In a panel discussion titled "Boosting Saudi Tourism by Empowering Local Ventures," held as part of the Biban 24 forum, Badr Al-Harbash, Chief Strategy Officer at the Tourism Development Fund, affirmed that the fund is a core part of the system boosting the Kingdom's tourism sector, contributing effectively to achieving the goals of the National Tourism Strategy by providing investment opportunities and supporting local companies with financial and non-financial solutions.

Al-Harbash noted that the fund has developed a range of financial products dedicated to supporting small and medium enterprises, aiming to boost their participation in the tourism sector, indicating that the fund has provided financing worth close to 3 billion riyals that will benefit upcoming tourism projects set to begin operations in 2025, directly contributing to raising the Kingdom's GDP.

Al-Harbash explained that the fund faces several challenges in advancing tourism investment, but coordinated work with government entities is helping turn these challenges into opportunities, pointing to the strong presence of the private sector in tourism, which accounts for more than 90% of tourism activities, reflecting the confidence and ambition of small and medium enterprises to enter the sector and contribute to achieving Saudi Vision 2030.