DUBAI TOURISM BRINGS FUTURISM CHALLENGE FINALISTS TO GITEX FUTURE STARS

Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) continues to inspire future technology leaders within the tourism industry at GITEX Future Stars 2019, the Middle East, North Africa & South Asia's biggest start-up event and part of the GITEX Technology Week. Hosted from 6 to 9 October at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Tourism will be hosting a variety of industry presentations, talks and workshops exploring global travel trends and how the emirate can continue pioneering the digitalisation of the industry, as part of its Futurism Programme 2019. This will include highlighting the increasing global appeal of the city as a business and commercial hub, as well as discussing incubation support and opportunities for innovators that prioritise digitally disruptive technologies.

The Futurism Programme 2019 reinforces the Department’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the emirate’s digital and entrepreneurial capabilities in line with the 10x initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to propel the city 10 years ahead of world cities. Empowering emerging entrepreneurs to discover transformative tourism experiences for the emirate, the accelerator initiative is in collaboration with leading professional services company Accenture (NYSE: ACN), with 10 shortlisted participants in the process of fine-tuning, and finalising innovative concepts and pilot projects for special pitch presentations to selected corporations, investors and venture capitalists during the event. The winning start-up and runner-up will be announced on 8 October at GITEX Future Stars, and stand to win a prize totalling AED 100,000, as well as licensing, relevant visas in Dubai, office space and the opportunity to secure potential future funding.