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Amsaan Accessible Tours Launches New Website And App
The pioneering inclusive travel company hopes to revolutionize tourism for Deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors to the United Arab Emirates.
Amsaan Accessible Tours (AAT), an inclusive UAE tourism company for Deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers, has launched a new website and mobile app designed to revolutionize travel for the 1.5 billion individuals globally who experience hearing impairment.
Deaf tourists frequently encounter language barriers and limited communication when booking trips or traveling overseas, and the new Amsaan Accessible Tours website aims to fix this with a user-friendly interface fully adapted for sign language. The site serves as a platform to book tours and connect with sign language-fluent AAT staff, and offers videos in British and International sign language, allowing Deaf users to access travel information more easily.
After booking a tour, tourists can use a deaf-friendly mobile app for on-the-go assistance. Travelers can use the app to initiate direct messages for sign language support and access sign language interpreters via video, ensuring effective communication in various situations. The app also facilitates easy connection with guides and tour information and features an accessibility map highlighting restaurants, souvenir shops, and more.
Vitalii Potapchuk, Co-founder of Amsaan Project, commented: “Accessibility and inclusivity are not mere buzzwords, but the very foundation of Amsaan Accessible Tours. To promote the UAE as one of the top 10 global tourist destinations, we have meticulously designed the Amsaan Tours website and mobile app to ensure that Deaf travelers can plan, book, and savor their journeys without encountering any communication barriers”.
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Meanwhile, Majed Al Bloushi, Relationship Manager at AAT, said: “Being an Emirati and a Deaf employee at AAT, I am proud to be part of an organization breaking down barriers and making the UAE a truly inclusive travel destination. This collaboration showcases our commitment to making tourism accessible to everyone, including Deaf travelers, and it’s a step toward making the UAE more diverse and inclusive”.
For more information, visit the Amsaan Accessible Tours website or download the Amsaan Tours mobile application on iOS and Android.
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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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