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Satyendra Pathak
Doha
IN a first of its kind in the Middle East region, Qatar’s telecom major Ooredoo, in partnership with ‘Wheel The World’, on Tuesday launched 5G-connected wheelchairs to make it easier for differently-abled tourists to explore Qatar.
Fitted with Google Assistant API, the 5G-connected wheelchair will ensure that its users can enjoy the same tourist experiences as anyone else and access assistance when they need it.
Aimed at opening up the many tourist attractions in Qatar to all, Ooredoo will leverage its 5G network and use Google Assistant API to offer a booking portal and a pre-trip virtual assistant so that visitors can use it to plan their trip in advance.
“The booking portal has gone live from today. Any tourist needing this service can book it online. Currently, we are running the test phase with limited numbers of wheelchairs. Once we receive more demand, we will increase the number of such wheelchairs”,Ooredoo Qatar Chief Consumer Officer Fatima Sultan al Kuwari told Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of the event.
“We are working with many developers for such wheelchairs. Our aim is to ensure that Qatar is an accessible tourism destination for all”, Kuwari said.
“We have already created a state-of-the-art booking portal and a pre-trip Virtual Assistant to enable visitors to plan every aspect of their trip for their peace of mind, and to help make everything travel-related possible. We will continue to upgrade both the portal and the wheelchair to make it more convenient for tourists,” she added.
Commenting on the partnership, Ooredoo Kuwait CEO Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed al Thani said, “Simply because a person is differently abled should not mean they are limited in their choice of travel. It should not mean certain places, certain activities are off-limits. Wheel The World is an incredible organisation, working to raise awareness of the challenges those with disabilities face when they choose travel destinations.”
“The organisation strives to make travel for those with disabilities the same as for those without by finding ways to ensure their journeys are smooth and easy and they enjoy the same experiences as everyone else, as well as making everything travel-related possible”, he said.
“We’re challenging the current status that some activities in Qatar, such as dune bashing are off-limits to those with disabilities and we are connecting people with disabilities all over the world to enable them to book unique experiences in Qatar via the Ooredoo and Wheel The World branded booking portal” he said.
“We look forward to working with Wheel The World to leverage our combined expertise, technology and reach to make a real difference to the lives of the differently-abled. We want to make the incredible experiences our wonderful country has to offer available to all, and we look forward to welcoming visitors of all abilities to enjoy them”, he said.
The collaboration has many high-profile backers including celebrities and influencers such as Samanta Bullock, Ghanimal Muftah, and Ahmed al Shahrani.
Doha
IN a first of its kind in the Middle East region, Qatar’s telecom major Ooredoo, in partnership with ‘Wheel The World’, on Tuesday launched 5G-connected wheelchairs to make it easier for differently-abled tourists to explore Qatar.
Fitted with Google Assistant API, the 5G-connected wheelchair will ensure that its users can enjoy the same tourist experiences as anyone else and access assistance when they need it.
Aimed at opening up the many tourist attractions in Qatar to all, Ooredoo will leverage its 5G network and use Google Assistant API to offer a booking portal and a pre-trip virtual assistant so that visitors can use it to plan their trip in advance.
“The booking portal has gone live from today. Any tourist needing this service can book it online. Currently, we are running the test phase with limited numbers of wheelchairs. Once we receive more demand, we will increase the number of such wheelchairs”,Ooredoo Qatar Chief Consumer Officer Fatima Sultan al Kuwari told Qatar Tribune on the sidelines of the event.
“We are working with many developers for such wheelchairs. Our aim is to ensure that Qatar is an accessible tourism destination for all”, Kuwari said.
“We have already created a state-of-the-art booking portal and a pre-trip Virtual Assistant to enable visitors to plan every aspect of their trip for their peace of mind, and to help make everything travel-related possible. We will continue to upgrade both the portal and the wheelchair to make it more convenient for tourists,” she added.
Commenting on the partnership, Ooredoo Kuwait CEO Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Mohammed al Thani said, “Simply because a person is differently abled should not mean they are limited in their choice of travel. It should not mean certain places, certain activities are off-limits. Wheel The World is an incredible organisation, working to raise awareness of the challenges those with disabilities face when they choose travel destinations.”
“The organisation strives to make travel for those with disabilities the same as for those without by finding ways to ensure their journeys are smooth and easy and they enjoy the same experiences as everyone else, as well as making everything travel-related possible”, he said.
“We’re challenging the current status that some activities in Qatar, such as dune bashing are off-limits to those with disabilities and we are connecting people with disabilities all over the world to enable them to book unique experiences in Qatar via the Ooredoo and Wheel The World branded booking portal” he said.
“We look forward to working with Wheel The World to leverage our combined expertise, technology and reach to make a real difference to the lives of the differently-abled. We want to make the incredible experiences our wonderful country has to offer available to all, and we look forward to welcoming visitors of all abilities to enjoy them”, he said.
The collaboration has many high-profile backers including celebrities and influencers such as Samanta Bullock, Ghanimal Muftah, and Ahmed al Shahrani.
