The UNWTO women in tech startup competitions in the Middle East enable entrepreneurs to drive innovative solutions and provide funding for the finalists.
Young businesspersons in the country have expressed their optimism and enthusiasm as they anticipate a better result during the recently launched startup competition by World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United Nations (UN) agency responsible for the promotion of sustainable and accessible tourism.
The UNWTO women in tech startup competitions in the Middle East enable entrepreneurs to drive innovative solutions and provide funding for the finalists.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Aisha Al Amin, an entrepreneur based in Msheireb said: “After getting informed about the competition, I felt interested to register for this competition.”
She added that “I think such startup competitions motivate and inspire us to drive more innovative solutions in the leisure industry because as you know having more tourists accelerates the growth of Qatar’s economy.”
Wardha, owner of a progressing tourism-tech platform commented: “This is a great yet significant opportunity for women like me as it provides many benefits including funding to grow the business if we get to come in the top positions”.
Meanwhile, burgeoning infrastructures, facilities, and innovative ideas across the country continue to be a trump card for its growing leisure activities said a UNWTO official.
Luis Nicolás Barrios, Regional Manager of Innovation, Education, and Investments at UNWTO told The Peninsula in an Interview that “Qatar is a regional leader in tourism development, and we are confident that Qatari women in tech and entrepreneurs have great innovative solutions to put forward at a regional and global scale.”
Outlining the requirements of the contenders to enhance their skills in the industry, Barrios said that “Women entrepreneurs should engage with local communities and stakeholders to understand their needs and aspirations, and to involve them in the development of tourism projects, striving to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment, both within their businesses and in the wider tourism industry.”
The registration remains open until June 30 as many applicants from Qatar and GCC have started to apply. He added: “We have been promoting the initiative for a little more than a month and have already received more than 80 applications. We are looking forward to seeing more Qatari women applying during the months of May and June, as the categories of the competition cover a diverse range of business sectors, in alignment with the transversal footprint that tourism has in the economy.”
