Ras Al Khaimah targets 3.5mn visitors by 2030; strengthens India focus
Phillipa Harrison
Ras Al Khaimah is maintaining its ambition to welcome 3.5 million visitors annually by 2030, despite the uncertainty created by recent geopolitical developments. The emirate is strengthening its engagement with key international markets, particularly India, while advancing new connectivity initiatives and positioning itself within a more integrated GCC tourism ecosystem.
Phillipa Harrison, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), said the geopolitical landscape had introduced uncertainty into travel across the region, with travellers becoming more considered in their decision-making. “Travellers are prioritising flexibility, closer-to-departure bookings and reassurance,” Harrison said.
She noted that the wider UAE tourism ecosystem had responded measurably to these concerns, with national airlines supporting travellers through measures including travel insurance programmes, flexible booking options and direct assistance for guests affected by disruption. “This has reinforced the UAE’s position as a destination with dependable aviation and tourism ecosystem that travellers feel confident with, even during turbulent times,” she added.
Decoding long-term ambition
Despite the challenging environment, demand for Ras Al Khaimah has remained resilient, supported strongly by the domestic market. The emirate welcomed more than 670,000 visitors in the first half of 2026, marking its highest-ever first-half visitor numbers. While the domestic market continues to provide consistent visitation, the destination is also seeing stronger signs of recovery from core international markets, including India, Russia and the UK.
Looking ahead, the destination remains confident in its ambition to welcome 3.5 million visitors annually by 2030.
“Our long-term vision to strengthen the destination's tourism offering and achieve our tourism growth goals remains unchanged and continues to gather at pace with major projects moving at full speed ahead,” she said.
India - a key focus market
India continues to be a priority for Ras Al Khaimah, with visitor arrivals from the market growing 14% in 2025. “We continue to strengthen our engagement with the Indian travel trade, with a focus on encouraging longer stays, higher yield, and growing the market across both quality and volume,” Harrison said.
A key part of the strategy is strengthening air connectivity. Ras Al Khaimah is working with its partners to increase frequencies on existing routes while exploring new opportunities where possible.
The destination is also expanding its trade engagement programme in India. In the coming months, it will host familiarisation trips for FIT agents and MICE operators, alongside an India roadshow covering Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The roadshow will bring together local trade representatives with Ras Al Khaimah’s hotel and DMC partners.
Building a more integrated GCC tourism proposition
RAKTDA also sees significant potential in a more integrated GCC tourism ecosystem, with regional collaboration, seamless movement between destinations and multi-country itineraries making the region more compelling to international travellers. Harrison pointed to the progress towards a unified GCC tourist visa, anticipated to launch in 2026, as an important step towards greater regional integration.
Within the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah is working to facilitate multi-emirate opportunities, allowing visitors to combine different experiences within a single trip. “Each emirate brings something distinctive to the overall journey, and Ras Al Khaimah plays a complementary role in that proposition,” Harrison said. “These are strengths that we continue to build on and develop for sustained future growth,” she added.
Connectivity between the emirates is also progressing across land, sea and air, Harrison highlighted. This includes plans for air-taxi services connecting Ras Al Khaimah with Dubai, as well as cooperation with maritime authorities to facilitate the movement of visiting yachts and leisure boats between the emirates.
