The primary messaging app used by nearly everyone in the UAE. Businesses, hotels, tour operators, and even government services use WhatsApp for communication.
๐ฌ Messaging69 countriesEssential in 63
Available in these countries
๐ฆ๐ชUnited Arab Emirates
Essential๐ฆ๐ฑAlbania
Essential๐ฆ๐ทArgentina
Essential๐ฆ๐บAustralia
Essential๐ง๐ฆBosnia and Herzegovina
Essential๐ง๐งBarbados
Essential๐ง๐ฉBangladesh
Essential๐ง๐ญBahrain
Essential๐ง๐ดBolivia
Essential๐ง๐ทBrazil
Essential๐ง๐ธBahamas
Essential๐จ๐ฆCanada
๐จ๐ญSwitzerland
Essential๐จ๐ฑChile
Essential๐จ๐ดColombia
Essential๐จ๐ทCosta Rica
Essential๐จ๐บCuba
Essential๐ฉ๐ชGermany
Essential๐ฉ๐ดDominican Republic
Essential๐ช๐จEcuador
Essential๐ช๐ฌEgypt
Essential๐ช๐ธSpain
Essential๐ซ๐ฏFiji
Essential๐ฌ๐งUnited Kingdom
Essential๐ฌ๐ญGhana
Essential๐ฌ๐ทGreece
๐ฌ๐นGuatemala
Essential๐ญ๐ฐHong Kong
Essential๐ฎ๐ฉIndonesia
Essential๐ฎ๐ชIreland
Essential๐ฎ๐ฑIsrael
Essential๐ฎ๐ณIndia
Essential๐ฎ๐นItaly
Essential๐ฏ๐ฒJamaica
Essential๐ฏ๐ดJordan
Essential๐ฐ๐ชKenya
Essential๐ฐ๐ฌKyrgyzstan
Essential๐ฐ๐ฟKazakhstan
Essential๐ฑ๐ฆLaos
๐ฑ๐ฐSri Lanka
Essential๐ฑ๐ปLatvia
Essential๐ฒ๐ฆMorocco
Essential๐ฒ๐ชMontenegro
Essential๐ฒ๐ฐNorth Macedonia
Essential๐ฒ๐ปMaldives
Essential๐ฒ๐ฝMexico
Essential๐ฒ๐พMalaysia
Essential๐ณ๐ฌNigeria
Essential๐ณ๐ตNepal
๐ณ๐ฟNew Zealand
๐ด๐ฒOman
Essential๐ต๐ฆPanama
Essential๐ต๐ชPeru
Essential๐ต๐ฐPakistan
Essential๐ต๐ทPuerto Rico
Essential๐ต๐นPortugal
Essential๐ต๐พParaguay
Essential๐ถ๐ฆQatar
Essential๐ท๐ดRomania
Essential๐ท๐ผRwanda
Essential๐ธ๐ฆSaudi Arabia
Essential๐ธ๐ฌSingapore
Essential๐ธ๐ฎSlovenia
Essential๐ธ๐ฐSlovakia
Essential๐น๐ฏTajikistan
๐น๐ทTurkey
Essential๐น๐ฟTanzania
Essential๐บ๐พUruguay
Essential๐ฟ๐ฆSouth Africa
EssentialPro tips by country
United Arab Emirates: Save the WhatsApp numbers of your hotel, tour operators, and car rental agencies. Many UAE businesses respond faster on WhatsApp than email.
Albania: Save your hotel's WhatsApp number before arrival. It's the fastest way to sort out check-in details or ask for local recommendations.
Argentina: Save your Airbnb host's and tour guide's WhatsApp number before arriving . it's often the only reliable way to confirm bookings.
Australia: WhatsApp is the easiest way to coordinate with tour operators and hostels, especially in backpacker-heavy areas.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Many Sarajevo walking tour guides take bookings via WhatsApp. Message ahead to confirm availability, especially during summer months.
Barbados: When you book a villa, guesthouse, or tour, ask for their WhatsApp number right away. Day-of changes, pickup confirmations, and directions all happen through chat.
Bangladesh: Hotel front desks respond faster to WhatsApp than email or phone calls.
Bahrain: Many of the smaller restaurants in Manama's Block 338 dining district take reservations through WhatsApp. A quick message beats waiting in line on weekends.
Bolivia: Save your tour operator and hostel's WhatsApp numbers before arriving. Many businesses don't answer email but respond to WhatsApp immediately.
Brazil: Save your accommodation's WhatsApp number before arrival. Most Brazilian businesses respond faster on WhatsApp than by email or phone call.
Bahamas: Many Out Island guesthouses and fishing charters only take bookings through WhatsApp. Message ahead to confirm availability since walk-ins are not always possible.
Switzerland: Save local contacts via WhatsApp from day one; even small guesthouses prefer it over email.
Chile: Save WhatsApp numbers of your accommodation and tour operators before you land.
Colombia: Save WhatsApp numbers of your accommodation and tour operators immediately on arrival . this is how Colombia does business.
Costa Rica: Save WhatsApp numbers of your accommodation and any booked tours before you land.
Cuba: Save WhatsApp numbers of your accommodation hosts and drivers before you arrive.
Germany: Install WhatsApp before arrival . hosts, tour operators, and even some restaurants use it as their main contact channel.
Dominican Republic: Save your hotel, tour guide, and local contact numbers to WhatsApp immediately. Voice calls over WhatsApp are free on WiFi.
Ecuador: Save your accommodation's WhatsApp number before arrival . most Ecuadorian businesses respond faster on WhatsApp than via email.
Egypt: Save your hotel's and tour guide's WhatsApp numbers before arrival. Sending a quick voice message is often the fastest way to get a response from local businesses.
Spain: Many Spanish businesses post their WhatsApp number instead of an email . have it installed for instant contact.
Fiji: When arranging island transfers or local tours, WhatsApp your operator the night before to reconfirm pickup time and location. Schedules can shift with weather and tides.
United Kingdom: Many small UK B&Bs and local tour guides prefer WhatsApp over email for quick communication.
Ghana: Many Accra restaurants post their daily specials on WhatsApp Status (similar to Instagram Stories). Add their number and check their updates for the freshest menus.
Guatemala: Save the INGUAT tourism board WhatsApp helpline for official tourism assistance.
Hong Kong: Many local restaurants only accept bookings via WhatsApp . more useful than email or phone.
Indonesia: Save your accommodation and tour guide's WhatsApp number before arriving.
Ireland: Some rural guesthouses prefer WhatsApp over email for bookings.
Israel: Israeli businesses are very responsive on WhatsApp. Don't hesitate to message a restaurant directly to ask about reservations or dietary accommodations.
Italy: Save your hotel or Airbnb host's WhatsApp number before arrival . they'll send directions, gate codes, and local tips this way.
Jamaica: Save your hotel, tour guide, and taxi driver contacts on WhatsApp before you arrive. Most small businesses list a WhatsApp number instead of a phone line.
Jordan: When you book a driver for Petra or Wadi Rum, get their WhatsApp number. Plans change, delays happen, and WhatsApp is how you stay coordinated.
Kenya: Join your safari operator's WhatsApp group if they offer one. Guides often share wildlife sighting updates and schedule changes through group chats in real time.
Kyrgyzstan: Book yurt camps and horse treks via WhatsApp . many don't have websites but respond quickly.
Laos: Save your accommodation's WhatsApp number on check-in.
Sri Lanka: Share your live location with your hotel via WhatsApp when arriving late.
Morocco: When booking a riad in the medina, ask for a WhatsApp location pin and a short voice note with walking directions from the nearest landmark. Street addresses inside medinas are nearly useless.
Montenegro: Message accommodation hosts on WhatsApp before arrival. Many smaller guesthouses don't have formal reception desks and will arrange to meet you.
North Macedonia: Ohrid guesthouses often handle bookings and check-in coordination entirely through WhatsApp. Save their number and confirm your arrival time in advance.
Maldives: If you are staying at local guesthouses on inhabited islands rather than resorts, WhatsApp is your lifeline for arranging boat transfers between islands. Message operators a day ahead.
Mexico: Save WhatsApp numbers for your hotel, local restaurants, and tour operators . it's how everything gets coordinated in Mexico.
Malaysia: Many local restaurants only accept bookings via WhatsApp.
Nigeria: Nigerian businesses often use WhatsApp Business accounts with product catalogs. If you are shopping or booking a service, ask for their WhatsApp catalog to browse options.
Oman: When booking a desert safari or wadi tour, most local guides coordinate entirely through WhatsApp, including pickup times, itinerary changes, and payment details.
Panama: Save your hotel and tour operator as WhatsApp contacts. Most businesses respond faster on WhatsApp than by phone or email.
Peru: Save WhatsApp numbers of your accommodation and booked tours before you arrive . most updates come via WhatsApp, not email.
Puerto Rico: If you are booking a bioluminescent bay tour, a surf lesson, or a local guide, reach out on WhatsApp for the fastest response.
Portugal: Try messaging businesses on WhatsApp first . you'll often get a faster reply than calling.
Paraguay: Use WhatsApp's built-in Share Live Location feature when giving your location to drivers . street addresses are often insufficient.
Qatar: Many restaurants in Souq Waqif accept table reservations via WhatsApp. Save the number from their Google Maps listing and message them directly.
Romania: Rural hosts in Maramureศ and Transylvania prefer WhatsApp over email . message them directly.
Rwanda: If you are arranging a gorilla trek or safari, your guide will likely add you to a WhatsApp group with all logistics, meeting points, and last-minute updates.
Saudi Arabia: Many small businesses and local tour operators in Saudi Arabia only take bookings via WhatsApp. Save their numbers and message ahead to confirm availability.
Singapore: Many hawker stalls take pre-orders via WhatsApp . look for the number posted at the stall.
Turkey: Message your accommodation on WhatsApp before arrival . responses are typically immediate.
Tanzania: Ask your safari company for a WhatsApp group before your trip starts. Most operators create a group with your guide, driver, and a coordinator so you can communicate in real time.
Uruguay: Many guesthouses and restaurants only respond via WhatsApp . save contacts and message ahead rather than calling.
South Africa: Many South African businesses have WhatsApp Business profiles with automated responses. Send a 'Hi' to get started and you will usually see a menu of options to choose from.