Local Search, a local UAE business search service, offering online and directory listings, has introduced a unique virtual addressing system to find any business location anywhere in the UAE.

The business locator based on an interactive digital map of the UAE, is made available exclusively to Local Search business directory service under an agreement with Informap Productions.

Almost every single building and company registered in the UAE and its freezones has been assigned a unique six-digit number (GRL - geo reference locator) with the details of areas, streets and building posted names on the most accurate and detailed digital map ever available online for the UAE.

Kelly Jones, general manager - Sales & Marketing, Local Search, said: "We believe that the GRL Number will become an essential element of every business address for companies in the UAE, just like a telephone number.”

“This benefits not only the smaller SMEs in more traditional business areas of the UAE but even those based in the new business districts and Free Trade Zones with their office tower complexes. Local Search takes you the last mile - even the last few steps - to your business destination. Ninety per cent of the UAE's buildings have already been mapped and assigned a GRL and this will be an ongoing mapping process."

Any UAE company can find its office building GRL simply by going online at localsearch.ae and searching the company in the online directory and then viewing the precise location on the adjacent map.

David Khidasheli, chairman of Informap Group, said: "Local Search has sourced our geo-coded business data content into its online business search service and the company's Local Pages business directory for the UAE. This gives us a fantastic platform to showcase our unique virtual addressing system in which we have made a considerable investment at a building level, through video mapping and field surveys, to simplify locating a business or a building."

"Business search has moved on dramatically in recent years and is now dominated by online and mobile search," said Mohamed Al Hameli, chairman of Local Pages.

"We launched LocalSearch.ae in October 2011 and the response to-date has been very strong with companies taking advantage of the free listings and the free directory.”

“Our monthly increase in visitors to the site is very satisfying and consequently advertising support is also building momentum, so we are on target. The site is fully enabled for mobile and connected to all the major social media networks, and we are already working on new service enhancements, upgrades and applications,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service