Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), in partnership with RAK Ports, has appointed Dubai-based Zaiton Consultancy to support the Emirate’s cruise tourism.
Zaiton Consultancy specializes in developing and marketing cruise services. The announcement comes as the global industry gathers at the Seatrade Cruise Global event in Miami until April 28, where Zaiton Consultancy is participating as RAKTDA’s representative.
Cruising, one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors, witnessed an annual passenger growth rate of 5.4 percent from 2009 to 2019, with services now close to pre-pandemic levels owing to immediate action and thoughtful planning. In recognition of the importance of cruise tourism, the Authority and RAK Ports have worked together on a number of projects to further develop the Emirate’s offering.
This includes the transformation of its old ferry terminal into a modern and efficient boutique cruise passenger terminal and the development of marine transport infrastructure around it. The Authority has also invested in designing bespoke visitor itineraries for arrivals to attract a larger segment of leisure cruise passengers and welcome new audiences from across the world to the destination.
Iyad Rasbey Executive Director Destination Tourism Development & MICE RAKTDA
“We are ready to receive the world’s most elite cruise ships and showcase our beautiful nature Emirate to this growing segment of travelers. We’ve seen first-hand the significance of cruises to the destination’s overall tourism ecosystem. We also recognize that water transportation is becoming increasingly important in terms of connectivity and will support our aviation strategy in bringing tourists directly to Ras Al Khaimah. With its wealth of experience and recognition within the cruise industry, Zaiton Consultancy is the perfect partner to take our strategy to the next stage. We look forward to working with the team to boost cruise tourism in the Emirate and attract new audiences from across the world.”
As one of the most diverse and fastest-growing destinations in the region, offering accessibility via all modes of transportation, including luxury cruise ships, is a vital aspect of the Authority’s strategy to attract three million tourists per year by 2030. The dedicated terminal, which can accommodate numerous cruise ships of up to 214 meters in length docking simultaneously, will welcome these passengers to the Emirate.
Executive Director of Zaiton Consultancy, Mr. Jasem Zaiton said that “It is a huge honour to work with RAKTDA and RAK Ports to develop and market the Emirate’s growing cruise proposition. With an initial strategy based around smaller passenger ships before moving our focus to mainstream cruise liners, we will bring our global expertise to market Ras Al Khaimah’s truly unique offering and one-of-a-kind experiences to cruise passengers around the world.”
While the port facilities are currently suited to Luxury, Discovery and Expedition cruises, these smaller passenger ships suit the Emirate’s commitment to sustainability, supporting its mission to ensure that every aspect of its travel and tourism sector is developed with environmental protection in front of mind.
