National Tourism Incubator

The National Tourism Incubator (NTI) program is the first of its kind national level platform for innovative tourism businesses to come forward, get access to tailored business coaching and advisory, financing and market linkages through a formalized program. The focus of the program is to explore untapped business opportunities, especially in areas of adventure, winter and sustainable tourism, infrastructure, experiences tourism, sustainable infrastructure, etc. in Pakistan.

Program Goals:

To identify existing entrepreneurs who are working towards solving the highlighted pressing problems within the tourism sector with an innovative approach.
To help entrepreneurs develop or enhance business models, financial models specific to their industry and become investment-ready.
Equip entrepreneurs with the required skills, knowledge, and subject matter experts for launching and growing a business using providing sector specific data and insights.
Through business mentoring/coaching, we aim to equip entrepreneurs with specialized business knowledge and insights tailored to their respective solution and prepare them to attract investments effectively.
To help size their market accurately and build their business based on authentic data and assumptions
To enable businesses to meet all legal and compliance requirements and execute the proposed growth strategy through patient financing/ investments.
To promote innovation and a problem-solving mindset through encouraging entrepreneurs to think creatively and approach challenges with a solution-oriented attitude

Who Is This Program For & Who Can Apply?

MVP stage, launch stage and early-stage startups/SGBs entering tourism industry and are focused on solving the highlighted problem statements within Adventure Tourism, Experiences, and tourism infrastructure.
Businesses from across the country are eligible to apply
Not-For-Profit business ideas or institutions are INELIGIBLE to apply.

Adventure

Lack of diverse adventure activities at major tourist destinations across Pakistan. There is a dire need to explore options beyond traditional offerings like trekking or mountaineering.
Inadequate information and marketing. Lack of tech integration in tourism startups is causing difficulties with limited and inadequate information for tourists travelling to remote areas. There is a need to explore solutions that integrate tech aspects for targeted marketing, proper guidance, and enhanced communication.

Experiences/Cultural Tourism

Lack of experiences for tourists ranging from Tracing Ancient History at Mohenjo-Daro, traditional storytelling in the Lahore’s walled city, promoting indigenous regional festivals, to rural homestays and yoga retreats in mountains in far north

Infrastructure

Inadequate public facilities such as clean restrooms in public places and on long roads.
Tourists face challenges navigating unfamiliar locations due to inadequate signage and directional information. There is a need of startups solving these infrastructure issues through navigation apps, info desks, and digital maps to help navigate the remote destinations.

Components of National Tourism Incubator

The National Tourism Incubator will bring together all the essential elements of the incubation program, starting with:

By bringing together key stakeholders, NTI will promote industry collaboration through:
– Tourism Association Strengthening
– Sector Focused Expert Sessions
– Policy and Consultative Workshops
– Dedicated Coworking Spaces

– AP-designed business training content including engaging reading material and interactive videos will help enable entrepreneurs to build out their business ideas and think innovatively.

– Online advisory sessions with experts for enhancing their business models and financial models

– Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) also hold one-on-one training and advisory sessions with entrepreneurs to help them make refinements considering the industry condition and status.

– Entrepreneurs will be assigned a business coach from AP.
– Business coaches will prepare them to be investment ready.

– Entrepreneurs will be provided with dedicated spaces in Gilgit, Chitral, Hunza, Islamabad, and Karachi to work on their business, interact and collaborate with fellow aspiring or emerging entrepreneurs, as well as other stakeholders of the tourism industry.

– Entrepreneurs will get access to AKDN’s professional networks
– Build better market linkages through attending ecosystem events and conferences
– Hunt different points of sale, and better connect with their customer base and target market.

– Startups/SGBs showing promising returns and potential to scale will be taken forward for pre-financing due diligence and be provided with patient debt with subsidised markup.