Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Emirates have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to boost tourism promotion and visitation to Ras Al Khaimah from key international source markets.
The agreement was signed at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) by Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates and Phillipa Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). The collaboration between the two organizations will leverage Emirates’ international network and Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism offer in an effort to attract more visitors to the emirate.
Joint Activities To Promote Ras Al Khaimah
Under the agreement, Emirates and RAKTDA will explore a range of joint promotional initiatives in selected markets within the carrier’s network to drive awareness and interest in the emirate’s tourism offerings. The two partners will also identify and develop joint advertising and marketing campaigns, as well as relevant familiarization programmes for international travel trade representatives and media.
RAKTDA will support selected trade and media visits with tailored destination experiences to share the unique appeal of Ras Al Khaimah. In addition, Emirates and RAKTDA will share marketing costs for multi-market promotional campaigns which target key international source markets to drive traffic to the local tourism sector. The collaboration will provide increased exposure to the unique appeal of Ras Al Khaimah while also offering international trade partners an opportunity to engage with the local tourism sector.
New Packages To Encourage Visitors
The partnership will also explore the development of tailored tourism packages for Emirates customers as an added value proposition. These products could be promoted via the carrier’s online Dubai Experience platform for travelers to discover and experience Ras Al Khaimah as part of their UAE visit. Emirates and RAKTDA will also identify opportunities for incentives to tour operators and other travel-trade partners to encourage the promotion of Ras Al Khaimah.
The initiative will aim to enable visitors to combine their trip to the UAE with a visit to Ras Al Khaimah and take advantage of the wide range of leisure, adventure and cultural experiences the emirate has to offer. The two organizations will also explore collaboration in areas which identify insights on key traveler segments for future campaign development.
Ras Al Khaimah Aims To Attract 3.5 Million Visitors By 2030
Phillipa Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, RAKTDA, said the partnership with Emirates would help connect the emirate to travelers in key international source markets as the local tourism sector expands its offerings to a growing number of international visitors.
She said the collaboration will contribute to the long-term value of the local tourism businesses and provide international travelers with more opportunities to discover Ras Al Khaimah and the wider UAE. Located just 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah offers a diversity of experiences for international visitors.
With its six dozen kilometers of coastline, terracotta desert dunes and Jebel Jais, the highest peak in the UAE, the emirate offers a mix of beach holidays, adventurous outdoor pursuits and nature and cultural experiences. RAKTDA is targeting more than 3.5 million annual visitors by 2030 as it continues to invest in a range of new hotels, international hospitality brands and major tourism developments at the emirate.
Emirates To Support RAKTDA
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates said the carrier would support the tourism ambitions of Ras Al Khaimah through its international network which connects the destination to a wide range of international source markets. With its near 140 destinations, Emirates offers a broad destination portfolio for travelers, providing the necessary international reach for RAKTDA’s promotion of the emirate’s tourism offering.
The collaboration will also encourage visitors to not only experience life in Dubai but explore the attractions which Ras Al Khaimah has to offer beyond the city. The partnership between Emirates and RAKTDA will also demonstrate the growing role of airline connectivity in driving destination promotion and visitor traffic.
By combining international airline connectivity with targeted destination marketing, travel-trade engagement and tailored tourism packages, Ras Al Khaimah will build on its growing appeal in international tourism markets. With continued growth in hotel supply, visitor experiences and major developments in the local tourism sector, Ras Al Khaimah is poised to continue its visitor growth trajectory, supported by collaboration with international partners such as Emirates.
