Ras Al Khaimah sees huge surge in tourists from Oman

Energy Tuesday 15/May/2018 22:06 PM
By: Times News Service
Ras Al Khaimah sees huge surge in tourists from Oman

Muscat: Ras Al Khaimah recorded a 148.1 per cent year-on-year increase in tourist arrivals from Oman, according to data released by the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA).
The emirate, located 400km from Muscat, saw more than 609,000 international visitors in 2017. Of them, 16,772 originated from Oman, which held a 2.8 per cent market share of the total number of visitors to Ras Al Khaimah last year.
However, arrivals from Oman had the second highest year-on-year growth rate at 148.1 per cent, behind only arrivals from Poland, whose number grew year-on-year by 160 per cent. In a statement on the official website, RAKTDA CEO Haitham Mattar said, “Ras Al Khaimah is one of the region’s fastest growing tourism destinations and whilst we embrace this growth, it’s fundamentally important that we retain a position of destination sustainability.”
Germans constituted the largest number of visitors by nationality, taking a 14 per cent market share. They were followed by Russians (11.7 per cent), Britons (9.3 per cent), and Indians (8.4 per cent).
“We have made some great strides as part of our Destination 2019 strategy, but as we plan for the future we want to take the next step and guide the development of tourism in the run-up to 2030,” said Mattar.
“The United Nations World Tourism Organisation is helping us shape our sustainable master plan, which will focus on environmental, socio-cultural and economic aspects to position Ras Al Khaimah as the first sustainable tourism destination in the UAE; a destination that will be enjoyed by everyone for many years to come,” he added.