Ras Al Khaimah is named Gulf Tourism Capital 2021

The emirate takes the title for the second year 

At the fifth annual meeting of Tourism Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the emirate was commended for establishing itself as a sustainable tourist destination.

Key spokespeople from Ras Al Khaimah will go on to share insights on the Emirate’s tourism sector at this year’s Gulf and Indian Ocean Investment Summit. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) representatives will also discuss the Emirate’s investment pipeline and how it is adapting to the changing needs of travellers in the new normal.

Representatives say that Ras Al Khaimah has been a case study in successful Covid-19 management, setting a global benchmark in becoming the first city in the world to secure the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Label and the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travel Stamp.

This paved the way for the industry to operate safely, leading to steady and sustained recovery for the destination and renewed confidence for the emirate’s tourism industry

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Building on this resilience, the emirate is planning a series of strategic investments for its travel and leisure sector to drive its goal of welcoming three million visitors by 2030.

Key ventures include plans to develop more than 20 sustainable tourism development initiatives across the emirate, in partnership with RAK Hospitality Holding and RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Under the Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy, the nature-based Emirate aims to become the regional leader in environmentally conscious tourism by 2025

In addition, new projects in the emirate cover accommodation, mobility, infrastructure enhancements and new tourist attractions. In addition, there’s a strong pipeline of new hotels, which will bring 4,000 keys from brands including Movenpick, Sofitel, Intercontinental and Radisson.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority CEO Raki Phillips commented: “The long-lasting effects of the pandemic have meant that we need to reimagine the entire travel and hospitality sector. Destinations must now learn to operate in a ‘new normal’ and adapt their investment strategies, tourism propositions and ways of working to meet changing traveller needs. In this changing landscape, it is more important than ever that we come together as an industry to share our collective insights and best practice for long-term investment and hospitality development.”

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