Tag Archives: Ras Al Khaimah

The adventure tourism product portfolio of Ras Al Khaimah, now established as one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the Middle East, is shaping up as a millennials’ magnet. Addressing a panel debate in London on the travel patterns of affluent millennials, Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), said the emirate was hitting the mark with the much sought-after segment. “Ras Al Khaimah has what it takes when it comes to ticking millennial boxes,” said Mattar. “They want authenticity and the emirate has it in spades; they want meaningful, off-the-radar experiences and the ability to connect with culture, which again we excel in; and they have a desire to soak up natural sights, which is a key pillar of our offering.” Mattar revealed millennials are now a prime target for the emirate, which boasts of an ancient heritage and myriad landscapes from desert to stunning coastline, and the rocky crags of the Hajar mountains with its natural springs and the UAE’s highest peak Jebel Jais, now ranked as the emirate’s number one attraction.

The European Challenge Tour at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah promises to be memorable on and off the course with the launch of the Al Hamra Fan Village. The Tour tees off this Wednesday and finishes on Saturday (October 28). This year’s Golf Challenge will be a truly family affair, with free admission to a giant Fan Village, including bouncy castles, arts and crafts, face painting and sand art, as well as food trucks and live music entertainment. There will also be an Oktoberfest Garden where chefs from Al Hamra’s Bay Sports Bar will be grilling German sausages and other delicacies, while three separate beverage stands will keep everyone lubricated. The Fan Village will open from 4 pm-10 pm from Thursday to Saturday.

Destination Dawn, the 12-hour beach festival on Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island, will return to the emirate on October 6, 2017. The biannual festival, organised by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), saw more than 2,000 party-goers descending on Al Marjan Island in May. The pristine beaches of Al Marjan Island – Ras Al Khaimah’s coral-shaped archipelago – will again be transformed into a festival hangout with food trucks, beverages and chill-out zones, Destination Dawn ticket holders can choose to either camp at the festival, reach the party via free shuttle buses from Dubai, or book a staycation in one of the island’s luxury hotels. with headliners R3HAB, one of Holland’s hottest music exports, Dutch duo Bassjackers, and Russian trio Swanky Tunes. Kicking off at 5 pm on October 6, revelers can dance all night until 5am on Saturday. Ticket holders can bring their own tents and camp on the beach, making the festival a truly unique experience. Tickets for the over 18’s only event will be on sale from beginning September through www.destinationdawn.com, Virgin Tickets, and Platinum List.

Thomas Cook is set to open its first own-brand hotel in UAE, the smartline Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort, on November 1, 2017. It will be a contemporary beach resort featuring 253 chalets, a 700-metre private beach, three pools, four bars, a coffee shop, a buffet restaurant, a spa with sauna and Jacuzzi, inclusive of WiFi. Apart from this, Thomas Cook and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority have extended their major co-operative marketing agreement which aims to raise the profile of the UAE emirate as a premier leisure destination for European tourists. The partnership, which started in 2016, enters its second phase in August 2017 and seeks to further develop Ras Al Khaimah as a year-round destination for holidaymakers through inspiring marketing content delivered via Thomas Cook’s multi-channel media offering.

Majid Al Futtaim recently announced that it’s going to start building its third ‘My City Centre’ mall, named My City Centre Al Dhait, in Ras Al Khaimah this month. The retail pioneer’s expansion into the Northern Emirate comes as part of the company’s strategy to increase its total investment in the United Arab Emirates by AED 30 billion by 2026. The new shopping mall will start serving Ras Al Khaimah’s communities early next year. Located in a strategic location, between two growing residential communities in the north and south-west of Al Dhait in Ras Al Khaimah, the new community mall represents an investment of AED 68.5 million. My City Centre Al Dhait will bring a diverse and tailored mix of shopping and dining outlets, offering nearby residents a convenient and accessible destination for everyday shopping needs.  It will be home to 30 stores across 5494 sq. m. of gross leasable area, including a Carrefour Market spread over an area of 1178 sq. m. Further, it will offer 117 parking spaces to visitors.

In keeping with the recent instructions from the governments of UAE, Saudi and Bahrain, seven carriers from the various Middle East countries have suspended their services to Doha with effect from June 6, 2017 until further notice. Among these airlines are Royal Jets, Etihad, Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia from UAE; Saudia from Saudi and Gulf Air from Bahrain. While Etihad, Emirates and flydubai suspended all flights between Dubai and Doha, Royal Jets suspended their services between Abu Dhabi and Doha and Air Arabia suspended their flights between Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah and Doha. Saudia has suspended its flights between Saudi and Doha and Gulf Air between Bahrain and Doha. So all customers who have booked tickets on any of these airlines for flying to Doha will have to contact the airlines for alternative options, which will include full refunds on unused tickets or free re-booking to the nearest alternate destinations. For detailed information, the relevant airlines can be called or their websites can be looked up.

A staycation, a vacation or a desert trip in UAE has become much more fun and easier to plan with Adventure Emirates launching its website, www.adventureemirates.com. This is an online reservation website that provides instant booking confirmation, and features a “book now, pay later” facility that makes the reservation process less daunting. The website also serves as an informative portal for tourists seeking better understanding of the UAE without any digital clutter. Further, there is a 24-hour online customer support service for providing instant assistance to every customer. Through this website, Adventure Emirates offers over 300 tried and tested excursions, including half-day and full-day sightseeing, safaris, boat tours as well as water activities like kayaking and jet ski in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah. Trips across Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman and Sharjah will soon be online, thus encouraging tourists to discover all the seven emirates. A specialized team of local experts allows Adventure Emirates to cater to different group sizes plus corporates and MICE.

Global real estate developer Crowngate International makes a foray into the hospitality business with its highly anticipated $50 million project, the 225-key AVANI Resort on Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah. Set to be fully operational in Q3 2019, the AVANI managed resort will address the rapidly increasing demand for hotels in the affordable luxury category and is the first 4-star project on aspiring tourist haven Al Marjan Island. The launch ceremony was on held on location on May 21, 2017, and was attended by Abdullah Rashed Al Abdooli, Managing Director of Al Marjan Island LLC, and Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. The resort will rise from an impressive beach-front plot on View Island – seen as the heart of the man-made Al Marjan Island, an archipelago which extends 4.5 kilometres into the sea and is a key area of growth. With white sandy beaches as well as spectacular views of the neighboring islands and the Ras Al Khaimah coastline, the resort is set to appeal to local, regional and international leisure travelers. In addition to premium facilities such as two pools, spa, gym, and kids’ club, the resort will host upscale all day dining and poolside restaurants, and offer meeting and event spaces with a 200-people capacity. Recently, Crowngate International also announced that MINOR Hotels will manage the property under their luxury AVANI brand.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), which develops the emirate’s tourism infrastructure and initiates its domestic and overseas promotions, has expanded its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the opening of a new representation office in the country’s capital, Riyadh. Marking its sixth international representation office, the Riyadh opening will support the tourism body’s promotional activities and trade partnerships to penetrate the Kingdom’s high potential outbound market. A team of dedicated trade promotion, MICE and business development staff will manage various in-market promotions and initiatives to drive further awareness of Ras Al Khaimah as a multi-faceted business and leisure destination to Saudi travellers. The move comes as Saudi Arabia produces more hotel guests to the emirate than ever before. According to recent RAKTDA data, tourist arrivals from Saudi Arabia increased by 71.28 per cent year-to-date, with further growth expected during the course of 2017. Commenting on the new office opening, RAKTDA CEO Haitham Mattar said: “This market on our door-step is extremely important to us. The UAE has long been a favourite destination for Saudi tourists and our new our new representative office will further cement our promotional presence in the Kingdom. Through this representation we will build upon current travel trade partnerships, explore further opportunities and continually position Ras Al Khaimah as a year-round destination through targeted campaigns.” RAKTDA’s policy of positioning the emirate as more than a sun, sea and sand destination, driven by the implementation of the Destination Ras Al Khaimah 2019 strategy, has resulted in attracting 820,772 visitors in 2016, placing it in a strong position to achieve its target of one million visitors by the end of 2018.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) will host the 67th Annual Convention of the German Travel Association (DRV) later this year. The three-day Convention, to be held December 7-9, will welcome more than 800 German travel trade professionals representing a consumer base of around six-to-eight million German travellers. The agreement for Ras Al Khaimah to host the primary international gathering of the German travel industry’s leading special interest group was signed by RAKTDA and DRV at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show. During the convention, CEOs and senior executives from tour operators, travel agencies and service providers of all sizes, as well as representatives from airlines, cruise lines and insurance companies, will attend RAKTDA-organised tours, destination workshops and evening events highlighting the emirate’s latest natural and man-made product developments, future plans and unique attractions. Haitham Mattar, CEO, RAKTDA, commented: “Germans are known for their love of travel, as adventure seekers and early adopters of new products – all of which resonate with Ras Al Khaimah’s maturing tourism proposition. Germany is already our largest international source market and we recorded a 24.6 per cent year-on-year increase in German visitors last year, which means German travellers now represent one in 10 of all visitors to the emirate. “We are building on that progress by hosting the DRV Annual Convention, an event that underlines our growing credentials as a leading option for medium-size MICE events. DRV’s exemplary attendees can look forward to experiencing tailored opportunities to explore the unique diversity of Ras Al Khaimah, including our untouched natural beauty, authentic Arabian culture, heritage and a history dating back more than 7,000 years.” “Ras Al Khaimah is gaining importance as a …