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All Eyes on Ras Al Khaimah as Haitham Mattar, CEO of Tourism Development Authority, Visits London

All eyes are now on the northernmost Emirate of the UAE as Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah’s Tourism Development Authority, successfully concluded his visit to London to further promote the destination within the UK market.

From 21st–23rd February, Mr Mattar met with renowned UK media outlets,  including SKY, Bloomberg, Jamie Oliver’s Magazine, Share Radio, Travel Weekly, Travel Daily Media and Travel Bulletin, to discuss the recent growth of Ras Al Khaimah in the tourism, service and real estate sectors. As of January, Ras Al Khaimah was the fastest and only growing Emirate in the UAE, with an increase of 23.7% in hotel occupancy compared to 2015 figures.

Along with media outlets, Mr Mattar also met with leading tour operators and travel agents, including Thomas Cook, Cosmos and specialists to discuss why Ras Al Khaimah continues to grow as one of the world’s premier tourism destinations. In raising awareness of Ras Al Khaimah, Mr Mattar discussed the Emirate’s unique selling points, rich offerings and stunning surroundings. He also touched upon ongoing activities to keep Ras Al Khaimah on the rise, such as dynamic plans to expand the Emirate’s world-class hotel portfolio and development projects on Al Marjan Island.

With the UK being a significant source market for inbound tourism, Mr Mattar’s visit to London highlights Ras Al Khaimah’s focus on raising awareness of the Emirate among international markets. His visit also resulted in the forging of strategic partnerships between Ras Al Khaimah, UK media and key travel industry professionals, which will help to secure positive, high-impact news coverage on the destination, enhance the Emirate’s economic growth and provide even more ways to attract travellers from around the world. “The UK is our second largest source market, with continued potential for growth. We have witnessed a 24% increase in visitor numbers in 2015 compared to previous years. This is testament to our unique offerings that are appealing to UK travellers”, said Mr Mattar. “I look forward to future visits and pursuing every opportunity to strengthen our alliances and strategic partnerships with some of the UK’s biggest names in the travel trade industry”.

In the coming months, fam trips with leading tour operators, such as Lotus Group, Trailfinders, Kenwood, The Holiday Place, Jetset, Destinology, Letsgo2 and Tropical Sky, will allow agents to learn even more about Ras Al Khaimah first-hand. In the meantime, Ras Al Khaimah’s London office, represented by PR MEDIACO, will continue to showcase everything the Emirate has to offer, with sales calls, training programs, webinars and a strong PR campaign, while promoting Ras Al Khaimah’s well-earned position as the best place to travel for authentic Arabian experiences and adventures.