By Khalid Al-Sulaiman
Tickets for entertainment events and activities in the Kingdom are expensive and most families cannot afford them. Most recreational events target wealthy people, dismissing those who are poor.
Saudi singers who usually perform abroad are now appearing in concerts in the Kingdom. However, the tickets for these events cost more or less what they cost abroad and few can afford to attend.
Even though Saudi singers are back in the Kingdom singing for their fellow countrymen, the price of tickets to their concerts are so high that it is clear that they are aimed at those who can afford to travel abroad to hear these singers perform in other countries.
Apart from the cost of tickets, those who attend events in the Kingdom need money for food and other services on offer at entertainment venues. Those who organize these events are getting money from people who are selling food and providing other services at entertainment events, and this money should be used to reduce the price of tickets so that more people can afford to attend.
Recreation and entertainment activities are not set up to accommodate low-income families. It seems that a greediness to make profits is of more concern to those organizing events than providing such activities to all members of Saudi society.
That is why citizens must be aware that how they spend their money determines the cost of entertainment events and who is able to attend them. If those who can afford to attend are willing to pay any price for a ticket, then profiteering will continue. But if they demonstrate that they know that they are being overcharged, then event organizers will act accordingly and reduce their prices, thus allowing more people to attend concerts and other entertainment activities.
