Source: www.rta.ae
The Public Transport Agency, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), has recently launched a smart tourist guide service billed as Nahaam on board the Dubai Ferry, offering riders a rich travelling experience witnessing a commentary about tourist landmarks en route, adding more joy and excitement throughout the trip.
Dr. Yousef Mohammed Al Ali, CEO of RTA Public Transport Agency, said: “The launch of this initiative adds to the smart service offering to various spectrums of the community and responds to the wishes of Ferry riders, particularly tourists and visitors hailing from all corners of the globe.
“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 & materials,” explained Al Ali.
“We have branded this initiative as Nahaam; a name of an antique heritage practice once prevailed in the UAE where a person accompanying sailors plying the Arabian Gulf in pearl-fishing trips used to chant heritage songs that inspire, entertain and cheer up pearl fishers relegating the woes & risks associated with their profession. Fishers on turn used to repeat these popular songs after the Nahaam.
“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. Moreover, using traditional and historical names in our services is part of the innovation and creativity we are seeking to realize,” he continued.
Naham system is a tablet computer fitted at the Ferry’s captain cabin and linked with display monitors in passengers’ cabin. At the start of the trip, the system displays a short movie about safety tips followed by a pictorial display of key tourist landmarks en route accompanied by an audio commentary. The system also displays information about the scheduled Ferry trips, and between different landmarks the system displays a route map showing the current position of the Ferry as is the case in airline trips. It also displays other information about Dubai, the formation of the UAE federation, and Expo 2020 to avoid repetition during the trip back to the point of origin.
It is worth-mentioning that the Marine Transport Department, Public Transport Agency, has fitted four Ferry boats with the Nahaam system. More info
