Saudi National Day is right around the corner and the patriotic fervor associated with it is already palpable everywhere in the country. Just like the previous years, this time too, green and white national flags, parades, happy people in traditional outfits, fireworks, and music will liven up the special day. And it will give everyone a chance to appreciate the significant strides made by the KSA towards achieving the ambitious Vision 2030 goal of increased economic, social, and cultural diversification.

Besides opening up to tourists from far and wide and investing in sports, the nation has been empowering women, fighting climate crisis, and promoting sustainability initiatives. To diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil, Saudi Arabia has been investing in entertainment, technology, and renewable energy sectors too. In 2022, the nation was also recognized as the G20 economy with the fastest growth rate (8.7%). Hence, Saudi Arabian financial progress will be under laser focus this year.

So, this Saudi Arabia National Day, let’s delve into the milestones achieved recently in the financial sector and understand how the payments landscape is changing to drive success for businesses of all sizes.

Quick Look at Saudi Financial Sector Developments

As the Saudi National Day approaches, it is important to note that the country is investing in innovative technology as well as talent to build a resilient and dynamic financial environment. Advanced technologies like big data and artificial intelligence are being leveraged to help businesses of all kinds and sizes (especially small and medium enterprises and startups) to thrive.

Currently, 216 Fintech companies are active in KSA and there are over 6500 direct jobs in the sector. Moreover, venture capital investment in Fintech has exceeded SAR 6.9 billion. SAR 10 billion has been allocated to support SMEs across the country.

This Saudi National Day, payments-related innovations will be in the spotlight too as regulations and supervisory frameworks are being put in place to match international standards and trends. The country is also taking effective measures against financial frauds.

So, as a merchant, this Saudi Arabia National Day, it can help you to understand how the kingdom’s payments landscape is evolving.

KSA’s Digital Payments Landscape is Getting Smarter

One of the key Saudi financial sector developments in recent times is the advent of payment gateways. These help you to accept online payments safely, quickly, and efficiently. Payment gateway providers like PayTabs also offer orchestration services if you need to manage multiple processors, gateways, banks, and acquirers on a single platform and automate your payment ecosystem further. Since the transaction value in Saudi’s digital payments market is set to grow at a 8.06% annual rate by 2028, you need to be aware of what advanced payment gateways bring to the table and how you can capitalize on the same:

• Secure: This National Day, Saudi Arabia will spend enthusiastically for sure but only on those ecommerce sites that are secure against cyberattacks. Luckily, top payment gateways are PCI DSS compliant and come with avant-garde authentication and encryption measures to protect sensitive data. And when customers trust your site, they order more and keep coming back for repeat purchases. Your brand image improves as well.
• Easy to Integrate: You can integrate payment gateways easily with your online store and other applications or software solutions. And this can be done across different devices. You don’t need any technical knowledge or coding skills for the same.
• Simplify Invoicing: Payment gateways in KSA have evolved to make invoice generation and sharing hassle-free. You can send digital invoices and reminders now via WhatsApp, email, SMS, social media channels, and even QR codes.
• Offer Multiple Payment Modes: The best gateways allow you to offer various payment methods to shoppers, so they can choose easily and go through with the transaction instead of abandoning their carts. This means you can accept National Day Saudi payments via multiple channels and earn more than ever.
• Support Multiple Currencies: Since leading payment gateways support a variety of currencies from around the world, you can conduct business with foreign customers or nationals located in foreign geographies easily. They can pay in their local currencies while you will be able to accept the payment in the home currency. This Saudi National Day, this gateway feature can help you sell and earn more.
• Facilitate Repeat Billing: In case you offer subscription-based services, you can set up a recurrent payment process with modern gateways. This way, repeat billings and payments will be handled automatically.
• Provide Data Analytics: Gateways in Saudi help you to analyze your entire payment ecosystem and derive actionable insights on consumer behavior, order volume, transaction frequency, payment mode, and other performance parameters. These data-backed insights allow you to make more informed decisions in the future.
• Offer Technical Support: Accepting Saudi National Day payments or handling transactions on any other day for that matter is a breeze with the right gateway. In case of any technical glitch, you can reach out to the provider’s customer support team easily and solve the problem quickly. This way, you won’t have to worry about losing out on potential customers or sales due to downtime.

Gear Up for a Promising Saudi Arabia National Day

Now that you have a fair idea about the recent Saudi Arabian financial progress made, it is time to make the most of the various government initiatives, digital innovations, and investments available. As a business owner in KSA, the upcoming Saudi National Day is the perfect opportunity for you to join hands with a payment gateway provider like PayTabs and enjoy myriad services at attractive fees. A top payments infrastructure company in MENA, PayTabs is driven by the vision to power every digital transaction in the region and offer simple, secure, and scalable solutions for local commerce growth and financial inclusion. So, your time to shine is now!

Initiated by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak in 2015, Emirati Women’s Day is observed on 28^th August every year to celebrate and encourage female trailblazers who are accomplishing wonders in various sectors and contributing to the UAE’s development. By recognizing Emirati women in business, the day’s events inspire ambition and leadership, promote gender equality, and drive female empowerment. And it has been working. In fact, as per Nama Women Advancement, 25,000 women entrepreneurs in the UAE owned around 50,000 businesses with a total value of USD 16.3 billion in 2022. A recent survey conducted on 1000 women business owners also revealed that 61.4% are sole proprietors while 48.8% are CEOs.

So, let’s take a look at those who have earned a special name for themselves when it comes to women in business growth, UAE, and the factors driving more Emirati ladies to pursue lofty dreams and achieve impressive milestones.

Top Women Entrepreneurs in UAE

While baby ecommerce shops, fine jewelry, cafes, and home salon services are popular female-owned businesses, Emirati women are making waves in many other sectors. Here are some top names:

• Hana Al Rostamani: Among UAE women in finance, Hana Al Rostamani is a famous name. Backed by over two decades of experience in finance and banking, she is First Abu Dhabi Bank’s first female CEO.
• Aisha Bin Bishr: She is Smart Dubai’s Director General and at the helm of UAE’s digital transformation and brings 20 years of experience in innovation and technology to the table.
• Alia Al-Serkal: She founded the prestigious Al-Serkal Group that has a formidable presence in construction, real estate, and logistics. Alia Al-Serkal is known for her focus on innovation and growth.
• Sara Al Madani: The Founder and CEO of E-Net Systems, Sara Al Madani offers cutting-edge tech services and solutions across the UAE and inspires women to pursue fulfilling careers in STEM.
• Manal Alaryani: As the Director at Little Helpers Nursery, Manal Alaryani is not just a businesswoman but also someone who intends to raise awareness about the needs of children with physical and mental disabilities. She aims to help them reach their full potential with the best support and opportunities.
• Jumana Al Darwish: A decade ago, Jumana Al Darwish founded The Happy Box, a brand that sells educational activity packages for children and ensures happy and productive family time. Happy Hearts Global and The Happy Studio are her brainchild too.
• Perihan Abouzeid: PeriCare’s Founder and CEO, Perihan Abouzeid’s motto is to boost postpartum recovery in women and support the wellbeing of working mothers through FemTech products.

Now, let’s understand what is driving the emergence and growth of female-led businesses in UAE.

Factors Helping Women to Succeed in Business across the UAE

Every year, Emirati Women’s Day is a reminder of how inclusive and supportive the business environment is in the UAE. The country not only leads in gender equality in the MENA region, but also devotes strategic effort to bridge the gender gap across industries. Government initiatives, free zones, company partnerships, and digital solutions (including payment solutions for women entrepreneurs) are the other drivers:

• Government-Led Initiatives: The UAE government has multiple initiatives to train and educate women as well as provide them with the necessary resources to start their own ventures and enjoy the same opportunities as men. The Dubai Business Women Council, Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development, and Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development are among the entities that offer networking, training, financing, mentorship, and innovative environments.
• Free Zones: These special zones in the UAE support those who are new to the world of business, especially women. Female entrepreneurs receive guidance on acing legal documentation, navigating a competitive landscape, acquiring essential resources, and capitalizing on opportunities.
• Partnerships with Government Agencies: Women entrepreneurs UAE can join hands with government agencies to obtain the resources and training needed for operating businesses smoothly and successfully. The partnership between the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and JP Morgan Chase Foundation is a great example of the same.
• Digital Solutions: Advanced digital tools are helping women business owners to save time, increase operational efficiencies, improve logistics, save costs, and derive data-backed insights to make informed decisions. The use of digital payment gateways UAE is especially helping businesswomen to enhance customer experience and boost the bottom line.

By partnering with an online payment gateway provider like PayTabs, women entrepreneurs can accept payments via different modes, safely, efficiently, and quickly. They can sell more, grow the customer base, and minimize transaction costs. Plus, they can expand to other countries with multi-currency support, ensure robust cybersecurity, gain consumer trust, and drive long-term loyalty.

Realize Your Dreams this Emirati Women’s Day

To reiterate what this write-up has already covered, the UAE is a promising place for ambitious women entrepreneurs to realize dreams. Aided by government support, company partnerships, free zones, inclusivity, and advanced digital solutions, women can go the extra mile in business, compete with male counterparts, and contribute to the nation’s economic growth and development like never before. So, if you are a woman entrepreneur in the UAE, make the most of training, financing, and other initiatives to grow faster. And don’t forget to partner with a reliable payment gateways provider like PayTabs to establish a seamless and efficient payment ecosystem.

This World Entrepreneurs’ Day, the Middle East deserves special attention for gradually emerging as a hotbed for startups and SMEs over the recent years. Government-backed economic diversification plans and innovation strategies are enabling the region to look beyond oil when it comes to opportunity, Middle East business growth, and prosperity. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain are especially leading the entrepreneurial revolution by setting up appropriate regulatory frameworks and investing in suitable infrastructure. In fact, KSA’s Vision 2030 plan harbors a whole new world of potential for entrepreneurs and focuses on entertainment, tourism, and technology sectors. A recent survey also indicates that around 46% of employees in the Middle East and North Africa region want to start their own businesses to pursue higher income, better work-life balance, and fulfilment.

So, let’s find out what the Middle East’s future entrepreneurial landscape looks like and why businesses are choosing PayTabs to simplify their payments ecosystem.

Future of Entrepreneurship in the Middle East

The following key factors will drive the entrepreneurship boom in the Middle East in the coming years:

• Investment in Innovation: Private investors, venture capitalists, and sovereign wealth funds have been investing in entrepreneurial innovation for quite some time in the Middle East. And this is expected to continue in the future. Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, for example, invests in both domestic and foreign startups and tech ventures actively, so they can scale easily. Government initiatives like mentorship, incubators, accelerators, and networking options are also fueling the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Increased Usage of Smartphones and Internet: Smartphone penetration and internet usage are higher than ever before in the Middle East. This means a rise in young and tech-savvy consumers who don’t just shop online but also look for cutting-edge products, services, and solutions. And this offers startups the scope to innovate and flourish.
• Strategic Location: Geographically, the Middle East connects Europe, Asia, and Africa strategically. Hence, new businesses get the unique opportunity to foray into different markets, ace the logistics, and expand their networks and presence cost-effectively.

Now, let’s see how PayTabs is empowering entrepreneurs further as a leading payment gateway provider in the region.

PayTabs: An Entrepreneurial Favorite for Digital Payments in the Middle East

Selling avant-garde products and services is not enough to thrive in the entrepreneurial landscape of the Middle East or beyond. Startups must have a fast, efficient, and secure online payments system that delivers an exceptional consumer experience, instils trust, encourages repeat purchases, and long-term loyalty. And that is exactly what PayTabs ensures. Here’s how.

• Better Acceptance Rate: As an intelligent orchestration platform, PayTabs allows entrepreneurs like you to manage multiple payment gateways, processors, banks, and acquirers in a single place. So, every transaction gets routed to the most suitable processor via the right gateway automatically, improving the payment acceptance rate. Fewer declined transactions means more satisfied customers and more revenue.
• Security: When you are starting out, one of the best ways to gain consumer trust is by keeping all transactions safe against cyber frauds and scams. And PayTabs ensures complete payment processing security with advanced encryption and multi-layer authentication techniques. You don’t have to worry about sensitive information getting compromised in any way.
• Different Payment Options: With PayTabs, you can offer customers a host of Fintech payment solutions, including internet banking, digital wallets, payment links, mobile apps, cards, etc. This translates to greater flexibility for shoppers and fewer instances of cart abandonment. In other words, you get to boost conversions and even purchase volume.
• Multiple Currency Support: PayTabs doesn’t just help you accept digital payments in the Middle East, but also from anywhere else in the world. By allowing customers in other countries to pay in their local currencies, you help them develop a sense of familiarity and trust your business. This is essential to establish yourself in new markets. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the currency exchange math.
• Powerful Analytics: The in-depth analytics capabilities offered by PayTabs are another key advantage for entrepreneurs or even big businesses. You can gain end-to-end visibility into your payment system, gather actionable insights, identify gaps or bottlenecks, analyze large chunks of data effectively, and make more informed and profitable decisions.

Get Ready to Grow More this World Entrepreneurs’ Day

As an entrepreneur, the Middle East is perfect for you to start, survive, and thrive, thanks to rapid digitalization, investment in innovation, promising government initiatives, and the region’s strategic location. Additionally, choosing PayTabs as your payments partner can help you handle both domestic and international transactions securely, quickly, and efficiently. Not only will you end up boosting customer satisfaction, but also derive data-backed insights to take better business decisions in the future. So, this World Entrepreneurs’ Day, leverage the potential the Middle East offers for your business, join hands with PayTabs, realize your vision, and grow more than ever.

Paris 2024 or 2024 Summer Olympics is right around the corner, and the excitement among potential spectators and event attendees around the globe is almost palpable. All set to light up one of the most romantic cities in the world this time, the Olympic games history most likely dates to 776 BC. Started originally by the Ancient Greeks, Olympic games showcase the physical and mental prowess of top athletes besides promoting peace, fairness, solidarity, friendship, integrity, and inclusion. The multi-sport event offers a level playing field for all 196 nations. But that is not all. In recent times, Olympic events have turned a bright spotlight on advancements in the Fintech landscape, especially digital payments.

Let’s delve into how Olympics games have been driving the worldwide surge in digital transactions and why the trend is expected to continue in 2024 too.

What do People Pay for during Olympics?

No matter where they are held, Olympics games witness countless spectators from countries far and wide. The event in Paris this year will be no exception. And besides paying for different event tickets, spectators are likely to shell out money for:

• Souvenirs or Memorabilia: From official jerseys, hoodies, and t-shirts to caps, keychains, scarves, bags, and toys, Olympics games memorabilia can be of numerous kinds. And serious fans always buy one or more of these, whether they are watching the events in-person or from home. This means, international payments spike significantly.
• Tourist Attractions: Those who fly to a different country or city to attend Olympics games usually use the opportunity to visit the top sights there and make a memorable holiday of it. And they end up paying entry fees for many such attractions, like museums, art galleries, amusement parks etc.
• Hotels: Fans who attend Olympics games in person book hotels, apartments, or homestays as per their budget and taste. Naturally, the hospitality sector sees more payments too.
• Food and Drink: It goes without saying that restaurants, pubs, clubs, and lounges in the host country end up selling more during Olympic events. Even virtual spectators often head to popular eateries to enjoy the games with friends and family.

Apart from the above, spectators might have to spend for emergencies, medical or otherwise. Essentially, financial inclusion becomes crucial at a major event like Olympics since people from various countries (used to different currencies and payment methods) flock together.

How Digital Payments are Transforming Olympics

Here are the ways in which digital payments ease life for both spectators and businesses during the Olympics:

• Cashless transactions: Irrespective of their origin country, spectators don’t need to carry large amounts of cash for different transactions. It is safe against theft as well as convenient. Whether it’s a physical store or website, they can simply pay via an online payment gateway in seconds and avoid long queues or the problem of insufficient change.
• Multiple payment modes: From mobile wallets and internet banking to payment links and QR codes, there are multiple ways for spectators to make payments as per their comfort level. It also helps businesses to drive more conversions and earn more as they offer flexibility to customers.
• Support for different currencies: The best payment gateways allow businesses to accept multiple currencies and handle exchanges seamlessly. This satisfies customers and motivates them to spend more. They don’t have to deal with the hassle of obtaining or carrying foreign exchange or traveler checks either.
• Contactless payments: In the light of the COVID pandemic, it has become more important than ever to maintain hygiene and sanitary conditions with large crowds around. And digital payments (often requiring a simple tap or scan) facilitate the same.
• Cybersecurity: Leading payment gateways use robust encryption, authentication, and fraud-prevention measures to make sure no sensitive data is compromised during digital transactions. Hence, spectators don’t need to worry about identity thefts, scams, account takeover, and so on.

 Paris 2024 to Reach Global Heights with Digital Payments

 So, by now, you have a clear idea of how digital payments have been revolutionizing the Olympics games and why Paris 2024 will take it all up by several notches. Spectators from around the world can look forward to a frictionless and unforgettable experience with cashless and contactless payments, whether they are gearing up for an event, heading to the Louvre, booking a stay near the River Seine, or shopping for macarons. In the UAE and everywhere else, virtual spectators can shop online for souvenirs or visit restaurants for sumptuous meals in front of massive screens without worrying about payments. And businesses can make the most of it by raking in more revenue than ever.

Jordan National Day is just around the corner and the entire country is ready for celebrations and festive revelry. This also means a surge in shopping for personal and domestic use as well as gifting purposes. So, as an ecommerce business owner, you might be looking for ways to boost your Jordan National Day sales figures. And you are in luck. In 2023, around 76% of the country’s population had active mobile connections and internet penetration was pegged at 88%. By 2027, the number of users in the digital commerce market is poised to increase to 4.8 million and the ecommerce market volume is expected to hit USD 293.6 million. Hobby and leisure, electronics, fashion, and furniture and homeware are among the most popular ecommerce sectors in the country currently.

However, to compete with other players, draw more traffic, drive more conversions, and thrive in this dynamic landscape, you need to employ the right strategies. Let’s delve into them.

Tips to Improve Jordan National Day Sales

The modern consumer in Jordan looks primarily for these four things when they go for online shopping – speed, security, efficiency, and flexibility. So, here is what you can do to offer them a frictionless and enjoyable experience:

1. Easy Website Navigation

Make sure your ecommerce site’s interface is simple and easy to use for all. Customers should be able to search, sort, filter quickly and add items to the cart without any hassle. Ensure product descriptions, prices, care instructions, etc. are easy to spot and understand. If there are special offers on certain categories or products, make sure they are clearly visible and hard to miss. Give site visitors the option to view everything in Arabic too, to build trust, cultural familiarity, and a local vibe.

2. Personalized Marketing

Use AI and sophisticated data analytics tools to capture, store, and analyze customer data. This way, you can personalize marketing campaigns in line with their past browsing, shopping, and payment behaviors. Offer customized recommendations while they are on your site or upsell or cross-sell products to boost the order volume. Personalization will enhance shopper engagement too.

3. Immersive AR and VR Experiences

By employing augmented reality and virtual reality, you can enable shoppers to try out different products before making a purchase decision. These advanced technologies can help them interact realistically with products and gauge the suitability, efficiency, or aesthetics. AR and VR can boost engagement, conversion, and satisfaction.

4. Glitch-free Checkout

Adopt an ecommerce payment gateway that makes the checkout experience fast, simple, secure, and efficient. A provider like PayTabs can help you offer a variety of local payment methods to win over customers in Jordan. Payment solutions for online stores in the country usually range from conventional ones like cards and bank transfer to digital wallets and payment links. Depending on the nature of your business and target audience, you can offer all or some of the modes, so that shoppers have ample flexibility and can complete digital transactions without any fuss.

5. Robust Security

Equip your site with layered security measures to protect customer data and encrypt the same, so that hackers cannot steal or misuse sensitive information. Since the National Day will witness increased activity across ecommerce sectors, be extra cautious. Pick a payment gateway in Jordan that keeps all transaction details safe and employs smart authentication mechanisms.

6. Integration with Social Commerce

Integrate your ecommerce site with trendy social media platforms to help more customers discover, explore, and buy your products easily. This is especially a great way to attract millennials and Gen Z shoppers. To receive secure online payments in Jordan through social media channels, just pick a gateway provider that can make the process fast and seamless.

7. Seamless Last-mile Delivery

Leverage advanced logistics software to make sure products are delivered on time and in shipshape. Last-mile delivery plays a key role in customer satisfaction, repeat purchase, and loyalty. So, use the right tools to plan the most efficient routes, save time and cost, streamline operations, track delivery agents, and obtain customer feedback as well.

Get Ready for Jordan National Day

Jordan’s digital commerce market is likely to clock a transaction value of USD 6.75 billion by 2027. To capitalize on this upward trend as well as the upcoming National Day rush, you need to strengthen every aspect of your ecommerce business – from the moment a shopper visits your site to the moment they receive their orders. So, keep the above pointers in mind and choose a Payment orchestration platform like PayTabs that facilitates stress-free and cost-effective payment gateways integration. This way, you can accept multiple payment modes, route and process transactions efficiently, and improve the overall customer experience.