An international acceleration programme positions AlUla as a living laboratory for the future of tourism
Paris, June 22 2026 – Following their meeting during VivaTech 2026, Jean-Yves Le Drian, Chairman of the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA), Roxanne Varza, Director of STATION F, and Nicolas Houzé, Chairman of Groupe Galeries Lafayette, announce the launch of a start-up acceleration programme bringing together start-ups from around the world. The initiative aims to support innovations that will shape the future of tourism in AlUla, a world-class destination for cultural heritage, arts, nature, wellness and luxury located in north-west Saudi Arabia.
Supported by the Royal Commission for AlUla and co-led by AFALULA, this programme aims to identify and support the most innovative start-ups and scale-ups to accelerate AlUla’s revitalisation.
The programme positions AlUla as a living laboratory for the future of cultural and sustainable tourism, building on the significant success already achieved with a destination development model that integrates community and authentic experiences, ensuring inclusive growth and deep cultural engagement.
Through this “Future of Tourism” initiative, ten start-ups from France and abroad will take part in an intensive three-month programme hosted at STATION F.
Alongside the programme’s partners, they will work on concrete use cases to address several key challenges:
- enhancing the attractiveness and engagement of international audiences with diverse expectations;
- continuing to improve the operation of heritage and cultural sites, and ensuring conservation and commercial maximisation while preserving heritage;
- optimising visitor flows, logistics operations and human resources management, a across the broader tourism ecosystem;
- developing new AI-driven services to elevate the visitor experience.
The programme will conclude with a Demo Day at the end of November 2026, after which two start-ups will be selected to deploy a Proof of Concept (PoC) in AlUla.
Operational rollout starting this summer
The programme timeline includes:
- opening of the applications, internationally, at the beginning of July;
- selection of ten start-ups at the beginning of August;
- beginning of the acceleration programme in September at STATION F;
- announcement of two winners following the Demo Day in November;
- deployment of their solutions in AlUla from December onwards.
A partnership bringing together complementary expertise
This programme leverages the complementary expertise of three key partners:
- AFALULA is responsible for its design and implementation in collaboration with programme partners, and in alignment with the aspirations and needs of AlUla.
- STATION F brings its international network and expertise in designing and delivering worldwide innovation programmes.
- Galeries Lafayette brings its expertise in customer experience and hospitality, shaped by over 130 years of family history, where innovation and excellence have always been at the core of its identity. The Group draws on the unique know-how of its Boulevard Haussmann flagship in Paris – one of the most visited department stores in the world, welcoming 35 million French and international visitors each year – as a living laboratory for innovation and premium experiences.
A shared vision
Through this partnership, AFALULA, STATION F and Galeries Lafayette are aligned with RCU objectives: positioning AlUla as a leading hub for tourism innovation by bringing together the most promising entrepreneurial talent from around the world.
Jean-Yves Le Drian, President of AFALULA:
“This partnership reflects our ambition to make AlUla a leading hub for tourism innovation. By bringing together key players from entrepreneurship, innovation and retail, we are creating a unique environment to support the development of solutions addressing the major challenges of the tourism of tomorrow. This initiative will strengthen AlUla’s attractiveness while supporting sustainable development and long-term value creation.”
Roxanne Varza, Director of STATION F:
“Travel and tourism are incredibly dynamic sectors when it comes to innovation, and we are thrilled to launch our very first programme in this field! Through this partnership with AlUla and the Galeries Lafayette Group, international startups will come to STATION F to imagine and design the travel experiences of tomorrow.”
Nicolas Houzé, Executive Chairman of the Galeries Lafayette Group:
“The identity of Galeries Lafayette has always been shaped by a bold ability to reinvent itself and stay ahead of evolving consumer behaviors. It is this long-standing relationship of trust with entrepreneurs that we aim to harness in service of AlUla’s future, by giving the most ambitious startups the means to disrupt the codes of hospitality and tourism. Supporting these talents in meeting the expectations of an international clientele is fully aligned with our strategic vision for this exceptional destination, and strongly resonates with the deep-rooted presence we are building in the Middle East. By combining our expertise, we are paving the way for a truly new kind of tourism experience.”
Press contacts:
AFALULA :
Jeanne Garcin – jeanne.garcin@afalula.com
Claudine Ripert-Landler – claudine.ripert-landler@afalula.com
Galeries Lafayette :
Marlène Para – mpara@galerieslafayette.com
Station F :
Hafssa Maldji – hafssa@stationf.co