Saudi Tourism Authority unveils new initiative to boost domestic private sector

By Shilpa Annie Joseph, Official Reporter
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Saudi Tourism
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The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) has introduced ‘Tourism Shapers,’ a new initiative aimed at supporting local travel trade partners in the tourism private sector.

Tourism Shapers aims to promote the tourism industry and enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the kingdom to take advantage of opportunities to expand.

Fahd Hamidaddin
Fahd Hamidaddin
CEO – STA

“Across the kingdom, we are seeing different types of small-to-medium-sized businesses transform their working models and offering so that tourism is at the heart of their core product. Businesses are beginning to think differently about the future, recognizing the immense growth opportunities within the tourism sector and how they must adapt, evolve, and innovate to meet the needs of their customer. The future of tourism is dependent on building partnerships at all levels. Tourism Shapers is just one initiative through which STA is sharing ideas and insights that will help empower our partners to win their share of visitation.”

The initiative started with a series of monthly interactive webinars, each focused on a different subject and structured to provide participants with best practices, key perspectives, and knowledge about the tourism industry.

The first webinar, ‘The Future of Travel and Tourism’ included insights and different views on the tourism industry of tomorrow and how businesses can adapt and evolve for the future.

During the session, Aya Sadder, Founder at Why Bolt, has stated that how companies could be more resilient in challenging times.

“Tourism is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, it is constantly transforming and businesses must be ready to adapt. The future of the industry will focus on building more resilient communities and businesses through innovation, effective partnerships, and readiness to embrace digitalization,” Ms. Sadder added.

The next webinar, which will be broadcast on the Tourism Shapers’ official website on March 17, 2021, will focus on the pricing strategies for tourism companies.

Related: Saudi AlUla Old Town heritage site reopens after 3 years of renovation work

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