France and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement on a €6 billion investment to create three theme parks 30 kilometres north-west of Paris, in one of the most significant attraction announcements for the French visitor economy since the arrival of Disneyland Paris.
The new development is expected to include a manga-themed park, inspired by the Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z.
An opening date for the parks, built near Cergy-Pontoise, has not been set by the Élysée Palace, but they will open in stages and construction is expected to take years.
The project was given the green light during a two-day state visit to France by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
French President Emmanuel Macron has indicated that the parks could support 22,000 jobs, underlining the expected economic role of the project. For developers, operators and suppliers, the scheme could generate major demand across masterplanning, design, themed environments, technical systems, live entertainment, hospitality, retail, operations and transport planning.
The project will be led by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) - part of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
image: youtube/France 24