Growth in international visitors to Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has reported growth of 11.2 per cent in international guests in the first nine months of 2018 compared to the same period last year.

The figure represents almost 795,000 guests choosing to stay in Ras Al Khaimah from January to September 2018 for a total of 2.53 million guest nights.

Double digit growth from international markets was led by Germany as the single largest source market with 64,372 visitors, up 4.1 per cent on Q1-3 2017. This was followed by Russia, with 57,117 visitors – up a significant 36.5 per cent on the same period in the previous year.

The third largest source market was the UK, with 45,496 visitors, up 10.1 per cent; India was in fourth position with 44,734 visitors, up 16.1 per cent; and rounding out the top five was Kazakhstan with 21,966 visitors, up 26.9 per cent.

In terms of market growth, Norway saw the largest percentage increase in visitors, up 41.5 per cent on the first three quarters of 2017, with Nordic neighbours Sweden and Denmark also showing increased interest in the Emirate, with guest numbers up 27.7 per cent and 19.3 per cent respectively.

Dhaya For is another popular tourist attraction

RAKTDA’s consolidated results for the first three quarters of 2018 also showed that Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism indices were up across the board – with visitor satisfaction at 94 per cent, above targets of 90 per cent, and average length of stay at 3.19 days.

The Emirate recorded regional success, with the second highest Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) at AED402.2 (US$109.6), the third highest Daily Room Rate (ADR) at AED581.6 (US$158.5) and a steady average occupancy rate for the first 9 months of the year at 69.1 per cent.

Haitham Mattar, CEO of RAKTDA, said: “With international tourism arrivals to the Emirate up to 11.2 per cent, we are confident of meeting our 2018 visitor targets. In fact, we are preparing to launch our New Destination Strategy in Q4 and we’re targeting further growth – with a goal of attracting three million visitors by 2025.

“We will achieve this by investing heavily in developing our attractions and adventure offerings, combined with bringing the world’s best luxury hotel experiences to Ras Al Khaimah. With our pristine beaches, scenic mountains and year-round sunshine –all just 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport – we deliver real value for money and provide a compelling proposition for international and regional visitors.”