RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ras Al Khaimah is ramping up efforts to attract Chinese tourists and investors as it seeks to triple annual visitor numbers by 2030, the chief executive of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) said on Wednesday.
The emirate, the fourth-largest in the United Arab Emirates, aims to draw more than 3.5 million visitors a year by 2030, up from 1.28 million in 2024. The growth is expected to be driven by more events, new hotels, expanded air links and global partnerships.
RAKTDA CEO Phillipa Harrison, who is leading the emirate's push to position itself as a "destination of the future," said China is already among Ras Al Khaimah's top 10 source markets and continues to grow.
"We are very focused on the China market, which grew 19 percent last year," she said in an interview with Xinhua. "It's a market that will receive significant attention from Ras Al Khaimah in the months and years ahead."
Harrison said the emirate is working to make Chinese visitors feel at home, including by offering familiar payment systems such as UnionPay and Alipay, and marking Chinese festivals, including Chinese New Year, with events such as fireworks displays.
In 2025, Ras Al Khaimah welcomed a record 1.35 million visitors, while tourism revenue rose 12 percent from a year earlier, according to the tourism authority's website. Revenue from meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions rose 25 percent year on year.
Harrison said the sector's growth is supported by plans to diversify the hospitality offering and double the current inventory of 8,700 hotel keys in the coming years, with a mix of international hotels and resorts.
Tourism currently accounts for about 5 percent of the emirate's gross domestic product, but authorities aim to raise that to 25 percent, she said.
Beyond tourism, the emirate hosts industries ranging from quarrying and ceramics to pharmaceuticals, banking and energy, including companies such as RAK Ceramics and Julphar Pharmaceuticals.
"We are a very special part of the UAE," Harrison said. "We have dramatic mountains, 68 kilometers of beaches, mangroves, and desert landscapes. Visitors can relax and enjoy the scenery, along with strong food and beverage offerings."
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