Riyadh:  The Tourism Development Fund (TDF), the National Steward of Tourism Investment in Saudi Arabia, celebrated the successful completion of the first edition of the Grow Tourism Incubator, led by TDF Grow, the Fund’s non-financial enablement arm, in strategic partnership with Almosafer.

The milestone was marked during the Grow Tourism Incubator Mixer, which brought together a distinguished group of investors, entrepreneurs, strategic partners, and representatives from both the public and private sectors.

The program forms part of TDF’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem by empowering startups and entrepreneurs through a comprehensive support framework that includes specialized mentorship, business development services, capacity-building opportunities, and connections with investors and strategic partners. The initiative is designed to enhance the readiness of tourism ventures for growth and expansion while supporting the development of innovative business models, products, and services that contribute to the advancement of the tourism sector, in line with the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.

Over a ten-month period, the inaugural edition of the incubator supported 30 startups, including 20 participating through the in-person track and 10 through the virtual track. Participating companies benefited from more than 230 business development sessions, over 20 specialized workshops, 35 training opportunities, and 30 service grants across a range of disciplines.

The program also included an international learning visit to H-Farm in Italy, providing participants with exposure to global best practices in entrepreneurship and innovation, further strengthening their readiness to scale and grow their businesses.

Commenting on the occasion, Qusai Al-Fakhri, Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism Development Fund, said: "The Grow Tourism Incubator represents a practical example of the Fund’s role in empowering startups and entrepreneurs within the tourism sector by providing them with specialized knowledge, mentorship, and access to investors and strategic partners, enabling them to accelerate their growth and expansion. We are proud of the progress achieved by the participating companies throughout the incubation journey and their readiness to advance to the next stage of growth, reflecting the significant potential of Saudi Arabia’s tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem."

The incubated startups represented a diverse range of sectors that support the tourism industry, including tourism technology, digital platforms, visitor experience solutions, cultural and heritage tourism, and AI-powered innovations, in addition to ventures focused on developing innovative tourism products and services.

The event also featured presentations from a number of participating startups and provided entrepreneurs with the opportunity to engage directly with investors and key ecosystem stakeholders, fostering growth opportunities and paving the way for future investment partnerships.

TDF Grow continues to play a vital role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s tourism entrepreneurship ecosystem. To date, it has empowered more than 14,000 beneficiaries through a range of non-financial programs and initiatives targeting entrepreneurs, startups, and small and medium-sized enterprises. These efforts contribute to accelerating business growth, connecting ventures with promising opportunities, and enhancing the sustainable economic and social impact of the tourism sector across Saudi Arabia.