Ras Al Khaimah aims to boost tourist numbers from Europe with new deals

Emirate aims to attract 1.5 million visitors by 2021

New deal to promote RAK’s famous beaches, forts and other sights

Deal was signed by RAK TDA and the ECTAA

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAK TDA) and the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) has entered into an agreement to boost European outbound tourism to the emirate over the coming years. The deal was signed in RAK by Haitham Mattar, CEO of RAK TDA, and Michel de Blust, the ECTAA’s secretary general.

According to the agreement, the ECTAA will pledge to promote RAK to European tourists, positioning it as a preferred destination, showcasing the emirate’s 64 kilometres of beaches, historic forts, natural landscapes and tourist attractions like the world’s longest zipline.

Called the Preferred Destination Programme, the deal involves two meetings every year, the first of which will be held this year in Poland in June, with the second in RAK in December. In a statement, Mattar stated that RAK aimed to boost its tourist numbers to 1.5 million by the end of 2021, and 3 million by 2025. He stressed the importance of showcasing RAK’s diverse offerings to tourists visiting from Europe.

Our recent Q1 2019 UAE Property Market Report also indicated new projects in RAK’s hospitality segment – all part of a push to increase tourism’s share of the emirate’s GDP to 10% by 2025. With new government initiatives and agreements like the Preferred Destination Programme, tourism is expected to receive a boost in RAK over the coming years.

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