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Guinness World Records Recognises the GEA, in the Joy Awards 2025

Published

2 weeks ago

20th January 2025

Huda

The General Entertainment Authority has broken Guinness World Records by building the world's largest honorary award at the Joy Award event.

The General Entertainment Authority (GEA) joined the Guinness World Records for building the world’s largest honorary award, which stands 15.13 metres tall and is located in front of the Joy Award event location to commemorate the ceremony’s successes.

A Star-Studded Celebration

In celebration of this remarkable achievement, the ANB Arena hosted the Joy Award event, which attracted several athletes and Arab and international singers. A Guinness Book of Records representative gave the award to the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) after the ceremony.

The Riyadh Season and its events reverberate throughout the year. The festivals and celebrations that bring together celebrities from the art and film industries, the nearly endless sporting events, and the meeting of civilisations—all of which the Riyadh Season was able to do—are the most notable accomplishments of the General Entertainment Authority.

Meanwhile, Guinness World Records has already honoured the General Entertainment Authority. It recognised the General Entertainment Authority for its new sports achievement last year when a Guinness World Book delegate presented two certificates to the Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia and the Chairman of Al-Hilal Club, Fahd bin Nafel. The certificates were received after they completed the world’s fastest football sports facility.

Amidst thunderous cheers from the supporters, His Excellency the Advisor and the Chairman of Al-Hilal Club received the two certificates, making the Kingdom Arena Stadium the biggest indoor stadium worldwide in capacity.

Thanks to the hundreds of contracts and agreements the General Entertainment Authority completes, these events emerge with this level of grandeur and professionalism.

Record-Breaking Events

We can speak about the fourth quarter of last year, since the General Entertainment Authority held 536 events around the Kingdom, attracting 8.3 million visitors overall. Furthermore, there were 9,000 licensing applications submitted, 20% more than the 7,498 applications filed in the prior quarter.

Notably, most of the events it hosts involve dining establishments, retail stores, and more. Accordingly, the General Entertainment Authority reported issuing 1,827 licences in the third quarter, a 5.7% rise over the same time the previous year.

These permits comprised 82 licences for crowd control and organisation, 481 licences for entertainment events, 412 licences for entertainment shows, and 567 licences for live performances in cafés and restaurants. In addition, the General Entertainment Authority registered 5,225 companies in the entertainment sector, and 106 licensed entertainment cities are currently in existence.

Likewise, the Authority places a high value on monitoring and inspection, which guarantees that every event and its food and goods are safe and that all services are rendered under sound and licensed standards. However, Riyadh led the cities in terms of the number of monitoring visits, with 7,108 visits, followed by Makkah Al-Mukarramah with 6,222 visits.

Since the General Entertainment Authority is eager to offer the greatest and most expert forms of entertainment, it always works to expand the selection so that everyone may find something they enjoy. The Authority has classified over 250 investors and 455 entertainment activities as part of its programs for categorising investors and entertainment activities.

A Platform for Creativity

An indication of the Kingdom’s attempts to improve the entertainment industry following Saudi Vision 2030 is the rise in organisational and entertainment performance. To focus on developing and innovating its events, the General Entertainment Authority has been training cadres and adopting unique concepts to include in events. The Entertainment Concepts Initiative has enabled 20 of the 12,000 submitted concepts to win.

The Authority underlined the diversity of these ideas, noting that some are new, some are keen to showcase Saudi culture, and some are distinguished by special occasions and events.

Two of them—such as Saham International Company’s concept for “The Grove”—took effect for the Riyadh season this year. The concept offers guests a comprehensive experience with all of its features through many primary zones, along with supplementary activities like hiking, singing, and theatre performances.

Moreover, the Solution Partner Foundation offered a concept: a truck built on “Shows On Wheels” that doubles as an integrated theatre for live performances and entertainment. The Four Steps Foundation offered the idea of “DIGILAND” for event planning, one of the ideas that isn’t in place yet. It’s an interactive technological entertainment event that encompasses various spaces and activities centred around technology, sports, and music.

The Ad Events Company also won for their concept of Beyond, an interactive event that aims to inspire participants to do new things by offering a variety of activities at various skill levels and giving them the chance to overcome physical and mental obstacles.