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Abu Dhabi Is Now Open For Virtual Tourists To Explore
Yas Island has recreated key landmarks and top-billed attractions within the leading gaming platform, Roblox.
Yas Island is ready to be discovered by a new global audience of digital travelers as it launches a unique virtual experience, allowing virtual tourists to digitally explore 25 square kilometers of Abu Dhabi’s premier entertainment and leisure district, plus other iconic Emirati landmarks.
The new initiative is part of a collaboration between the Department of Culture and Tourism, Aldar, Miral, twofour54, and Ethara.
The virtual Yas Island experience has been developed by Super League and is hosted on the leading gaming platform Roblox. Dubbed “Yas Island Tycoon – Roblox,” users will be able to take a thrilling journey through key Abu Dhabi landmarks across Yas Island and beyond, including SeaWorld, the Yas Marina Circuit, Etihad Park, Aldar Square, Al Jahili Fort, and many more.
As travelers wander the virtual destination and sample its attractions, they will experience theme park rides and race car driving, plus be able to construct virtual homes.
HE Saeed Al Fazari, Strategic Affairs Executive Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “This immersive adventure in the virtual realm is the latest example of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to utilizing innovation and creativity to reach ever wider audiences. While we have shared Abu Dhabi with millions of visitors in the real world, today marks the start of a new phase in our journey”.
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Rashed Al Omaira, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldar Development, also noted: “The virtual Yas Island experience unlocks new opportunities for a global audience […] The effective use of innovative content creation enables us to tell the story of Abu Dhabi and allows people worldwide to become immersed in it. We are excited to see people interact with Aldar’s assets on Yas Island in the virtual world and hope it inspires them to take a trip to Abu Dhabi soon”.
You can visit the Yas Island virtual experience at Yas Island Tycoon – Roblox.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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