Saudi Gazette 

 

JEDDAH — KidZania, one of the world’s fastest-growing family edutainment centers, located at Mall of Arabia has unveiled its latest location for children here, becoming the country’s first entertainment educational city by Fawaz Alhokair group.

 

KidZania Jeddah is also the third Middle East location, joining KidZania Dubai and KidZania Kuwait.

 

Built on an unwavering commitment to help children realize their full potential in a fun and educational context, KidZania Jeddah boasts more than 68 establishments that provides 85 real-world careers to deliver the brand’s signature role-playing experience. 

 

Kids aged 4-14 will discover an ultra-realistic, kid-sized replica of a city, built indoors and brought to life with real-world establishments sponsored and branded by leading multi-national and local brands. 

 

The opening ceremony was held on Friday at Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, and was attended by Xavier Lopez, the international executive chairman and the founder of KidZania in Mexico, as well as Eng. Salman Alhokair, Vice President of Abdulmohsen Al Hokair Group for Tourism and Development, Stuart Birkwood, CEO of Kidzania Jeddah, Dr. Iman Baker, Head of Commercial Department and Maged Alnajjar, Kidzania General Manager as well as social figures and media representatives.

 

“KidZania Jeddah is the third location to open in the Middle East and we expect Jeddah to be every bit as successful as KidZania Dubai & KidZania Kuwait – both of which see on average a half-million visitors each year,” said Xavier López Ancona, president and founder of KidZania during his opening note at the press conference. 

 

“We are excited to welcome the children of Saudi Arabia as citizens of KidZania where they can experience a real city, be challenged and inspired and get ready to create a better world. Moreover, I am very proud that KidZania Jeddah is the first KidZania metropolis in the world to operate with 100% female supervisors.”

 

Eng. Salman Alhokair, Chairman of Fawaz Al Hokair Group, said during the official opening: “We are honored and delighted to join the ever-growing KidZania nation, where children can imagine a better world and become global citizens through their experiences at our park.”

 

He noted that the edutainment programs will empower, enrich the self-esteem, and bolster the leadership skills of Saudi kids and other young visitors visiting from other parts of Makkah region.

 

He further said: “Saudi Arabia is ready for an edutainment concept like KidZania and I’m hopeful that it will provide new opportunities to the kids to shape their future.”

 

Meanwhile, Birkwood, said: “We are thrilled to bring KidZania Jeddah to the families of Saudi Arabia and offer a one-of-kind experience that joins education and entertainment by letting children explore real-world careers, manage their money and make new friends – at the same time collaborating, thinking critically and perfecting a myriad of life skills.”

 

KidZania Jeddah will provide a unique opportunity for Saudi children and guests from around the world to experience life as adults, working together to run the city, while simultaneously learning the values of leadership and teamwork.

 

The attraction puts children in a pint-sized, kid friendly city, allowing them to role play and test drive careers of every kind – from  pilots navigate airplanes, TV anchors, firemen, chefs, doctors, police officers, journalists, shopkeepers, etc.

 

KidZania is a city just for kids, complete with a hospital, fire station, beauty salon, bank, radio station, supermarket, television station, pizzeria and theater. Kids are paid for their work in KidZos, the official currency of KidZania.

 

KidZania was conceptualized and developed by Xavier López Ancona, its current CEO. The first KidZania opened in September 1999 in Santa Fe Shopping Mall in Mexico City, Mexico.

 

Jeddah is the 17th operational center of KidZania in the world, as Saudi Arabia joins the likes of Chile, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Portugal, South Korea, Thailand, India, Kuwait, Cairo, Istanbul and UAE.