RAK Tourism Development Authority strengthens focus on Central and Eastern Europe

 In line with its new Destination Strategy 2019-2021 and long-term objectives of strengthening the emirate’s presence in key international markets, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority today announced the opening of its first international representative office in Prague, Czech Republic, to manage and oversee the Tourism Authority’s activities in the Central and Eastern Europe.

The new office is located in one of the most important economic, transportation and communication centres in the region, and will play a vital role in promoting the destination and driving further growth in the number of visitors travelling to Ras Al Khaimah.

Central and Eastern European countries have shown increased interest in the emirate over the past few years with significant growth year-on-year. In 2018 visitor numbers from the Czech Republic and Hungary were up by 18.4% and 11.4% respectively compared to the previous year.

Announcing the opening of the new office, Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said, "Our New Destination Strategy 2019-2021 aims to attract 1.5 million visitors to the emirate by 2021. We believe that by providing a compelling proposition and establishing dedicated presence in our key international target markets, we will be able to promote the destination and its diverse offering driving growth in visitor numbers."

"Central and Eastern European countries are amongst the fastest growing markets for us and frequently rank in our top ten source markets for visitors. The new representative office in Prague will support our promotional activities, trade partnerships and help us develop the region’s high potential outbound market," added Mattar.

Adding to the Authority international representation offices in UK, Germany, Russia and Nordics, the Prague office will support RAKTDA’s initiatives to drive further awareness of the emirate as a multi-faceted leisure destination to Central and East European travellers.

In 2018 approximately 48,000 visitors from Central and Eastern Europe chose to spend their vacation in Ras Al Khaimah. The increase in demand from these markets was further highlighted by the introduction of direct flights between RAK International Airport and several cities in Poland including Warsaw, Katowice, Poznan and Wroclaw, as well as direct flights to Prague in the Czech Republic.

Numerous trade activities have been organised for the coming year in the region, including webinars, networking events, workshops, FAM trips for the trade, and an exclusive Ras Al Khaimah roadshow in February 2019.

RAKTDA’s new three year strategy focuses on diversifying the emirate’s offerings to create experiences that showcase some of the finest beaches and nature in the region, the highest mountain in the UAE, a unique terracotta desert, rich history and heritage, as well as authentic Arabian cultural experiences and adventures.