France, Saudi Arabia to jointly develop $7bn theme park complex near Paris

The partnership between France and Saudi Arabia represents one of the largest entertainment infrastructure projects planned for the Paris region in recent years. The three parks are expected to diversify the leisure offerings surrounding the French capital, which already hosts several major attractions drawing millions of visitors annually.

One of the planned facilities will be themed around Japanese manga and anime intellectual property, bringing international pop culture entertainment to European audiences. The inclusion of anime-themed attractions reflects the growing global appeal of Japanese entertainment properties and their commercial viability across different markets.

The scale of the investment underscores Saudi Arabia's expanding interest in entertainment and tourism ventures outside its domestic market. The kingdom has increasingly positioned itself as a major investor in international leisure and hospitality projects as part of broader economic diversification efforts.

The development is subject to regulatory approvals and planning permissions from French authorities. Officials from both nations have indicated confidence in the project's viability, though specific timelines for construction and opening have not been detailed.

Successful completion of the complex would add significant capacity to the greater Paris region's tourism infrastructure and create substantial employment opportunities during both construction and operational phases.