Photo: Shutterstock Unprecedented cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France. Qiddiya Investment, Saudi Arabia's main tourism and entertainment arm, plans to build a huge tourism and entertainment complex in the Cergy-Pontoise area of the Île-de-France region, near Paris.
The project is expected to combine entertainment parks, hotels, leisure, cultural and sports complexes, with a total investment estimated at approximately €6 billion over the life of the project.
The project was unveiled in a joint statement by France and Saudi Arabia issued by the Elysee Palace yesterday, August 25, 2026, following the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to France. According to the statement, the complex is expected to include up to three large entertainment centers, along with hotels and a variety of complementary leisure experiences.
In addition to the scale of the investment, this is also a project with significant employment significance. According to the French presidency, the construction of the complex is expected to create approximately 22,000 jobs, and transform the area near Paris into a new hub for tourism, entertainment, and culture.
The move marks Qiddiya's significant entry into the European market and the expansion of the Saudi tourism and entertainment vision beyond the borders of the Kingdom. The company is promoting a series of entertainment, sports and leisure projects in Saudi Arabia as part of Vision 2030, and is now bringing the same concept to Europe.
The complex in France is expected to become one of the largest tourism and attraction projects announced in Europe in recent years. It also fits into the trend of deepening economic ties between France and Saudi Arabia, with the two countries announcing more than 22 agreements and memoranda of understanding during the visit in various fields, including entertainment, technology, health and artificial intelligence.