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How tourism is changing the landscape in Saudi Arabia
By GeographyJobs.com
April 15, 2020
Saudi Arabia has seemingly become the subject of more and more headlines in news outlets and academic journals over the past several years. Some of these headlines can be seen as positive. The progression of women’s rights within the Kingdom has been celebrated both within and outside the country, including the newly granted ability for women to attain a driver’s license. Such progressive policies are part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, which outlines how the Kingdom hopes to build the nation and the economy through investment of oil revenues toward a nation that will eventually need to survive and thrive in a world that is far less dependent on fossil fuels. A large portion of this plan is focused on growing tourism in the country.
Those outside the Kingdom which are skeptical of these new and progressive policies have asserted that such moves are superficial and are only meant to distract from far more serious human rights transgressions and policies that will or have remain unchanged. It is fair to say that the bulk of those people that could be considered skeptics and even critics of Saudi policies hail from Western democracies. Those that would be highly critical of the Saudi hierarchy and their actions are also those that likely have very little interest in ever setting foot inside the Kingdom. It is then also fair to say that those at the top of the Saudi hierarchy care little for what these critics have to say about their policies. They do however care to ensure that Muslims around the world can maintain faith in their religion and faith in the nation that is home to Makkah (Mecca), which attracts millions of visitors through religious tourism every year. This religious tourism is has created two cities within Makkah as addressed by this piece in the Architectural Review.
In their piece on the intensity of Makkah, the AR illustrates how the investment in supporting tourism there has created a disparity of living conditions. No longer is Makkah merely a magnet for tourists during the Hajj. Gleaming office towers and hotels have been erected near the Grand Mosque to support these visitors, but also, development has occurred throughout the entire city toward supporting this sector. There is now year-round religious tourism in the city which has helped to diversify the economy. As such, the land around the Grand Mosque has become very valuable and existing residents have been forcibly removed in order to make way for development. While this is assuredly part of the Saudi 2030 vision plan, Makkah is becoming a place that is made to serve the visiting pilgrims that are wealthy enough to make the journey, rather than a city that acts as home for its own residents.
Perhaps surprisingly, despite being one of the most conservative theocracies in the World, it also appears that even more progressive steps are being taken to enhance their image as a tourist destination for visitors abroad in another area: entertainment and gaming. The Vision 2030 plan outlines multi-billion-dollar investments in theme parks and entertainment complexes in Riyadh including a theme park and sports complexes. In Jeddah, there are hotels and large arenas that host Belote card games. Although no betting or gambling is allowed on these games, prize money can be offered to the winners of Belote tournaments. Prizes can exceed 100,000 Euros for top prizes, and these events are held often due to their popularity in the region.
While there are actual real-money casinos for tourists in the mainly Islamic nations of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, other progressive Arab and Islamic nations such as the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait where development of tourism has also been prioritized, these countries have not yet allowed the development of casino facilities within their borders. Development of facilities for recreational gaming was a line that even these relatively progressive Islamic nations would not cross, but Saudi Arabia, perhaps the most conservative of these nations has crossed that line at least allowing for prize-money to be won for these gaming tournaments. While the scale of gaming activity is still small within the Kingdom, and gambling itself is illegal, it is a huge first step toward attracting tourists in the same mode as international destinations like Orlando that have been built on entertainment tourism. While technically an illegal activity in most of the Middle East, many locals still look to gamble at reputable UAE betting sites that operate off-shore. Given the stance on gambling in the Kingdom, a move to become the Macau of the Middle East remains highly unlikely. While Saudi Arabia and all these other wealthy GCC nations that are all looking to build tourism as part of their economies of the future, gambling is a source of tourism revenue will likely remain taboo for some time.
Once virtual, esports is sure to change the real world
By GeographyJobs.com
December 13, 2018
Esports is big, and it’s getting bigger. According to newzoo, 2017 revenues reached $696 million
and should grow to $1.5 billion by 2020 as brand investment doubles.
As this new form of sporting competition gets more popular, a once
virtually held and participated-in competition is starting to change the
built environment with the demand for esports arenas and facilities.
What is Esports?
Also
known as e-sports or electronic sports, esports generally refers to
organized video game competitions. These competitions tend to involve
matches between two teams. Each team consists of several professional
players. The games in which these teams and players participate tend to
require multiple players per team in games such as CS:GO, League of
Legends, Dota 2, or several other popular titles.
Athletes and teams in traditional sports are watched and celebrated by millions of people for their skills and achievements. Esports athletes and teams are no different. With the rise of viewing platforms like Youtube and Twitch, esports and gaming fans have been able to consume the content that they desire. By 2019, over 427 million people will view esports events in some manner. Further entrenching esports into the cultural landscape, the market for wagering upon esports has also exploded with over US$23 billion expected to be wagered on esports by 2022. Consumers are able to do this by accessing licensed, regulated and reputable esports betting sites.
How esports is sure to change the built landscape?
By GeographyJobs.com
September 3, 2017
Constantly renewing itself, Las Vegas is moving into another a new era. Las Vegas sportsbooks have been legally accepting wagers since sports betting was made legal in Nevada in 1951. Once shunned by professional sports leagues for its association with gambling, or perhaps more correct, their refusal to share gambling profits, with a regional population now exceeding 2 million, Las Vegas will soon welcome two professional sports teams as these leagues appear to have moved past their distaste for the profits that Las Vegas sportsbooks have been making on the backs of their event results.
In the Fall of 2017, the National Hockey League will welcome the Las Vegas Golden Knights to the T-Mobile Arena, located right on the Vegas Strip among dozens of Casinos and sportsbooks. Despite the ability to request that the local bookmakers take the Golden Knights events off the board, Las Vegas bookies will likely continue to offer NHL betting odds for all games.
Perhaps as soon as the 2019 season, Las Vegas will also welcome the relocation of the Oakland Raiders franchise to play at a brand new Las Vegas football stadium that will be adjacent to the Strip and the Mandalay Bay Casino resort. Again, Las Vegas sportsbooks will likely continue to offer NFL betting odds for all games.
With this, Las Vegas is providing an example of a potential way forward with regard to addressing the the longstanding pattern of professional sports teams that constantly put undo pressure on local governments for subsidization of their new for-profit venues....
The geography of UK bookmakers: How online betting is changing the high street
By GeographyJobs.com
July 9, 2017
Sports betting has been legal in a widespread manner in the United Kingdom since the Betting and Gaming Act of 1960 allowed bookmakers to operate away from their previous havens at horse racing tracks. From 1961, several highly recognizable companies such as William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral and others grew their presence within UK high streets to a peak of 16,000 retail betting shops during the 1970s. However, the number of betting shops has since decreased by over 40% to around 9,000 locations. This decline in betting shops and the jobs they bring to each high street area can be directly attributed to the shift toward online sport betting. Online betting in the UK began to offer customers significant enhancements with regard to value received due to tax savings, convenience, safety and an improved overall experience.
With the proliferation of the internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the incumbent UK bookmakers recognised the opportunity that the internet presented to their business and took their brands online in order to supplement their existing retail betting operations. Additionally, several online-only bookmakers opened their own betting sites providing the incumbents with increased competition, syphoning business away not only from their online operations, but their shops as well. This period marks the start of the decline in the number of bricks and mortar betting shops. The decline accelerated in the late 2000s as all these companies took their online businesses offshore in order to avoid paying UK taxes, thus providing UK customers with better value as compared to betting within the UK at retail locations. Although this tax loophole was closed in late 2014 so that even offshore bookmaker companies had to pay taxes from bets placed by UK customers, consumer behavior had been significantly altered – customers mainly preferred betting online.
Furthermore, with promotional incentives like sports betting bonuses, ever-improving internet download speeds and mobile infrastructure, customers continue to enjoy the enhanced features available when betting online as compared to frequenting the betting shops. The benefits of betting online include the ability to use fast and safe payment methods, the ability to bet instantly in-play during an event and the ability to use odds comparison sites so bettors can to maximize potential returns. This safety, convenience, improved value and overall improved customer experience has further diminished the attractiveness of retail betting shops which have gained a reputation as having become dangerous places...
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