Lecture on Culture Surplus at King AbdulAziz University
M.A. Modhayan delivering a lecture on Culture Surplus at King AbdulAziz University, presenting to executive tourism students on how tourism drives cultural exports and global influence.
I had the honor of delivering a lecture titled “The Economics of Culture” to executive master’s students at the Faculty of Tourism, King AbdulAziz University in Jeddah — at the kind invitation of Dr. Thiyab Al-Harithi.
In the session, I introduced the concept of culture surplus — exploring the dynamics of surplus production and consumption, and the pivotal role tourism plays in cultural exports and, ultimately, in building a nation’s culture surplus.
It was a pleasure to meet such an outstanding group of students, many of whom work in sectors directly or indirectly linked to tourism, including the Ministry of Culture, the National Events Center, and the General Authority of Civil Aviation. Their insights and contributions enriched the discussion and underscored the value of cross-sector perspectives in shaping cultural strategy.
My sincere thanks to Dr. Thiyab Al-Harithi and all the students for their time, engagement, and for the wonderful memento that will remain a lasting memory.