Saudi Arabia’s leading out‑of‑home provider Al Arabia has secured two significant wins across the Gulf region, strengthening its position as one of the most influential players in the Middle East. The company has been awarded the advertising rights for Majid Al Futtaim’s UAE malls as well as a 10‑year concession to operate all advertising media at 18 regional airports across Saudi Arabia.

Al Arabia announced three new agreements with Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Properties, granting the Saudi OoH operator exclusive rights to manage and commercialize digital screens across eight shopping malls in the United Arab Emirates. The contracts, valued at roughly US§14 million, mark a decisive step in Al Arabia’s strategy to expand beyond its home market and establish a meaningful presence in the UAE’s premium retail environments.

Mall of the Emirates in Dubai (Images: invidis)

The network includes some of the country’s most frequented destinations such as Mall of the Emirates, City Center Deira, City Center Mirdif and several additional City Center malls across the northern emirates. The move reflects Al Arabia’s ambition to grow its concession portfolio outside of the KSA and diversify its offering across multiple OoH segments. The UAE out-of-home market – especially mall advertising – is more mature than in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom is just starting to catch-up with mega malls similar to Dubai Mall, MoE, and others.

Stronger presence at Saudi airports

Al Arabia also revealed that it has secured the bid for a 10‑year contract to establish, operate, and maintain static and digital advertising billboards across 18 regional airports in Saudi Arabia. The value of the agreement is estimated at US§32 million.

Although global OoH giant JC Decaux retains control of advertising at most major international hubs in the Gulf (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Damman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat), Al Arabia’s new concession significantly widens its footprint across the Kingdom’s fast‑growing aviation infrastructure.

A regional player on the rise

The two new deals underscore Al Arabia’s growing influence in the Middle East’s OoH and DooH sector. By securing long‑term concessions in both retail and aviation – two of the region’s most valuable advertising environments – the company is positioning itself as a dominant regional operator capable of competing with both local and international players.