November 20, 2024
The National Events Center (NEC) continues to play a central role in advancing the events sector across Saudi Arabia, enhancing service quality, and supporting Saudi Seasons, the national events calendar, and major events in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.
Established by a Council of Ministers decision on March 10, 2020, NEC is headquartered in Riyadh and operates with legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is organizationally linked to the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, working in line with national directives and the strategic vision of the Events Committee.
Since its establishment, NEC has served as a central development entity with a nationwide mandate, driving the growth of a world-class events sector. Its mission is to position Saudi Arabia as a leading destination for events at the local, regional, and global levels.
NEC’s core responsibilities include advancing the sector through service excellence, continuous innovation, and sustainable development across entertainment, sports, tourism, and cultural domains. It works to create an enabling regulatory environment, strengthen stakeholder integration, and enhance planning and execution to maximize economic and social returns while ensuring efficiency and long-term sustainability.
To achieve its objectives, NEC has launched several key initiatives that contribute to sector development and private sector engagement. Among these is the Saudi Events App, which serves as a unified platform showcasing events across the Kingdom and acts as the primary reference for the national events calendar, with seamless access to ticketing platforms.
In addition, NEC introduced the Enjz platform, a unified digital platform designed to streamline and accelerate event-related services, including licensing across entertainment, sports, cultural events, exhibitions, and conferences, in coordination with relevant regulatory authorities.
The Matloob platform further supports the sector as a comprehensive digital solution that enables stakeholders to collaborate effectively. It facilitates the participation of content creators and service providers, supports operational needs across seasons, and enhances the sector’s investment attractiveness by providing relevant data and streamlined interactions.
NEC has also launched the Events Pioneers Program, a one-year on-the-job training initiative aimed at recent graduates. The program focuses on developing national talent and preparing them to meet the sector’s needs, achieving a 100% employment rate among its graduates—reflecting its success in aligning with labor market demands.
Another key initiative is EventTech initiative, a national program designed to foster digital innovation within the events sector. Implemented in collaboration with the Digital Entrepreneurship Center (CODE) and the Monsha’at, the initiative supports entrepreneurs, investors, and experts in identifying opportunities and developing innovative digital solutions.
The initiative includes workshops, brainstorming sessions, and the “Event Tech Experts Series” program—one of its key outputs—aimed at addressing challenges and unlocking new opportunities in the sector. It contributes to accelerating digital transformation and enhancing collaboration between government entities in line with Vision 2030.
NEC also works to empower individuals and companies—both locally and internationally—to participate in the events sector through a wide range of services, while continuously improving the business environment and regulatory framework.
The Center’s identity is guided by four core values: passion, reflected in dedication and commitment; integrity, through accountability and responsibility; innovation, by developing new solutions and ideas; and collaboration, by fostering teamwork to achieve shared goals.
Through a clear and structured strategy, NEC aims to serve as the sector’s developer and enabler across all domains, ensuring the delivery of engaging seasons, events, and experiences that meet and exceed visitor expectations both locally and internationally.
To realize this vision, NEC operates through a multi-pillar strategy that includes empowering the private sector to deliver large-scale events, implementing operational standards and compliance frameworks, establishing strategic partnerships to enhance efficiency, improving the investor journey through streamlined licensing procedures, and supporting sector growth through research, data analytics, and continuous development of its ecosystem.
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