The Business Year and Eastern Province Municipality Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Spotlight the Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia 2027 Edition

Manal Saleh

Dammam, Saudi Arabia—The Business Year (TBY) and the Eastern Province Municipality (Amana) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a strategic collaboration for the production of The Business Year: Saudi Arabia 2027 edition, with a dedicated editorial focus on the Eastern Province and its rapidly expanding role in the Kingdom’s economic transformation.

The agreement follows a high-level meeting in Dammam between representatives of The Business Year and Fahad Mohammad Al-Jubair, Mayor of the Eastern Province, during which both parties discussed the region’s accelerating development trajectory, investment landscape, industrial expansion, quality of life agenda, and long-term positioning within Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 framework.

As part of the collaboration, the Eastern Province Municipality will support the development of a dedicated narrative within The Business Year: Saudi Arabia 2027, highlighting the region’s strategic importance across sectors including industry, logistics, manufacturing, infrastructure, hospitality, urban development, real estate, and investment attraction. The municipality will also facilitate engagement with key public- and private-sector stakeholders across the region, while The Business Year will produce extensive editorial coverage aimed at international investors, business leaders, and policymakers.

The meeting underscored the growing importance of the Eastern Province as one of Saudi Arabia’s most dynamic economic corridors and a critical gateway connecting industry, trade, logistics, and quality-of-life development. During the discussion, Mayor Fahad Mohammad Al-Jubair emphasized the scale and diversity of ongoing investments entering the region, noting that the Eastern Province has attracted investors from more than 10 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, China, India, Kuwait, Qatar, and Thailand, with several major projects expected to be completed this year.

The collaboration will position the Eastern Province through a dedicated narrative within the report, showcasing how the region is evolving beyond its traditional industrial identity to become a fully integrated economic, urban, and lifestyle hub. Particular emphasis will be placed on localization strategies, industrial expansion, logistics ecosystems, import substitution initiatives, advanced manufacturing, and large-scale real estate development, all of which are contributing to the Kingdom’s long-term diversification agenda.

The Eastern Province has increasingly become central to Saudi Arabia’s industrial and logistics ambitions due to its strategic geographic location, integrated infrastructure, port connectivity, and proximity to major regional markets. Through the upcoming publication, The Business Year aims to highlight how the region is supporting national objectives related to local content development, supply-chain resilience, industrial self-sufficiency, and private-sector participation.

The publication will also focus extensively on quality of life and hospitality development, two areas that are rapidly redefining the Eastern Province’s positioning within the Kingdom. Major hospitality projects, waterfront destinations, lifestyle developments, entertainment concepts, and urban regeneration initiatives are transforming cities such as Al Khobar and Dammam into increasingly attractive destinations for residents, investors, and international visitors alike.

During the meeting, the Mayor highlighted the region’s significant progress in livability, public safety, infrastructure quality, and digital transformation, noting that Al Khobar has rapidly advanced in international livability rankings while the Eastern Province continues to emerge as one of Saudi Arabia’s leading regions in terms of smart city readiness and urban management.

“The Eastern Province is experiencing major transformation across investment, infrastructure, digitalization, tourism, and urban development. We believe it is important to communicate this progress to international audiences and showcase the opportunities available across the region,” said Fahad Mohammad Al-Jubair, Mayor of the Eastern Province.

“The Eastern Province today represents one of the most strategic economic ecosystems in Saudi Arabia. What is happening here goes far beyond traditional industrial development. We are witnessing the rise of a fully integrated investment environment where logistics, manufacturing, urban regeneration, tourism, quality of life, and infrastructure are converging into a single long-term vision,” said Edoardo Caccin, from The Business Year.

“We believe the Eastern Province deserves a dedicated narrative within The Business Year: Saudi Arabia 2027. This is not simply about covering projects; it is about positioning the region internationally as a critical pillar of Saudi Arabia’s transformation journey and as a gateway for future investment opportunities,” added Edoardo Caccin.

“The Eastern Province is entering a new phase of visibility and international relevance. Beyond its established industrial strength, the region is increasingly becoming a benchmark for integrated urban development, investment readiness, and quality-of-life transformation,” said Alena Hakansson, Director at The Business Year.

“Our objective is to ensure that international investors, multinational companies, and decision-makers understand the scale of transformation taking place across the Eastern Province. Through this partnership, we aim to create a platform that accurately reflects the ambitions, opportunities, and strategic significance of the region,” added Hakansson.

“We are planning for the long term. Our role is not only to support today’s growth, but to ensure the Eastern Province remains economically sustainable, globally competitive, and one of the best places to live, invest, and visit in the region,” added Fahad Mohammad Al-Jubair.

Particular attention within the report will be given to the Eastern Province’s role as a logistics and industrial powerhouse. The publication will examine how strategic planning, infrastructure expansion, industrial zoning, and connectivity enhancements are supporting the Kingdom’s broader manufacturing and localization ambitions under Vision 2030.

The report will also explore the region’s emerging role in tourism, hospitality, and leisure development, including luxury resorts, entertainment projects, lifestyle destinations, and waterfront developments currently under construction across the province. These initiatives are expected to significantly elevate the Eastern Province’s profile as a destination for both business and leisure tourism.

The collaboration will facilitate interviews with senior public officials, investors, developers, industrial leaders, logistics operators, hospitality executives, and other key stakeholders shaping the future of the Eastern Province. The dedicated chapter will feature interviews, sector analysis, investment insights, and thematic coverage focused on the region’s strategic transformation.

The Business Year is an international media and events group that has been delivering first-hand insights into the world’s most dynamic markets for over 15 years. In Saudi Arabia, the publication engages with ministers, sovereign funds, public-sector leaders, CEOs, founders, and institutional stakeholders to provide in-depth analysis of the Kingdom’s economic evolution and investment landscape.