RIYADH: Tourism startups and entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia stand to benefit from three newly launched support initiatives aimed at accelerating innovation, attracting investment, and strengthening the Kingdom’s growing travel economy.
The Tourism Development Fund has introduced the Grow Tourism Incubator, Tourism Hackathons and Bootcamps, and the Grow Tourism Accelerator — a suite of initiatives designed to empower early-stage ventures through TDF Grow, its non-financial enablement arm, according to a press release.
Developing a robust tourism landscape is a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda, as the Kingdom works to diversify its economy and reduce its reliance on oil revenues.
The National Tourism Strategy targets 150 million annual visitors by 2030, after surpassing the 100 million milestone ahead of schedule, with official data showing the Kingdom welcomed 116 million tourists in 2024 — exceeding its annual target for the second year in a row.
Qusai bin Abdullah Al-Fakhri, CEO of TDF, said: “We remain committed to empowering entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into promising, impactful projects. We strive to provide a comprehensive support ecosystem that addresses the needs of businesses at every stage, helping them overcome challenges and accelerate their growth.”
