Tourism Destination Challenge

The Tourism Destination Challenge is a program launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism in December 2022. It aims to encourage innovative entrepreneurs in the Saudi tourism sector to develop solutions to address challenges faced by tourist destinations.

The Tourism Destination Challenge is designed to present innovative solutions to address the challenges faced by three targeted tourist destinations: Riyadh, Taif, and al-Ahsa. Through the application of the open innovation principle, the program seeks to attract creative entrepreneurs to the Saudi tourism industry.

The program aims to align with the economic and tourism dynamics in the Kingdom, raise awareness about tourist destinations, support innovators, contribute to supporting tourism businesses, offer support to those with creative solutions in the tourism industry, provide investment opportunities to attract more innovative ideas, develop and enhance tourist destinations across all the provinces.

The Tourism Destination Challenge consists of three main stages, each executed through a two-day virtual training program: First, supporting participants in developing research and analytical skills and identifying opportunities; second, equipping participants with the skills needed for critical thinking and generating solutions; third, testing prototypes and preparing candidate projects for market launch. The program includes virtual workshops to transform innovative ideas into commercial projects. The best ideas are selected during a closing ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Tourism at the end of the program, where the best solutions presented are celebrated. The ceremony is attended by program finalists, government and private sector representatives, and investors, to empower and support innovators and entrepreneurs in the tourism ecosystem.

Program male and female participants must be eighteen years or older, Saudi nationals or residents of the Kingdom, present a solution to one of the identified challenges, have experience or ideas in the tourism industry, and be entrepreneurs.