An up and coming emirate, Ras Al Khaimah is the latest gulf destination to attempt to tap the Indian market. In association with it’s national carrier Air Arabia, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) recently organised a familiarisation tour for the media and travel agents to showcase the attractions and new hotels in the region.
“Ras Al Khaimah is on a mission to develop the tourism sector. We can showcase the sea, desert and the mountains, all within our own borders. Furthermore, we have a wide variety of activities we can offer in the Emirate. Ras Al Khaimah is a short-haul destination for Indians and would be an ideal new destination for those who have already visited Dubai and want to experience a new place,” said Mohamed Khater, Business Development Manager, RAKTDA, Government of Ras Al Khaimah when welcoming the media upon arrival.
He further stated that Ras Al Khaimah is positioning itself as a weekend getaway, and is even pushing for direct flights so as to encourage tourist footfall from India. He informed that Air Arabia is trying to get permissions from the Government of India to restart the Calicut-Ras Al Khaimah route that was earlier serviced by the now defunct RAK Airlines.
Anticipating an influx of tourism, Ras Al Khaimah is expecting an additional inventory of 10,000 rooms by 2020. The destination currently offers 5,200 hotel rooms across all segments to service all categories of travellers. When asked about the target segment from India, he revealed that the Emirate is promoting itself as a romantic getaway and honeymoon destination, and have been receiving enquiries for Indian weddings.
Ras Al Khaimah is also well equipped for MICE and looks forward to tapping that segment as well. Al Hamra Convention Centre can accommodate up to 1,500 seated and 2,000 standing guests at a time. The convention centre is also in close proximity to hotels of various classifications.
In his presentation to the media, Khater highlighted the diverse tourism products of Ras Al Khaimah. He also showcased the National Museum of RAK; pearl diving, as well as a pearl museum to be opened by January 2015 to highlight the region’s pearl diving history. “There are also activities such as flying boat watersport and the Jazirah aviation club that are exclusive to Ras Al Kahimah. We also plan to develop infrastructure to make the mountain region more attractive to families and groups for picnics. We are mooting hotels and restaurants in the area for the same,” Khater added.
The Emirate’s manmade island, Al Marjan, is also home to tireless development to provide hotels, residences, a marina and tourist infrastructure. This construction alone is expected to add 1,500-1,700 keys to the island.
The familiarisation tour gave the visiting delegation a peek into activities such as up in the air provided by the flying club and the Iceland water park. The water park alone welcomes 300,000 visitors a year and is set to add hotel rooms, a shopping mall and an added attraction of a live penguin show going forward.
In a bid to showcase the new accommodations that have come up in 2014, RAKTDA also took the delegation to visit the Hilton Al Hamra, Waldorf Astoria and the Rixos Bab Al Bahr. Providing a slightly different experience, the Banyan Tree Al Wadi Beach Resort organised a rainforest spa for the group. The familiarisation tour concluded with a mountain drive up Jebel Jais to complete the rounded sea, desert and mountain experience the emirate boasts.
