The opening of a new location by US hospitality giant Wynn Resorts in Ras Al Khaimah will offer a “new tourism attraction and a new way to develop,” the CEO of the emirate’s tourism development authority told Arabian Business.
In January, it was announced that Wynn Resorts, a luxury hotel and casino operator, would launch a new property on Al Marjan Island in 2026 which will feature a “gaming area,” paving the way for gambling to be allowed in the Emirate.
“The Wynn announcement is a big announcement for Ras Al Khaimah, it is a multi-billion dollar investment into the emirate, the largest foreign direct investment. There will be a lot that needs to be done in the next couple of years by the time things open up and are operational. But for us, we are ensuring that we offer a new tourism attraction and a new way to develop the emirate further,” Raki Phillips, the CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) said.
The new resort will boast over 1,000 rooms, high-end shopping, a meeting and convention area, an exclusive spa, more than 10 restaurants and lounges, and a wide array of entertainment choices.
“Wynn is the partner that we are looking for when it comes to integrated resorts. Wynn is the best operator in the world, especially for an integrated resort: when you look at the number of rooms that they have, the things they are doing…they are a phenomenal addition to the destination,” Phillips said.
The CEO added that a lot more information would be coming “in the next few months.”
“We are very excited about it and the integrated resorts with Wynn will be a great addition to the [emirate],” Phillips said.
Integrated resorts are typically large-scale developments that include a hotel, retail outlets, dining, and gaming amenities, such as casinos. The development authority has not yet clarified if the Wynn development will include a casino.
A spokesperson for the development authority had previously told Arabian Business that, “The gaming facility is currently in the design phase and will be purposely built on the guidelines of The Department of Entertainment and Gaming Regulation, taking into consideration culture and societal norms.”
At the time, RAKTDA said that a newly formed division within the development authority would be focused on the regulation of integrated resorts, and that the division would address the question of gaming within resorts.
Diversification through sport
The gaming announcement comes as the northernmost emirate continues to diversify its tourism offerings, recently hosting its annual half marathon and the finals of the DP World Golf Tournament which took place at the Al Hamra golf course – both of which add to the “liveability, the attraction and the multiple wonderful things we can offer in the destination,” said Phillips.
“The beauty of Ras Al Khaimah is that, being the northernmost emirate, our location is very much focused on nature and sustainability. We’re blessed with the typography that we have with Jebel Jais being the highest mountain in the UAE, 64 kilometres of beachfront and the desert,” he explained.
“There is no other place in the UAE that offers you these three free unique landscapes. Nature, sports, adrenalin, sustainability have all been part of what we are very much focused on,” added Phillips.
International and domestic tourism to Ras Al Khaimah
Named the number one destination for staycations at the height of coronavirus, the number of domestic visitors to RAK doubled during that period but international tourism continues to be a key focus.
“Our bread and butter is international tourism, which is the only way we can survive and move things forward. This year we are hoping to get to 60 percent international, 40 percent domestic and I think we will continue to grow from that,” said Phillips.
“We will definitely supersede pandemic levels this year- our numbers in the fourth quarter were really good and going back to 2019 numbers and this year I believe, barring any issues, we should be on track to get to that number,” he continued.
Contrary to other parts of the UAE, August is a busy month for RAK where the weather is a bit cooler, with a 10 degrees temperature drop at Jebel Jais’s peak.
“Last August, we welcomed around 110,000 tourists during the month. Our shoulder season tends to be September when everyone goes back to school,” said Phillips.
In its 15th year, 44 elite athletes participated in the race at RAK which returned this year after a two year hiatus following coronavirus. In 2020, it broke the world record for the fastest half marathon.
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