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Dubai has become the latest city to be mapped by Google's Street View facility.

It is the first time that the feature has become available in an Arab country, and it is hoped that it will boost tourism to the city.

Available from today, the tool gives users a 360-degree, panoramic and street-level view of the city's main streets and attractions.

Dubai has become the latest city, and the first in an Arab country to be mapped by Google's Street View tool 

Two years ago Google launched a Street View applications for Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building.

The same was created for the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, while the desert of Liwa has also been mapped. It was captured using a camera device strapped on top of a camel.

However, this is the first time that Street View has become available for the city's streets.

The city is located in a region where local population are protective of their conservative culture.

Like in other countries across the world, Street View in Dubai blurs out people's faces and vehicle licence plates.

The tool gives users a 360-degree, panoramic and street-level view of the city's main streets and attractions

While it covers tourist locations, it is not available in private residential areas.

Dubai had been in talks with Google for about a year before launching the service.

The company now hopes to roll out Street View in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the United Arab Emirates very soon, said Najeeb Jarrar, product marketing manager at Google in the Middle East and North Africa.

'We decided to start with a city that is receiving large numbers of visitors so this can help them,' he said.

While Street View covers tourist locations in Dubai, it is not available in private residential areas. The city had been in talks with Google for about a year before launching the service

The company now hopes to roll out Street View in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the Emirates in the coming years

'At the same time, it is a city where residents are extremely internet savvy and this service would benefit them as well.

'There are also residents in Dubai who use the maps on a daily basis in their movement. Moreover, the regional office of Google is based in Dubai.'

UAE is among the top countries in the region for internet usage, with over six million of the 9.2 million population using the internet.

Abdul Hakim Malik, director of geographic information systems at Dubai Municipality, which worked with the company on permissions for the project, said Street View will indirectly promote tourism to Dubai.

A Google Street View Car with a camera mounted on its roof maps the streets of Central London

He said. 'Tourists are very much interested before they visit Dubai to see what Dubai looks like in real life.

'When they go to Google Maps and see 360 degrees all around important and popular streets, I think this will be interesting for them.'

Asked about future collaborations with Google, Mr Malik added: 'I think this is just the beginning.'

Launched in 2007, Street View has expanded throughout much of the Western world and is already being used in 3,000 cities across 63 countries, as well as parts of the Arctic and Antarctica.

Launched in 2007, Street View has expanded throughout much of the Western world and is already being used in 3,000 cities across 63 countries, as well as parts of the Arctic and Antarctica

Dubai is aiming to become one of the most visited cities in the world by 2020, when it aims to welcome 20 million annual tourists.

'For us, as tourism industry, we are focusing a lot on technology,' said Essam Abdul Rahim Kazim, CEO, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).

'In fact, we see technology as a principal driver for the tourism industry,' he added. 

'This is considered a tourism attraction element and adds to Dubai's international reputation,' Malek said.