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NEOM Announces Breathtaking Luxury Waterfront Development
The residential community will offer a wealth of living, dining, and entertainment options, along with a stunning marina and international school.
The board of Saudi Arabia’s special economic zone, NEOM, has revealed plans for a new development named Jaumur. The project will see the creation of a “cosmopolitan luxury community” nestled on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba.
According to a recent press release, the luxury residential community will “serve the highest standards of future livability and active lifestyle [offering] a unique blend of experiences on both land and sea, complementing NEOM’s evolving regional development in northwest Saudi Arabia”.
Jaumur will include 500 apartments and 700 luxury villas clustered around a marina that will become home to 6,000 lucky residents. The location will offer private moorings and easy waterfront access, along with a selection of upscale hotels with a combined capacity of 350 suites.
The marina itself is a dramatic focal point of the development, featuring a colossal 1.5km covered mooring area in the shape of an aerofoil. The cantilevered structure not only forms a breathtaking landmark but will also be able to shelter the world’s largest superyachts.
The marina promenade promises to be a lively, vibrant area featuring a host of entertainment, leisure, and cultural experiences, along with upscale retail stores and world-class restaurants.
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Although Jaumur is very much a place for sophisticated living and relaxation, the development will also incorporate a “state-of-the-art deep-sea research center and top-tier international boarding school”. Planners hope to attract world-leading oceanographic researchers as well as elite students to this unique location.
We’ll leave the final words about this exciting development to NEOM’s press department: “Jaumur’s unique architectural design integrates water where golden sands meet the deep blue of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is a luxury destination to visit, explore, live, and prosper: an opportunity to become part of a dynamic community”.
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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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