EWPC – Exotic Wedding Planning Conference ’23, in collaboration with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, is the World’s biggest wedding planning conference “landed” in Ras al Khaimah from 1st until 3rd March 2023. Hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, the 11th Edition of EWPC is the benchmark for the global luxury wedding and events industry. The exclusive event has been perfectly organized and managed by Exito Media Concept.
Rishikesh Shetty, Founder and CEO of Exito, says: “This year’s edition will feature plenty of learning, impactful networking, gala evening and entertainment. The meticulously curated agenda has been composed of extensive research and valuable industry insight”. During the opening day, the conference centre hosted 350 people involved in luxury weddings and events from all over the World, from 80 countries. An exclusive “Stardust” of the most important leader in wedding firmament will take part at the event.
We had the opportunity to meet one of the biggest leaders in Ras Al Khaimah: Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. Mr Phillips is one of the “Key Men” for the development of Ras al Khaimah.
Let now discover more about Ras Al Khaimah thanks to Mr Phillips:
Ras Al Khaimah is one of the Emirates of the UAE. Could you briefly introduce this beautiful Emirate?
Included in Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places of 2022 and CNN Travel’s best destinations to visit in 2023, Ras Al Khaimah offers an experience of a lifetime. Travellers can feel the Emirate’s beating heart across a range of landscapes – from the sea and beach, desert and mountain range – and marvel at over 7,000 years of fascinating history, traditions and culture beautifully captured in authentic Arabian experiences.
Our greatest asset is the wealth of nature that surrounds our breathtaking destination. As a haven of year-round sunshine, Ras Al Khaimah is lined by pristine beaches, lush mangrove trees, terracotta dunes, and fertile green oases. The dramatic, awe-inspiring vistas of the majestic Hajar mountains provide an idyllic backdrop to the Emirate’s adrenaline-fuelled attractions, including the UAE’s highest mountain peak – Jebel Jais – where temperatures are around 10 degrees lower than sea level. Ras Al Khaimah’s popularity also comes from the increasing ease of accessibility. Located a few short hours by flight from various key European hubs, the Emirate is just a 45-minute drive from the Dubai International Airport.
As CEO, what is your vision and mission for Ras Al Khaimah?
My vision is to drive Ras Al Khaimah’s continued growth and positioning of the Emirate as a world-class tourism destination. This includes collaborating with key partners on the destination brand, regulating standards within the sector, developing Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism infrastructure and creating sustainable investment opportunities in order to establish the Emirate as a regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025.
In addition to improving Ras Al Khaimah’s competitive performance in the tourism sector, I am also tasked with its contribution to economic and social prosperity while enhancing the quality of life for all residents. As the Emirate’s main tourism authority, I also work to enrich connectivity, community life and facilities for tourism sector employees, including implementing short- and long-term strategies that pave the way for the Emirate to become the destination with the happiest and most engaged employees, in line with the destination’s liveability strategy for 2030.
Development is the key to success. In a few words, describe the past, ongoing and future developments the Emirate is working on.
An important step in driving Ras Al Khaimah’s continued growth as a destination of the future is remaining laser-focused on responsible, purpose-driven and focused developments. In fact, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do as we set out to become the regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025. Our goal is to apply sustainability to everything we do to nurture an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable tourism industry that supports quality of life for our citizens and workforce while conserving our unique environment. Nature and our wide-open spaces are the calling cards of our destination. To protect our unique natural environment and local communities, we are committed to ensuring that there is no over-tourism in Ras Al Khaimah. For example, we have adopted a measured approach with a controlled pipeline of hotels, which will feature wide landscaping and grounds. We have committed USD 136 million in investment to ensure we are developing attractions with a purpose that will enhance our natural environment. We are also investing in Cultural Conservation, with four tentative UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the Suwaidi Pearls Farm, the only traditional pearl farm in the UAE.
This sustainable approach to development is the cornerstone of our ambition to attract 3 million visitors by 2030. As part of our considered development planning, we will be working with sustainably minded hotel brands, such as Nobu, Marriott, Sofitel and Anantara. Due to open in 2026 on Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island, the multi-billion-dollar integrated resort of almost 250,000 sqm – Wynn Resort on Al Marjan Island. The resort will be home to more than 1,000 rooms, shopping, meeting and convention facilities, a spa, more than ten restaurants and lounges, extensive entertainment, and a gaming area.
Underpinning our considered development strategy is our continuous investment in strengthening connectivity and expanding global access to the Emirate. We are constantly adding new strategic airline partnerships to make Ras Al Khaimah even more accessible to key source markets. We recently announced daily flights from Qatar Airways that will leverage one of the largest global networks to ensure direct connectivity to the Emirate starting November 2023. We also signed a landmark agreement with FTI Group, one of Europe’s leading outbound tour operators, to launch twice-weekly flights from Munich to RAK International Airport in Q4. We are also working on further developing the Emirate’s burgeoning cruise sector, with an aim to attract 50 cruise ships each season and 10,000 passengers within the next few years. We are also diversifying our portfolio with sustainable accommodation on Jebel Jais, including Cloud7 Camp, a sustainable glamping experience, and Saij, a Mantis Collection Mountain Lodge that will provide a pure mountain retreat experience with guided treks, mindful pursuits and creative experiences.
The Emirate is seeing increased visitor footfall and numbers. Is there a strategy in place to entice foreign investors to expand their businesses in the Emirate?
We recorded our highest-ever annual visitor numbers last year, with the Emirate welcoming over 1.13M overnight arrivals in 2022, a total increase of 15.6% vs 2021. Key 2022 achievements also included a 40% increase in international visitors versus 2021 and a visitor satisfaction score (NPS) of over 80%, far above the industry average of 51. These record visitor numbers are a testament to the success of our proactive investment and development strategy. Our strategic partnership with Wynn Resorts, Marjan and RAK Hospitality to develop a multibillion-dollar integrated resort development on Al Marjan Island has resulted in the largest-of-its-kind foreign direct investment in the destination. Due to open in 2026, the resort will be home to more than 1,000 rooms, shopping, meeting and convention facilities, a spa, more than ten restaurants and lounges, extensive entertainment choices, and a gaming area. The development is not only reinforcing Ras Al Khaimah’s position as a leading tourism and investment destination in the region, but it is also generating a strong impact on the tourism sector in the Emirate, creating approximately 11,000 new jobs.
In parallel, our strategic, high-impact investment programme – SelectRAK, in collaboration with Arton Capital – is yielding dividends to position Ras Al Khaimah as a preferred destination for tourism and investments in affordable luxury. The initiative focuses on providing an array of benefits to local and international investors across healthcare, hospitality, education, trade, and retail – including long-term residency based on criteria outlined by the government – while also creating new jobs and supporting domestic enterprises.
To conclude, what is your friendly advice to people interested in discovering and visiting Ras Al Khaimah?
Ras Al Khaimah has a varying range of offerings for visitors of all ages and interests – from pristine beaches, lush mangroves and terracotta desert dunes to a wide range of adventures awaiting at Jebel Jais, the UAE’s highest mountain peak. We recommend a minimum of 5 days to explore all the Emirate has to offer, but visitors will find plenty to keep them entertained for a week or more.
World-class attractions in Ras Al Khaimah include
Mountain and adventure:
- Bear Grylls Explorers Camp: the region’s first Bear Grylls Explorers Camp, featuring the World’s first branded accommodation
- UAE’s highest restaurant– 1484 by Puro
- Jais Flight: The World’s Longest Zipline
- Jais Sky Tour – a series of seven exhilarating ziplines stretching 5km
- Jais Sledder – the region’s longest toboggan ride
- Hiking – Various designated mountain trails through the rugged Hajar Mountains range are suited to walkers of all experience levels
Culture and heritage
- Suwaidi Pearl Farm – the only pearl farm in the UAE – offering guests a glimpse into the city’s pearling industry through experiences such as pearl diving and shucking
- National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah – take a trip back in time and discover the Emirate’s rich history, which dates back to the Bronze Age.
- Heritage sites – four sites in Ras Al Khaimah – Dhayah Fort, Julphar, Shimal and Jazirah Al Hamra – have been included in UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites.
Desert
- Al Wadi Nature Reserve – featuring the stunning Ritz Carlton Al Wadi with activities such as desert treks on camels, horseback riding at Al Wadi Equestrian Center, private archery and falcon shows
- Sonara Camp – A luxurious dining and entertainment experience
- Desert Camps – Bedouin Oasis Desert Camp, Bassata Bedouin Camp & Desert Village and The Dunes offer family desert trips, which include everything from dune-bashing to camel rides
We thank Mr Phillips very much for the time he dedicated to celebreMagazine World and readers.
Discover even more @ Visit Ras Al Khaimah
Article Edited by Massimo Basile
Editorial Director