News

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.

Published

2 years ago

November 6, 2023

Nour Nasir

amsaan accessible tours launches new website and app

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.

News

Saudi Digital Payments Reach 80% As Cash Use Shrinks

Visa data shows cards and mobile wallets dominate spending, with smartphones now driving a growing share of daily transactions.

Published

1 day ago

January 23, 2026

Nour Nasir

saudi digital payments reach 80% as cash use shrinks

Digital payments now account for 80% of all transactions in Saudi Arabia, according to Visa’s latest Where Cash Hides report, another marker of how quickly the Kingdom is moving away from cash.

The share is up four percentage points from a year ago. Around 67% of consumers are now largely non-cash users, paying mainly with cards or mobile wallets. Smartphones are taking a bigger role, with mobile payments making up 16% of transactions.

visa where cash hides saudi arabia 2026

Cash is retreating in routine spending. Eating out dropped 9%. Bill payments fell 8%, as shoppers opt for faster checkouts and app-based payments.

“The data shows a steady move toward digital payments in Saudi Arabia. Such progress is possible only because banks, fintechs, merchants, and technology partners are moving together in the same direction, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said Ali Bailoun, Visa’s Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.

Also Read: UAE Users Sleep Less, But More Efficiently, ŌURA Data Reveals

Despite the recent findings, it’s important to note that cash hasn’t yet disappeared. It still shows up for tips (39%), peer-to-peer transfers (28%) and rent (14%).

Visa points to security features such as tokenization, along with rewards and cashback, as factors nudging more spending onto cards and phones — a shift that tracks with Saudi Arabia’s wider Vision 2030 push to digitize commerce.