Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, is betting big on Indian arrivals to boost tourism. It expects to receive 30,000 Indian travellers in 2016 against 16,000 in 2015.
Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, “India is our fourth largest source market for us after Germany, Russia and the UK. Indians are good spenders, especially on destination weddings, which are emerging as an attractive market for us.”
An Indian traveller spends 2-3 nights in the city and spends around $219 on an average. Increasing arrivals from India is an important area of focus as Ras Al Khaimah aims to attract 1 million tourists by 2019.
“Travellers usually opt for packages which combine Ras Al Khaimah with Dubai. We are looking at launching a campaign in February in key source markets, including India, apart from strengthening tie-ups with travel trade as well,” Mattar added.
The tourism authority has a tie-up with Emirates Airline and is looking to start discussions with Indian airlines to launch direct flights to the destination.
Ras Al Khaimah, the fourth largest of the UAE’s seven emirates, is a 45-minute drive from the Dubai International Airport.