Audio guides are prized by tourists who relish every detail about the place of visit and Dubai’s newly launched guides are going to cater to this segment. The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has collaborated with two digital tour apps to launch two new free Dubai tours that will help visitors discover and learn more about significant and historic sites and landmarks in the city. The tours, titled ‘Metro Moments’ and ‘Al Fahidi Architecture Tour’, are available to download for free from the Apple Store and Google Play.

Supported by GPS technology, both tours use audio narrations to guide visitors through Dubai, automatically progressing from one point of interest to the next in real time, depending on the user’s location. The pre-recorded audio is available in English, Chinese and German and each tour also comes in text form and is accompanied by a map to help with navigation.

‘Metro Moments’ is available on Voice Map, an app that uses audio guides and real-time location to direct users towards their next journey of exploration. The tour provides users with information on the different points of interest and attractions that can be found along the Dubai Metro route between Dubai Airport Terminal 3 and The Dubai Mall (moving in both directions). ‘Al Fahidi Architecture Tour’, meanwhile, can be found on the Pocket Guide app, an electronic version of a human tour guide, assisting tourists with their travels in cities around the world. The tour focuses on introducing users to the rich history and heritage of Dubai’s popular Al Fahidi District, part of the wider Dubai Historic District. Both apps allow users to download the free tours in advance, helping users avoid roaming charges.

Yousuf Lootah, executive director, Tourism Development and Investments at Dubai Tourism, said, “The launch of these audio tours will help people from all over the world gain an enhanced understanding of Dubai and some of its most historically and culturally important sites. Moving forward, we are working to develop further applications and services that enable visitors to discover more of the city’s tourism highlights through smart, convenient and accessible platforms.”

The audio nature of the two new guides will assist visually-impaired travellers to make the most of their time in the city, and the tours are part of Dubai Tourism’s commitment to Dubai’s ‘People of Determination Initiative’. This has been put in place to ensure Dubai becomes an open city for people with disabilities. The launch of the tours is also in line with the emirate’s ‘Smart City’ initiative, which aims to streamline and enhance visitor and resident experiences in the city through the provision of innovative digital services.

‘Metro Moments’ and ‘Al Fahidi Architecture Tour’ are available for download on Apple Store and Google Play.