Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: The Tourism Development Fund (TDF), the national enabler of the tourism sector, in cooperation with Almashtal Creative Incubator, organized an exhibition for the first cohort of the "Pre-Accelerator for Handicrafts and Souvenirs" to display their works of art, celebrating the authenticity of the Saudi identity.

The TDF continues its commitment to supporting local innovative abilities through the "Pre-Accelerator for Handicrafts and Souvenirs", in which 560 entrepreneurs applied, with only 40 names shortlisted and 15 reaching the final stage of it.

On this occasion, Qusai Al-Fakhri, CEO of TDF expressed his pride in what the graduates have achieved stressing the importance of the TDF programs in promoting innovation and sustainable development in Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector.

On her part, Princess Noura Bint Saud Bin Naif AlSaud, Co-Founder and CEO of Al Mashtal Creative Incubator asserted that the cooperation with TDF aligns with the vision of Al Mashtal Creative Incubator to highlight and honor Saudi innovation, which participates in supporting SMEs of the Tourism Sector.

It is worth noting that the Tourism Grow Accelerator Programme is an initiative by TDF Grow that aims to empower entrepreneurs in the tourism sector by providing them with the necessary support to create innovative technical solutions, facilitate communication with investors and sector leaders, and encourage the best tourism startups to contribute to achieving the national tourism objectives.

Notably, the "Pre-Accelerator for Handicrafts and Souvenirs" program is a creative initiative launched by the Tourism Growth Center of the Saudi Tourism Development Fund, in partnership with AlMashtal Creative Incubator. The program consists of a series of stages, beginning with the "Saudi Souvenirs" challenge, followed by an evaluation and nomination phase, culminating in the selection of winning ideas. These ideas are then integrated into the training and model development program.

The program offers a range of creative activities that help local creatives present their ideas and visions in a systematic way, allowing for their continuous development and improvement, with the aim of providing high-quality products that find their way to the global market.

The program seeks to support and empower startups in the tourism sector, specifically in the field of designing and manufacturing unique Saudi souvenirs that allow visitors to the Kingdom to acquire distinctive souvenirs.