evolution of the value of points of sale transactions in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In July 2026, the SADAD system payments value in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector reached 41.5 million, being 0.9% lower than the previous month and 4.7% lower than the same month from the previous year.
The graph shows the monthly evolution of the SADAD system payments value in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
Exports of the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector reached 2.1 billion in 2025. The primary destinations for these exports were United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ( 1.3 billion), Republic of Türkiye ( 161.5 million), and French Republic ( 113.1 million).
The graph shows annual exports of Arts, entertainment and recreation sector by country, measured in trade value.
In April 2026, the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector recorded exports amounting 175.7 million and imports totaling 4.2 million, resulting in a trade balance surplus of 171.5 million.
The graph shows the monthly evolution of exports and imports in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector, with the line representing the trade balance.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, there were 30 registered in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector, representing a 20.0% increase compared to the previous period.
The graph shows the quarterly trend in the number of foreign licenses obtained by the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2024, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock reached 1.8 billion, marking an increased of 7.5% compared to the previous year.
The graph shows the annual evolution of the FDI stock in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
In 2024, the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Inflow amounted to 130.0 million, while the FDI Outflow stood at 2.0 million. Consequently, the FDI Net Inflow was 128.0 million, reflecting a decreased of 87.7% compared to the previous year.
The graph illustrates the annual progression of FDI Inflow and Outflow in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector. The line chart represents the FDI Net Inflow.
Note:
FDI inflows: Financial transactions that arise between the FDI institution, direct investors and related companies outside the Saudi economy, which occur during a certain period of time, and form inflows when their positive impact appears in excess of equity and/or debt instruments.
FDI outflows: These are financial transactions that arise between the Foreign Direct Investment Corporation, direct investors, and related companies outside the Saudi economy, and which occur during a certain period of time. They are outflows when their impact appears in a decrease in the side of obligations, such as paid dividends or repayment of loans and credit receivables, or when the foreign shareholder exits.
FDI net inflow: It represents the difference between inflows and outflows of foreign direct investment inflows.
In the first quarter of 2026, the percentage distribution of employed people in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector reached 0.3%, with 0.2% for men and 0.5% for women.
The graph shows the quarterly evolution of the percentage distribution of employed people by gender in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
During the third quarter of 2023, the average hours worked by Saudi men were 41.7, compared to 44.6 hours for non-Saudi men. Likewise, Saudi women averaged 40.4 hours, while non-Saudi women worked an average of 48 hours.
The graph shows the average weekly working hours by gender and nationality in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
During the first quarter of 2026, a total of 48,856 participants on the job Subject to the rules and regulations of social insurance were registered in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector, with 74.6% being men (36,438 participants) and 25.4% women (12,418 participants).
The graph shows the quarterly evolution of the number of participants on the job Subject to the rules and regulations of social insurance by gender in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2022 on-the-job subscribers in the private sector was 4,517 for Saudi men and 16,138 for non-Saudi men. On-the-job subscribers was 6,075 for saudi women and 2,041 for non-Saudi women.
The graph shows on-the-job subscribers in the private sector by gender and nationality in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2018, there were 2,446 establishments registered in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector, of which 66% had less than 5 employees, 26.7% had between 5 and 19 employees and 7.3% had more than 20 employees.
The graph shows the annual distribution of establishments categorized by size based on the number of employees in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2024, the operating revenues reached 13.8 billion, while operating expenses amounted to 4.6 billion, resulting in an operating surplus of 6.4 billion for the year.
The graph shows the annual evolution of operating expenses and operating revenues, with the line representing the operating surplus each year.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2017 net assets reached an amount of 200.0 million, being higher in 0.5% compared to the previous year.
The graph shows the annual evolution of net assets in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2024, the operating revenues reached 4.4 billion in micro establishments, while operating expenses amounted to 1.6 billion, generating a surplus of 2.0 billion.
The graph shows the annual evolution of operating expenses and operating revenues, with the line representing the operating surplus each year in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector for micro establishments.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2024, micro enterprises of the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector spent 791.4 million in employee compensation, while small enterprises spent 683.5 million and medium-sized enterprises spent 655.9 million. This amounts to a total of 2.1 billion for the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
The graph shows employee compensation by enterprise size over the years in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
Note: Sectors have been reclassified as per ISIC 4 standard.
In 2024, the number of active enterprises in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector was 6,144.
The chart shows the number of Active Enterprises in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector by year.
In July 2026, the Operating Revenues Index in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector stood at 134.4.
The chart shows the monthly evolution of the Operating Revenues Index in Arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
According to the Digital Economy Survey carried out by the General Authority for Statistics in 2022, in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector the use of having account on social media platforms (84.0%) and advertising their products through social media platforms (64.5%) are highlighted as the most relevant indicators of adoption and use of the digital economy.
The graph shows the percentage of establishments in the Arts, entertainment and recreation sector according to indicators of use and adoption of the digital economy.
