Ras Al Khaimah prepares to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic
Ras Al Khaimah is inviting the world to take a virtual glimpse of its tourist attractions as it prepares to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.
With a 15,000-strong workforce reliant on visitor footfall, the emirate has set its marketing wheels in motion to ensure it is regarded as a go-to destination once the crisis is over.
As part of a new online campaign, RAK Tourism Development Authority launched the #FindRAKLater tagline to encourage tourists to explore the emirate when the world “can meet again”.
Travel and tourism sectors around the world have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Strict stay-at-home orders designed to slow the spread of the virus have hit the industry, with worldwide flight suspensions leading to a plummet in demand for domestic and international passenger travel.
In the first two weeks of March, Raki Philips, chief executive at the RAK Tourism Development Authority, said more than 50,000 tourists had visited Ras Al Khaimah.
But against the backdrop of the introduction of travel restrictions, visitor numbers quickly dwindled.
According to government figures, the UAE travel and tourism sector accounts for about 12 per cent of the country’s GDP. In Ras Al Khaimah tourism was the “fastest contributor” to the emirate’s economic growth.
In 2019, RAK Tourism Development Authority welcomed 1.2 million tourists, 60 per cent of whom were international visitors.
