Listen to this article  |
After the pandemic, Ras Al Khaimah noticed the highest number of visitors over the first six months of 2022. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority stated this some days ago. The numbers are pretty noticeable as it is more than one million. In fact, the authority said over 500,000 international and domestic travelers visited the emirate, which is a 21% hike compared to pre-covid. However, the authority also said that the emirate is absolutely “on track” to welcome over 1.11 million visitors in 2022.
The Growth is Immense
The growth in numbers was due to new hotels opening, direct flight connections, and the development of the cruise industry. The emirate has over 8,000 hotel rooms, with 4,617 in the pipeline over the next few years.
“This is all the more remarkable given the current economic and geopolitical landscape in which we operate that drives our focus on what’s important for long-term resilience – diversification, community, and sustainability,” RAKTDA’s chief executive officer Raki Phillips said.
He added the emirate’s investment strategy is also a key reason for the quick rebound.
The authority announced a series of partnerships with airlines and leading tour operators to target emerging and growing source markets.
This includes the introduction of new direct flight routes, with new weekly flights from major cities in Germany, including Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Munich, the authority said.
The emirate, one of the fastest rebounding tourism markets in the UAE, is currently developing the cruise sector, which aims to attract 50 cruise ship calls each season and over 10,000 passengers over time.
“Already one of the fastest growing destinations in the region, the first half of 2022 has set us off on a very strong trajectory for the year. It is great to see the strategic investments made by the authority throughout a very challenging period yield such strong results,” Phillips said.
The emirate is also underway building a multibillion-dollar integrated resort with Wynn Resorts, which will have the capacity of over “1,000 rooms, shopping, meeting and convention facilities, spa, more than 10 restaurants, and lounges, extensive entertainment choices, and a gaming area, set to boost visitor numbers in the coming years further,” the authority said.
Ending Note
Apart from all these, the emirate is currently focusing on becoming one of the leading sporting and MICE destinations in the Gulf to attract more tourists.
