Travel/Tourism
From Desert To Paradise, Ras Al Khaimah Has Become The New Dubai
Travelers, having experienced the high standards set by Dubai, are on the lookout for new Middle Eastern destinations that bring together both business and leisure. Ras Al Khaimah emerges as a rapidly growing Emirate, presenting itself as an attractive, cost-effective alternative to Dubai. Located just 45 minutes away from Dubai’s International Airport, Ras Al Khaimah boasts luxury shopping centers, breathtaking sceneries, and historical sites, catering to diverse traveler preferences. Let’s delve into the factors fueling Ras Al Khaimah’s metamorphosis and the rising prominence of its tourism.
The Tourism Development Authority
In 2011, the Ras Al Khaimah government founded the Ras Al Khaimah Tourist Development Authority (TDA) to support the tourism sector in reaching a goal of 1.5 million visitors by 2021. With an ambitious objective, Ras Al Khaimah aims to draw over 3 million tourists by 2025. TDA’s role is pivotal in licensing, regulating, and overseeing the Emirate’s tourism and hospitality sectors. Its promotional efforts are guided by a strategic approach that includes:
- Current trends and necessary tourism projects are researched and analyzed.
- Educating travel professionals on Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism attractions through workshops, roadshows, and other means.
- Using branding and marketing to promote investment prospects.
- Managing consumer and media marketing and promotions.
- Hosting cultural and athletic events.
- Representing Ras Al Khaimah at international tourism trade exhibitions.
Investments by the Government
The administration of Ras Al Khaimah is investing in several infrastructure projects and changing specific policies to create an enticing environment for direct foreign investment. The emirate hopes to attract industrialists, hospitality service providers, and adventurers. In keeping with these goals, the government is planning to open the UAE’s first casino in order to boost regional tourism.
While the Gulf has historically opposed gambling for cultural and religious grounds, it seems that these conservative attitudes are now shifting. Many Middle Eastern players already frequently play online casinos such as Casinoelarabs. Online casinos allow players to play casino games without the cultural or social stigma often associated with gambling in the region.
The Impact of Direct Foreign Investment
While the government’s vision faces challenges due to uneven development across many parts of Ras Al Khaimah, progress is evident. International hotel chains, including Radisson and Movenpick, have established themselves in Ras Al Khaimah, raising the available rooms to 8,000. Currently, 19 more projects are in the pipeline, backed by renowned brands like Westin and Nobu. The region boasts a diverse array of tourist attractions, from picturesque mountain vistas and pristine beaches to its rich ceramic heritage.
In a bid to attract high-end tourists, the government is positioning Ras Al Khaimah as a hub for superyacht storage and boat manufacturing. A Polish luxury catamaran manufacturer has shown interest in a €30 million investment in the emirate. Furthermore, RAK is laying the groundwork for a new free zone tailored for digital and virtual asset businesses to bolster investment opportunities.
Factors Promoting Ras Al KhaimahTourism
Ras Al Khaimah offers goods and services of a quality comparable to Dubai but at a more affordable price. The city is set to experience a boost in tourism come November when Qatar Airways initiates flights there, as both destinations appeal to tourists with similar interests. Accommodations in Ras Al Khaimah range from beachfront hotels to those situated atop the Jebel Jais mountain. Tourists flock to the area for activities such as cycling, hiking, ziplining, and scenic trips up to the Jebel Jais Peak. The Al Jazeera Al Hamra village, the Middle East’s sole preserved pearling village, is a must-visit. It hosts the annual Fine Arts Festival and boasts attractions like watchtowers, a fort, a mosque, a market, and traditional courtyard homes. While there, visitors can indulge in authentic souk cuisine. For a deeper dive into the region’s history, one can embark on a boat tour to the Suwaidi Pearl Farm to discover traditions like pearl-freediving and enjoy sightings of mangroves, flamingos, and camels.
Recap
As Dubai’s tourism industry booms, devoted travelers are searching for nearby destinations that offer excellent value for their money, and Ras Al Khaimah is at the top of the list. While Dubai is the second largest emirate and the UAE’s major financial and commercial center, Ras Al Khaimah is rapidly narrowing the gap. While many refer to Ras Al Khaimah as the “Las Vegas of the Gulf,” it is a diversified tourist destination that cannot be defined by a single factor. These initiatives are intended to provide a high return on investment through financial, social, or cultural benefits.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A travel card designed for tourists, business visitors, Diaspora returnees has been launched by Verve in partnership with Providus Bank.
Known as the ProvidusVerve Travel Card, the Naira-based travel card will allow inbound travellers to enjoy a smooth, secure, and convenient payment experience throughout their stay in Nigeria. It was powered by Verve’s secure.
Created to support the surge of tourists, expatriates, business visitors, conference delegates, and returning diaspora expected during the festive Detty December season, the ProvidusVerve Travel Card enables seamless payments for transportation, hotels, dining, shopping, entertainment, and everyday essentials nationwide.
The card also works on select global merchant platforms that accept Verve, including Netflix, Google Play, and other digital services, ensuring travellers enjoy uninterrupted access to familiar services.
The ProvidusVerve Travel Card eliminates the hassle of sourcing naira or converting foreign currency on arrival. It enables instant, secure transactions, reduces reliance on cash, and supports compliance with the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It also mitigates the risks associated with carrying physical cash such as loss, theft, or fraud, offering a safe, regulation-aligned option for both online and in-person payments.
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card is a timely solution for inbound travellers seeking reliability, security, and simplicity while navigating Nigeria.
“Together with Providus Bank, we have created a product that eliminates the friction traditionally associated with accessing local payments.
“Whether for tourism, business, or festive activities, this card ensures a smooth financial experience from the moment visitors land,” the Vice President for Issuing and Acquiring Management for Africa at Verve International, Mr Paul Ohakim, stated.
On his part, the Divisional Head for Product Management and Solution Delivery at Interswitch, Mr Ademola Adeniran, described the partnership as a reflection of “Verve’s commitment to designing products that respond to real user needs.”
“The ProvidusVerve Travel Card supports everyday experiences — from booking rides and hotels to shopping, streaming, and dining. It provides inbound travellers with a secure, compliant, digital-first way to experience Nigeria without financial barriers,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, has disclosed that the federal government may recover and sell the assets of Dana Air to refund passengers and travel agents whose funds remain trapped following the suspension of the airline’s operations.
The Minister disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Ministry’s fourth quarter stakeholders’ engagement to enhance governance for effective service delivery in aviation.
Speaking at the event themed “leveraging public feedback to drive excellence in aviation services, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) will be directed to probe why funds trapped by the airline are yet to be refunded.
He revealed that the authority suspended the operations of the airline as a matter of choice between safety and disaster.
“For Dana, the problem is that it was a choice between safety and disaster. So we didn’t take the commercial thing as priority. The priority was safety, and we all looked at the damning reports that we had met on the table.
“It was a decision of the NCAA to suspend them, but I pushed them to say, look, these are the reports we are seeing on the table about safety record, about lack of standards that put the lives of Nigerians at risk. If they continue flying, I don’t know whether most of us will be here. Many of us would have been victims of one of those flights. God forbid.”
According to him, “I have asked Najomo (NCAA director general) to dig deep to find out how those passengers and agents will be refunded. He has to dig deep on that.
“One solution will also be that if that same individual or those entities are trying to come back to aviation under any guise, whether to go and register a new AOC or use any business within the aviation sector, they have to go and settle their debts first.
“We should look at their assets. There are assets that are still available. Let them sell their assets. Let’s cannibalize their revenue and pay people. Let’s find a way to go after their assets and get money to pay Nigerians who are owed.
“NCAA should do that because they can’t get away with it.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said it has imposed a N5 million penalty on Qatar Airways for consumer protection violations.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Mr Michael Achimugu, on X, adding that there may be other sanctions depending on how the airline treats other cases.
“Glad to announce that, today, the NCAA has sanctioned @qatarairways to the tune of five million naira being penalty for consumer protection-related infractions. In addition, the letters of investigation (LOI) written to the airline over other cases may lead to further sanctions if not treated satisfactorily,” Mr Achimugu wrote.
The fine followed an incident when a Nigerian passenger was accused by a Qatar Airways cabin crew member of sexual harassment during boarding in Lagos for a flight to the United States via Doha, Qatar.
The allegation was only reported in Doha, where the passenger was arrested, detained for 18 hours, fined, and compelled to sign a document written solely in Arabic.
Qatar Airways allegedly refused to continue his journey, forcing him to purchase another ticket at considerable financial and reputational cost.
The NCAA said it invited Qatar Airways’ country manager to a meeting over the incident, but he failed to attend, sending subordinates instead.
“I understand that some countries do not have advanced aviation consumer protection regulations like Nigeria does. In certain cases, some countries don’t even have any. This creates a situation where airlines operating out of those countries (mostly national carriers) act with disdain towards consumer protection enforcement in Nigeria.
“This is not a situation that we would accept here. It is against the law for ANY Airlines not to respond to the NCAA. It is against the law to provide false information to the NCAA. It is against the law to fail to comply with the provisions of Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023,” Mr Achimugu said in an earlier post.
In September, the NCAA accused Qatar Airways of mistreating Nigerian passengers and failing to comply with consumer protection regulations under Part 19 of the NCAA Regulations 2023.
The regulator then threatened stiff penalties against the airline for repeatedly disregarding its directives.
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