Tourism Development Fund Celebrates Winning Projects from Grow Tourism Hackathons & Bootcamps, Highlighting Innovation as a Catalyst for Sector Growth

The program attracted nearly 300 participants from Aseer, Al Ahsa, and Al Madinah, who collectively developed 64 tourism-focused projects spanning accommodation, tourism activities, and supporting services. Following multiple stages of mentorship and development, 38 projects advanced to the bootcamp phase, with 10 projects shortlisted to pitch before the judging panel at the final ceremony. Ultimately, five standout projects were awarded financial prizes and provided with opportunities to connect with partners under TDF’s Tourism Empowerment Programs, supporting their access to financing and future growth.

This edition underscores TDF’s commitment to advancing sustainable tourism by empowering startups and entrepreneurs with innovative, practical solutions that address real-world challenges. By transforming ideas into scalable, market-ready projects, the program contributes to enhancing service quality and readiness across tourism destinations throughout Saudi Arabia.

Commenting on the program, Qusai Al-Fakhri, CEO of the Tourism Development Fund, stated that the initiative reflects TDF’s role as a national engine for tourism innovation, emphasizing that investing in the capabilities of Saudi youth enables local challenges to be converted into high-impact tourism ventures with lasting economic and developmental value. He added that the Fund continues to build an integrated ecosystem that supports the growth of promising tourism projects, enhances visitor experiences, strengthens local communities, and reinforces the competitiveness of the tourism sector, aligned with the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.

Through TDF Grow, the Fund empowers entrepreneurs and startups via specialized programs that include hackathons, bootcamps, accelerators, and incubators, complemented by mentorship, advisory services, and strategic partnerships across the public and private sectors. These efforts ensure the development of innovative tourism projects that enrich visitor experiences across diverse destinations.

To date, TDF Grow programs have supported more than 10,000 entrepreneurs, contributed to the graduation of over 240 startups currently operating in the market, and helped attract nearly SAR 70 million in investments, demonstrating the Center’s growing impact on strengthening Saudi Arabia’s tourism innovation ecosystem and developing high-potential tourism ventures.