UAE-based ride-hailing firm Careem has reportedly signed a partnership deal with Abu Dhabi to collaborate to enhance the tourist experience in the capital.
The transport company has joined forces with the Department of Culture and Tourism for a range of new initiatives in Abu Dhabi.
The partnership will see Careem and DCT Abu Dhabi work to improve customer journeys from Abu Dhabi International airport, enhance water taxi solutions to drive customers to various islands in Abu Dhabi, develop ‘Curated Routes’ around the emirate, jointly promote key strategic events in the city, create an ecosystem of knowledge transfer between the two entities, and also work together to map various data points to better understand commuter behaviour and create solutions to commuter problems.
Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “This agreement between our two organisations is in line with our desire to constantly improve the visitor experience at all touch points across the emirate. Working together with our partners at Careem we will improve accessibility and take another step towards a truly seamless travel experience for our guests. Enhancing transportation provision and efficiency, as well as using Careem to cross-promote events across the emirate, means our guests can concentrate more on enjoying the culture and heritage of Abu Dhabi. The experience and knowledge gained from our collaboration will also pay dividends in the future, which will ultimately benefit Abu Dhabi.”
On Careem’s part, managing director for its Gulf operations Bassel Al Nahlaoui, said the partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi reflects the company’s commitment to supporting the cultural and creative scenes of the UAE. “We are keen on working closely with decision makers in UAE and sharing knowledge and expertise to look for innovative ways to improve the transport and tourism sectors based on technology, analytics and valuable insights.
“Careem was established with the mission to simplify and improve people’s lives and today’s event brings us a step closer to achieving our mission,” he added.
In 2016, services from taxi apps such as Uber and Careem had been suspended in the UAE capital. Careem had resumed its services a few weeks later. Uber has not returned to Abu Dhabi, however, in May this year, the company had reportedly started “talks” to resume services in the capital.
