How arenas are helping drive growth in the GCC
From Bahrain to Jeddah, operators are establishing the Gulf Cooperation Council as a viable touring destination
Feature By IQ | 31 October 2025
Across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), venues are playing an increasingly proactive role in the development of the live entertainment sector.
From Bahrain to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to the UAE, venue operators are shaping programming, investing in infrastructure, and contributing to the emergence of a viable regional touring network.
This shift comes as governments invest heavily in entertainment infrastructure and audiences across the region demonstrate growing demand for a broader range of live content.
A key part of this growth is that venues across the region are increasingly curating diverse event calendars. Bahrain’s Al Dana Amphitheatre, which opened in 2021 as a 10,000-capacity outdoor venue, has expanded to include a new 3,500-cap indoor venue.
“We went from three shows in 2021 to 10 in…
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