News

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.

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2023

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi is now open for virtual tourists to explore

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.

abu dhabi is now open for virtual tourists to explore in roblox

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”.

Also Read: Saudi Arabia Launches $200 Million High-Tech Investment Fund

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

Google Launches Flow And Gemini Photo-To-Video In MENA

Creators in the Middle East and North Africa can now use Gemini to turn photos into short videos, and access Google’s new AI filmmaking tool, Flow.

Published

3 days ago

July 11, 2025

Nour Nasir

Google

Google has rolled out new AI-powered creative tools across the Middle East and North Africa, including a photo-to-video feature in Gemini and the regional launch of its AI filmmaking platform, Flow.

The photo-to-video tool is available to Gemini Advanced users on Pro and Ultra plans. It allows users to transform still images into animated, sound-enhanced video clips up to eight seconds long. To use the feature, users select “Videos” from the Gemini prompt menu, upload an image, and describe the desired animation and audio. The tool then generates a short video that can be shared or downloaded directly from the interface.

Designed to animate static moments, the feature supports a range of creative use cases — from bringing illustrations and paintings to life to adding movement to everyday scenes or natural landscapes.

Alongside this, Google is launching Flow: a more advanced platform for AI-assisted video creation. Built on Google’s Veo, Imagen, and Gemini models, Flow is designed for both professional filmmakers and beginners looking to build scenes, experiment with visuals, or explore new storytelling formats.

Flow includes tools such as:

Camera Controls for setting motion paths, angles, and perspectives.
Scenebuilder for extending or linking shots with smooth transitions and consistent subjects.
Asset Management for organizing prompts and generated material.

Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide

Flow is now accessible in Arabic and across MENA markets. Google reports over 40 million Veo 3 video generations have been made across Gemini and Flow in the past seven weeks alone. All content includes a visible AI watermark and an invisible SynthID marker to ensure traceability.

Both Flow and Gemini’s photo-to-video tools are available through Google’s subscription-based AI tiers.