RIYADH: The United Nations Middle East Tourism Agency has called on Saudi women entrepreneurs to participate in this year’s Women Tech Startup Competition to help expand their businesses.
Following previous successful editions of the event, UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona told Arab News that this year’s competition will focus on three categories: talent and skills, green tourism and travel solutions, and market innovators.
She said: “In the talent and skills space, we are looking for innovative startups that develop and nurture human capital capabilities and needs through education technology, social and messaging platforms, or wellness and health solutions.”
“In the Green Tourism and Travel Solutions section, we are looking for start-ups that adopt an eco-friendly and sustainable approach in the areas of green technology, green infrastructure, sustainable travel and logistics, urban development and rural development.”
Bayona added that with rapid digitalisation and major change occurring in the Middle East, the region is leveraging various emerging technologies and moving towards a smart destination approach to tourism.
She said: “In the Market Innovators category, we are looking for startups working on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality/virtual reality, cryptocurrency, internet of things, blockchain, Web3 technologies, digital twins and the metaverse.”
The competition’s finalists will present their startups at the UN Tourism Tech Adventure in AlUla later this year.
“The event will give finalist entrepreneurs the opportunity to present their creative ideas to potential investors and industry experts in the most ideal backdrop,” said Bayona.
The startups will receive industry insights and strategic advice from UN Tourism and industry leaders, and will take part in a range of tourism, sustainability and business-related activities, including participation in the annual “With Women Leaders” gala at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
The winning startup will also have the opportunity to win a scholarship from the United Nations Tourism Online Academy, which offers massive open online courses with over 20,000 alumni.
“Startups will get media, public relations and communication support, which will help them gain visibility and establish their brand on a global platform,” Bayona said.
“Finally, there will be speaking opportunities. The winning startup will speak on a panel or as a keynote speaker at the UN Tourism event.”
Bayona added that with women making up about 54 percent of the tourism workforce, the pageant has a mission to empower women, in line with several Sustainable Development Goals that focus on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
She said Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and Oman’s Vision 2040 would increase job opportunities in the tourism sector in the Middle East.
She added: “The competition encourages and supports women to develop and run tourism businesses in order to eliminate the gender gap in entrepreneurship in the tourism industry.”
“Furthermore, the goal of decent work and economic growth (Sustainable Development Goal 8) is fundamentally linked to the success of women entrepreneurs. The tourism industry is a significant employer globally, and women-led businesses can create diverse and inclusive jobs.”
The competition is part of the United Nations Tourism Investment Framework “Investing in People, Planet and Prosperity”.
Bayona said the first edition of the competition selected four winners, all women-led startups, in different categories focusing on different aspects of tourism and technology.
She added: “The winners embodied the potential to drive social impact, enhance travel experiences, advance future technologies and foster community engagement.”
“The second edition of the competition will provide a platform to showcase solutions at an international level and empower leadership within the region. This initiative will also serve to inspire the next generation of women in the Middle East, encouraging them to pursue their dreams, share their innovative ideas and embark on their entrepreneurial journey.”
Since 2018, UN Tourism, together with partners around the world, has conducted more than 100 mentorship and one-on-one consulting sessions with finalist startups and MSMEs that participated in more than 26 competitions around the world.
Bayona said 23.8 percent of these businesses were run by women, adding: “This competition will not only help women-led businesses scale and succeed, but also contribute to the overall goal of building a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.”
