Ras Al Khaimah, the northern emirate of the UAE, has a significant Persian Gulf coastline and its own tourism office, one that’s working hard to promote the area’s many attractions for visitors.
At the end of April, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) representatives visited the Arabian Travel Market in nearby Dubai to show off some of the agency's important work in recent years.
RAKTDA is a government office that's been working since 2011 to promote tourism in Ras Al Khaimah. The group hopes to promote Ras Al Khaimah as a popular travel destination that offers luxury resorts and amenities to visitors. To that end, RAKTDA maintains research and analysis projects, participates in trade shows and works with travel professionals in the area, offering workshops and training programs.
“Our ambition is to advance the development of a sustainable and competitive tourism industry by working with industry and other stakeholders to achieve our vision of reaching 1 million visitors by the end of 2018, and achieving our targets, revenue and job creation by 2019.” RAKTDA CEO Haitham Mattar told the Gulf News Journal on Tuesday.
Mattar talked about the recent rebranding effort by RKATDA that shows off the region’s great range of tourist activities, natural resources, an expansive history and authentic culture. The rebranding, he said, drew on a lot of “deep market research” that will help to position the area well in the years ahead.
“Our new brand positioning emphasizes Ras Al Khaimah’s natural assets, luxurious indulgence, range of activities for different types of travelers, history and culture and authentic Arabian heritage offering.” Mattar said, claiming the rebranding “positions Ras Al Khaimah as more than sun, sea and sand.”
With dozens of miles of beautiful beach areas and its tourism infrastructure, the Ras Al Khaimah area is also directly accessible from Dubai international Airport – travelers can reach some of the area’s hotels from Dubai in a 45-minute drive up the coast.
“Travelers who are seeking to experience a connection with nature and authentic Arabic cultural experiences will create memories in Ras Al Khaimah.” Mattar said.
Going over some of the agency’s work at recent shows and events, Mattar also talked about a golf simulator exhibited at the Arabian Travel Market RAKTDA booth that offered 93 championship courses.
“At ATM this year, we wanted an interactive experience, which is why we brought the golf simulator to our stand.” Mattar said. “For the first time in the UAE, residents and visitors were able to try the Full Swing S4 simulator. …The golf simulator is a representation of the positioning of Ras Al Khaimah as not only a spectacular golf venue, but also a major player in the golf tourism market. The emirate offers excellent facilities at two world-class golf courses: Al Hamra Golf Club and Tower Links Golf Club.”
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