DESTINATION REPORT / RAK
H MOUNTAIN 62 /
IGH POTENTIAL
With a long-term strategy to diversify its economy and over half a million visitors during the first five months
of 2012, Ras Al Khaimah is an emirate on the rise. Criselda Diala investigates how the emirate is being positioned as a leading destination for affordable luxury
It may only be a 45-minute drive from Dubai, but Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is a world away from the bright lights and big structures its neighbouring emirate is best known for. Tucked away in the northern tip of the UAE, RAK boasts the Arabian hospitality, year-round sunshine and sweeping white beaches that visitors would expect, but what makes this emirate unique is its status as a natural treasure. With dramatic mountains, red, sandy deserts and lush green plains peppered with creeks and lagoons, it is the ideal destination for those who enjoy adventure and sporting activities. Plus, with a rich heritage dating back some 7,000 years, there are also numerous historical sites, forts and abandoned villages that beg exploration. For many years, Ras Al Khaimah has benefited from the
spillover effects of Dubai’s booming visitor market, but recent efforts to diversify the emirate’s economy by capitalising on its natural beauty have seen the destination’s appeal start to rise in its own right. Visitor arrivals have more than tripled in just three years. According to the latest figures released by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAK TDA), 523,568 people entered the emirate from January to May 2012, generating a revenue boost of almost AED277 million (US$75.5 million). Germany proved to be the largest source market, bringing in more than 172,700 visitors, followed by destinations elsewhere in the UAE, which contributed 114,000 guests. Travellers from Russia, Austria, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Italy, Sweden and the UK were among the other main source markets. It comes as no surprise then that the destination’s hotels enjoyed a
solid performance during the same period, with occupancy and daily rates increasing across both beach and city properties resulting in a total hotel revenue of almost AED277 million (US$75.5 million). Beach hotels and resorts recorded an average occupancy of 82.4 percent and a
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