Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Saudi women outnumber men in terms of visiting entertainment facilities and destinations, according to the latest figures released by the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat).

Around 65 percent of women above the age of 15 and 63 percent of men visited entertainment and recreational facilities and destinations during the last three months, Al-Watan newspaper reported citing the GaStat figures.

The GaStat report revealed the latest indices of activities in the Kingdom’s cultural and recreational sectors.

According to the report, Saudis prefer to read online editions of newspapers and magazines rather than their print editions. However, both men and women prefer to read print versions of books than online editions. Among men, 62 percent read books while among women the percentage is 54.

Regarding reading books, 50 percent of men read print versions while seven percent read online editions while among women 52 percent read print editions whereas seven percent read online editions.

The report showed that around 67 percent of Saudi men read newspapers and magazines while this percentage among women is 51.

Around 96 percent of men watch television while this figure among women is 97 percent. The report showed that the number of women who listen to radio programs is less than half of men, with men making 63 percent while women accounting for only 24 percent.

It was revealed in a GaStat survey that 92 percent of men and 85 percent of women use the Internet while the percentage in the use of computers among men and women is 65 and 43 respectively.

Around 92 percent of men use smartphones while the figure among women users of smartphones stands at 85 percent, the report pointed out.