Careem unveils beach delivery for UAE’s coastline
Order snacks, drinks, and essentials straight to your beach spot
DUBAI: As Careem transforms how people access services in the Middle East, it is now taking this convenience to beaches in the United Arab Emirates.
Launching in 2025, Careem Beach brings a game-changing solution that allows beachgoers to order food, snacks, and even essentials straight to their beach spots with ease.
Through GPS-enabled, QR-scannable umbrellas available at popular UAE beaches, Careem is enabling seamless deliveries in typically hard-to-navigate beach locations.
Why Careem Beach?
The idea for Careem Beach was inspired by the genuine needs of beach-goers, according to Glaucco Martines, Creative Director at Careem. “This idea was born out of a real necessity. Beachgoers today have limited options when it comes to food and drinks: they either bring their own snacks, which requires preparing and carrying them back and forth, or they must find a nearby place - meaning they have to get dressed, walk over, order, wait, and walk back. There’s a clear lack of convenience in the beach experience. That’s where Careem Beach comes in.”
By introducing an umbrella that can be activated and tracked via the Careem app, customers can now skip the trek for refreshments or meals.
The UAE’s beach experience is about to undergo a transformation, and Careem’s GPS-enabled umbrellas ensure orders are delivered directly to customers, wherever they may be along the coastline.
“The UAE’s beautiful beaches are loved by millions of residents and tourists. But it’s not always easy to order what you need to your location as landmarks are hard to spot across miles of beach and GPS by the water can be spotty - and this can lead to delays or even spoiled food. Careem Beach brings convenience directly to our customers wherever they are on the beach,” says Tom Sword, Senior Director of Brand and Creative at Careem.
How Careem Beach works
The process of ordering with Careem Beach is as intuitive as the rest of Careem’s services. When a user arrives at a designated beach, they can head to the nearest umbrella station and scan a QR code with the Careem app to unlock the umbrella. Using GPS technology, Careem Captains can then pinpoint the exact location of these umbrellas along the beach, allowing quick and accurate deliveries despite the challenges of beach navigation.
Once under the umbrella, users can browse and order from a curated selection of food, drinks, and even beach essentials, all accessible via the app. Once ordered, they can continue enjoying their time by the shore, as their items are brought directly to them without the hassle of relocating or losing their shaded spot.
At the end of their beach day, users simply return the umbrella to the designated station, keeping the system as smooth as possible for the next visitor.
Where and when to expect Careem Beach
To start, Careem Beach will be rolled out across popular beaches in the UAE, with plans for further expansion throughout 2025. As Careem’s newest service in the United Arab Emirates, this rollout will initially focus on areas with high tourist activity and resident usage, allowing Careem to refine the system and understand its popularity and demand among beachgoers.
The introduction of Careem Beach arrives at a time when the UAE’s coastline is becoming an increasingly popular destination, not only for residents but for international tourists. With tourism being a vital sector for the UAE, the addition of such a service aligns perfectly with the UAE’s broader hospitality and leisure enhancement goals, making beaches more accessible and enjoyable for visitors who now expect a higher level of convenience.