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Gulf Business
27-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
RAKTDA CEO Raki Phillips on how the emirate is shaping the future of tourism in the UAE
Images: Supplied As one of the most anticipated events on the global travel calendar, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025 served as a hub for transformative conversations and bold industry announcements. Among the emirates making waves was Ras Al Khaimah, showcasing its dynamic tourism strategy, impressive visitor numbers, and robust pipeline of world-class hospitality projects. The emirate welcomed a record-breaking At ATM 2025, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority ( Neesha Salian, editor at Gulf Business , caught up with Raki Phillips, CEO of RAKTDA, on the sidelines of ATM 2025 to dive deeper into the emirate's evolving tourism strategy, its global appeal, and how these new partnerships are shaping the next chapter of Ras Al Khaimah's success story. Matt Shaw, CEO of Open World, and Raki Phillips, CEO of RAKTDA at ATM 2025 Ras Al Khaimah welcomed an impressive 1.28 million international visitors in 2024. Congratulations on that achievement. What are the key strategies helping you achieve consistent year-on-year growth? Thank you. Honestly, it comes down to having an incredible team and being a destination that's growing rapidly. We position ourselves as a destination of the future, but we're very grounded in data. We analyse our source markets closely — what they're interested in, what products they expect, and how best to communicate with them. Take China, for example. Just two years ago, it wasn't even a significant market for us. We strategically partnered with companies like Huawei and and now China is in our top 10. Chinese travellers tend to opt for luxury experiences — they're staying at the Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, and Anantara. That kind of targeted, high-impact marketing is working because we always strive to over-deliver on the experience. Besides China, which other source markets are showing strong performance for Ras Al Khaimah? Also, RAK was recently ranked among the top destinations for high-net-worth individuals. What factors are driving that appeal? Our top markets include the UK, India, Germany, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic, and CIS countries. Each market aligns well with our offerings — from Jebel Jais, the UAE's highest mountain, to our 68 kilometres of white-sand beaches. Another unique advantage is space — our properties offer room to breathe. Take Rixos Bab Al Bahr or DoubleTree by Hilton on Marjan Island — some of these have beach fronts that are 1.6 kilometres long. That appeals to people seeking luxury and privacy. Speaking of hospitality, Ras Al Khaimah is welcoming some impressive global brands, including Wynn Resorts. How do these developments support your trajectory? Absolutely — we're seeing a surge in high-end hospitality investments. What's unique about Ras Al Khaimah is our entrepreneurial spirit. We're a close-knit community that moves quickly. When investors approach us, we help align their brand with our destination's DNA. At Mina Al Arab, for instance, we have the InterContinental and Anantara already operational, and Four Seasons and Nikki Beach on the way. Marjan Island is seeing huge developments too. We currently have 8,000 keys, and we plan to more than double that by 2030. Wynn is a game-changer — 1,500 keys of pure luxury. It's not just about size, it's about positioning. And yes, the casino element will certainly attract international visitors. Add to that upcoming openings like Fairmont, W, and our first mountain resort, and you can see how we're building a diversified portfolio of premium experiences. Tell us about your focus on MICE tourism. We've grown our MICE numbers by 40 per ent year on year. Today, MICE would be our fifth largest source market. So the growth for us is incredible. We're excited about all the hotels that are coming on board with new MICE infrastructure. So it will continue to be a big focus. And we do it especially in the incentive part of it. We do it from a wedding market and across the board.' As tourism grows, so does the responsibility to preserve the natural landscape. How does Ras Al Khaimah balance tourism growth with sustainability? Sustainability is a core pillar for us. Ras Al Khaimah offers a unique topographical blend — from serene mountains to tranquil beaches — and our biggest asset is space. This allows visitors to enjoy peace and privacy, all while being close to Dubai's international airport. But beyond the landscape, we're also investing in accessibility. We partnered with Sage Inclusion, a company that conducted a full audit of the emirate for inclusivity. That includes considerations beyond mobility — like cognitive conditions, allergies, and sensory sensitivities. We're working towards becoming a truly inclusive destination where every traveler feels welcome and catered to. What are your long-term tourism goals for 2030? And as a leader, how do you approach running RAKTDA's operations? Our ambitions are bold but achievable. Today, we're just under 1.28 million visitors annually. By 2030, our goal is to triple that to 3.5 million overnight guests and more than double our hotel capacity. We treat RAKTDA as a high-performing business. We have EBITDA goals, KPIs, and a very clear roadmap. Tourism already contributes significantly to our GDP, and by the next decade, it's expected to form a third of the economy. This isn't a 'nice to have'— it's a central pillar of our national vision. To get there, we need strong collaborations — with investors, hospitality partners, and of course, infrastructure. Ras Al Khaimah International Airport plays a big role in this. Last year, we welcomed 670,000 passengers; we aim to hit two million by the end of the decade. We're already working with partners like Air Arabia and IndiGo, ensuring air connectivity supports our vision. As a CEO, my role is to ensure that we have the right team, clear direction, and strong leadership alignment with the emirate's goals. Fortunately, we have all those ingredients in place. .
Tahawul Tech
06-05-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
Amit Zavery Archives
The new service was first previewed at OpenWorld in October last year, and is based on the Linux Foundation's open source Hyperledger Fabric platform – a collaboration tool for building Blockchain distributed ledger business networks, such as smart contract technology.
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Ras Al Khaimah to tokenise tourism
Groundbreaking partnership will reward tech-savvy travellers with tokenised Web3 experiences, exclusive perks and next-generation loyalty for the digital age Ras Al Khaimah, UAE – Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Open World, a Web3 technology innovator, to explore new possibilities in tourism through blockchain-powered travel rewards. Unveiled at the Arabian Travel Market 2025, a fitting stage for an initiative that places Ras Al Khaimah at the forefront of tourism innovation, the agreement aims to introduce a rewards system using tokenisation – a digital approach that could offer travellers new ways to engage with and enjoy the destination. Through this collaboration, RAKTDA and Open World will explore how blockchain-based rewards can be integrated into the tourism ecosystem through: Curated tourism experiences Personalised offers and access to exclusive events Digital reward tokens on tourism spend Secure transactions within the Ras Al Khaimah tourism ecosystem Unlocking a new segment With a global shift toward digital-first travel preferences, particularly among younger, tech-savvy demographics, RAKTDA's move taps into a lucrative and largely untapped market. The project will investigate new ways of inspiring travel decisions and building loyalty in key source markets including North America, the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. From beaches to blockchain – a destination of the future Ras Al Khaimah is uniquely positioned to deliver this next-generation travel experience. Known as the Nature Emirate, it boasts a landscape of contrasting terrains – from deserts and beaches to mountains and mangroves – as well as luxury resorts, culture and heritage sites and adrenalin-filled attractions such as the world's longest zipline, Jais Flight. With this reward programme the emirate becomes a digital playground too, offering TECH-savvy travellers more than just a holiday – but a way to earn, explore and experience. The initiative also reflects RAKTDA's agile, collaborative tourism ecosystem – uniting public and private sector players to drive innovation and visitation. Through flexible partnerships with hotels, airlines, and attractions providers, the programme will support creative revenue management, stimulate off-peak travel, and unlock value across the tourism supply chain. Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, commented: "This is a bold leap into the future of travel. As the first destination to develop a tokenised rewards programme of this kind, we are not only drawing a new mega-audience to Ras Al Khaimah but also reinforcing our position as a destination of the future – one that embraces innovation, inclusivity and immersive travel. Ras Al Khaimah is ready to welcome the next generation of explorers." Matt Shaw, CEO of Open World, added: "We are thrilled to bring our Web3 expertise and global network to this game-changing partnership with RAKTDA. By tokenising travel, we can create more rewarding and interactive experiences that will resonate with millions worldwide. Ras Al Khaimah is setting a new benchmark for what tourism can be in the digital age." For updates on Ras Al Khaimah's tourism initiatives, visit About Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) was established in May 2011 under the government of Ras Al Khaimah. RAKTDA aims to develop the Emirate's tourism infrastructure and establish Ras Al Khaimah as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel, creating sustainable investment opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. In order to achieve its goals, the Authority has a government mandate to license, regulate and monitor the Emirate's tourism and hospitality industry. | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube Hashtag: #VisitRasAlKhaimah
