Virtual Reality (VR) has been a revelation for the entertainment and leisure industry in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the GCC region. While VR has been around for quite some time, it has recently provided the opportunity for theme parks to present new and exciting experiences to their visitors. 

Industry experts such as International Expo Consults (IEC), organizers of DEAL — the largest exhibition for the entertainment and leisure industry in the MENA region, foresee this concept taking off completely by 2019. 

Sharif Rahman, CEO of IEC, said: “Theme parks have always tried to provide exotic experiences to the visitors. Earlier they used to utilize painted sceneries, and then dark rides, animatronics, projections and then 3D technology. VR is the next step in the evolution of the entertainment segment and has been talked about as the next big thing in the industry. 

“In DEAL 2018, we had multiple exhibitors such as ASI, Warehouse of Games, Kyona and many Chinese exhibitors who had VR-based games and applications. Virtual Reality is a popular concept that has captured the attention of the world.”

Many theme park operators around the world have utilized the VR technology to spice up their rides. By using VR headsets, the ordinary rollercoaster becomes an immersive experience which can take visitors to far and distant real and imaginary lands or even underwater. 

While it is a good strategy to re-package the ride as a new experience every few months, there are still a few drawbacks of using the technology. 

The turnaround time has increased significantly — the amount of time and staff that is required to get the visitors in and out of the headsets has increased. Therefore, making the lines longer and more importantly — the costs significantly higher. 

DEAL 2019 is expected to represent the largest gathering of the entertainment and leisure industry’s key players and visitors from the Middle East, Africa, the US, Mediterranean and Asian countries. DEAL 2019 is scheduled to be held between March 25-27, 2019 at Halls 1, 2, 3 and 4 at the World Trade Center, Dubai.