RTA launches tourist guide for Dubai Ferry
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new smart tourist guide service aboard the Dubai Ferry to provide passengers with helpful information about the emirate, including what to do and where some of its most famous landmarks are.
Nahaam, the name the service will be known by, offers explanations about some of Dubai's biggest attractions and also displays information about scheduled ferry trips, including a route map that shows the current position of the vessel.
It is a computer tablet that is installed in the captain's cabin and linked to display monitors in passengers' rooms. At the start of the trip, Nahamm plays a short film about onboard safety, followed by a slideshow of key tourist landmarks accompanied by an audio commentary.
During the voyage, passengers will be given information about the formation of the UAE federation and about the upcoming World Expo 2020, which is expected to attract 25 million visitors, 17 million of whom will be from overseas, during its six-month run.
Last month, the Marine Transport Department announced that it had already fitted four of its boats with the system, meaning that some passengers have already benefitted from the technology.
Yousuf Mohammad Al Ali, chief executive of the RTA's Public Transport Agency, believes the launch of the smart service responds to the needs and wishes of ferry riders, especially tourists and visitors to the emirate.
He added: 'The smart tourist guide Nahaam is a dedicated system displayed on board the Dubai Ferry screens, showcasing tourist landmarks of the Emirate on the line of the trip using a GPS-based display, enriched with promotional information and materials.'
“We, in the RTA, are keen on giving heritage-inspired names to the services we offer to the public as part of our endeavours to reinvigorate and revive our glorious past and link it with our current impressive achievements, as well as our promising future.'
Using traditional and historical names in the RTA is part of the innovation and creativity the organisation is hoping to achieve, Mr Ali continued.