Riyadh: After a year of anxiety and ennui, are you ready for a good scream?
When it opens as the flagship attraction for Saudi Arabia s forthcoming Six Flags Qiddiya in 2023, the death-defying Falcon s Flight coaster will send riders down a 160-meter vertical cliff, through an illuminated tunnel, and around a series of corkscrews and inversions -all at a top speed of 250 kph.
The ride, currently under construction, will be the fastest, tallest, and longest freestanding coaster in the world, making Saudi Arabia a site for thrill-seekers too.
Reworking its tourism gameplan
This is just one way the Middle Eastern country is pushing for tourism visibility. After opening its doors to international visitors in 2019, Saudi Arabia has been busy developing a cruise industry, courting luxury hotel brands to build projects among its stunning natural landscapes, and revising rules such as strict dress codes that could make foreign visitors feel unwelcome. In all, it hopes that tourism will