Lifestyle

FacePass: contactless technology launches at Yas Island theme parks

Technology is aimed at improving guest safety and wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic

Nilanjana Gupta
Nilanjana Gupta

March 23, 2021

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You might be asked to keep your hands inside the ride at all times, but you won’t need to use your hands while entering Yas Island’s theme parks.

Miral, the developer behind Yas Island’s main leisure attractions, launched FacePass on Tuesday, a contactless technology that allows visitors to enter and shop within the theme parks using facial recognition.

“We wanted to connect the physical and digital identities of our guests,” Ali Nimer, executive director of digital and technology at Miral, said.

New contactless FacePass technology has been introduced at Yas Island's Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.
New contactless FacePass technology has been introduced at Yas Island's Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi.

After testing on about 300 people, FacePass was activated at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld and Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi. It is aimed at enhancing guest safety and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“You download the Yas Island mobile app, create your account and take a selfie. That way your facial features are saved in the app. The app is also linked to the parks' ticketing systems," Nimer said.

“When you want to access the theme parks, you just purchase the tickets, come to the turnstile, look at the camera, and the turnstile will open for you. The new technology eliminates the need to physically interact with turnstiles.”

Visitors can also make contactless payments at select shops and restaurants within the theme parks.

“The cashier will ask if you want to pay using your face, you smile at the camera and then the transaction is made. If you're an Etihad Airways customer, an ADCB cardholder, an annual pass holder or even an employee here, and you have a certain discount on food and beverages when you look at the camera, it would recognise you and apply the discount,” Nimer says.

The technology will be rolled out in Yas Island in phases. The long-term goal is to integrate FacePass technology into all Yas Island assets, from access points for residential areas to retail destinations, restaurants and bars.

Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, chief executive of Miral, said: “Yas Theme Parks are the first in the region to implement complete contactless access and payment solutions. This cutting-edge functionality is in line with our digital transformation strategy, and a testament to achieving our vision of positioning Yas Island as a top global destination for entertainment, leisure and business.”

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

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