Taxi drivers ‘must be ambassadors for Dubai’

Dubai: Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and Dubai Taxi Corporation (DTC), part of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), on Sunday announced that an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to better facilitate the transport of tourists around Dubai and ensure that taxi drivers are fully equipped to act as ambassadors for the city.

The MoU, which is in support of Dubai’s Tourism Vision for 2020, includes training taxi drivers on Dubai’s tourism offerings and increasing the taxi supply at critical times and locations, thereby enhancing tourists’ experience in the emirate.

As part of the MoU, DTCM will develop tourist awareness programmes for all DTC drivers to convey relevant information about key tourist landmarks, hotels, events and attractions in Dubai. The training will enhance customer service and make life easier for travellers, especially those in Dubai for the first time.

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, DTCM commented, “For the vast majority of tourists, our taxi drivers are amongst the first people they meet once they exit the airport or a cruise terminal. As such, visitors’ initial impressions of the city are shaped by the taxi drivers and it’s important that we provide drivers with as much training and information as possible so they can act as ambassadors for Dubai.”

Ahmad Mohammad Al Hammadi, acting CEO of Dubai Taxi Corporation said, “Dubai Taxi Corporation has always been committed to contributing to the success of Dubai’s tourism industry and our drivers are key ambassadors for the city. Educating and training our drivers on the history and facts of Dubai’s top tourist and cultural spots will help us to provide a better and more informative experience for our guests, and is something that our drivers will be proud to be able to offer.”

Another area of focus of the MoU is to ensure availability of taxis at tourist attractions and key events, as well as provide a constant supply of taxis at the cruise terminal at Mina Rashid during peak times of the maritime season.

The MoU between the two agencies is valid for one year and will also see joint working groups set up to address other areas where the interests of both parties, and those of visitors to the city, overlap, including marketing and promotional activities, and customer service initiatives.