Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth largest emirate in the UAE, has been reported to be the region’s fastest growing tourism destination showing 35 per cent growth in Indian visitor numbers this year, until now. As India continues to be an important market, accounting for eight per cent of total visitors last year, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) projects 15-20 per cent overall growth from the India in 2017. It also plans to attract more leisure travellers with a focused approach towards weddings and MICE.
Ras Al Khaimah recorded a rise of 11 per cent in overall visitor numbers in 2016 over 2015. Visitors from India to the emirate in Q1 2017 grew by 35 per cent, while the number of guest nights taken by Indian tourists grew 49.4 per cent in the same period last year. Furthermore, the average length of stay of Indian guests in Q1 2017 has grown by 10.6 per cent, leading to a minimum of two nights stay. India currently holds the fourth position in inbound tourist arrivals at 37,704 after Germany, USA and Russia.
Haitham Mattar, CEO, RAKTDA, said, “Ras Al Khaimah is situated merely 45 minutes away from Dubai International Airport and offers great value for money. Most of the properties are five star products offering four star pricing. It has a lot to offer, be it weddings, luxury, adventure, culture and more. The emirate’s 72 per cent of tourism business is from family travellers, but we have already hosted five weddings from India in the past three months, which is a rising segment.”
Informing about new tourism products, Shaji Thomas, director – destination tourism, Ras Al Khaimah, stated, “We will be opening the longest zipline along with the observation deck by October or November. The three ziplines at Jebel Jais, UAE’s highest mountain peak, will also re-open to accommodate more people, which currently takes only 16 people a day. A luxury camp, official cycling and hiking routes will also focus on Jebel Jais.”
The event also witnessed signing of an MoU between Ras Al Khaimah and Outbound Tour Operators Association of India (OTOAI) to host a three-day convention in the month of September this year. Around 225 delegates, including overseas participants are expected to be a part of the event. The convention will feature multiple business sessions featuring national and international speakers and discuss the growth of Indian outbound and subsequent future marketing strategies.