US theme park company Six Flags Entertainment has said its expansion into Saudi Arabia will likely include three parks, with the first to open in 2020 or 2021, UK newswire Reuters reported its executive chairman saying.

Reuter’s quoted the company’s Executive Chairman Jim Reid-Anderson as saying: “The parks are likely to be government-owned, although that’s not guaranteed yet, because talks are still early and there can be changes.”

Earlier this year, MEED reported that Dubai Parks and Resorts, which holds the exclusive rights to develop and operate Six Flags-branded theme parks in all GCC countries, was prepared to waive its rights in Saudi Arabia.

Plans to develop theme parks in the kingdom are part of the government’s plans to diversify the economy and boost tourism. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 said it will look to capitalise on the government’s reserves of real estate and allocate prime areas within cities for educational institutions, and retail and entertainment centres. Large areas along coasts will be dedicated to tourist projects and appropriate lands will be allocated for industrial schemes.

The kingdom is also looking to double the number of religious tourists it receives.