RAS AL KHAIMAH TO MARK SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN DESTINATION STRATEGY WITH 2021 ARAB AVIATION SUMMIT, THE EMIRATE’S FIRST PHYSICAL EVENT SINCE THE ONSET OF PANDEMIC

Conference represents symbolic move towards continued tourism recovery and underscores the importance the Emirate’s tourism and aviation sectors

Ras Al Khaimah is set to mark a significant milestone in its continued recovery by hosting the 2021 Arab Aviation Summit (AAS), the Emirate’s first in-person conference since the onset of the pandemic.

Building on a series of strategic partnerships to drive its growth as one of the most dynamic tourist destinations, the event underscores the importance of the aviation industry to Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism development strategy and reaffirms its position as a safe destination with world-class protocols in place.

Taking place on March 21 and 22, 2021 at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre, the region’s leading aviation industry event will be hosted by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and supported by global industry partners such as Airbus, CFM, Air Arabia, and Alpha Aviation Academy. The eighth edition of the summit will bring together experts from around the world to discuss the impact of the pandemic on the industry, the aftermath, and the road to recovery for a stronger future, under the theme, ‘Arab Aviation in the New Normal.’ Underlining the strong links between the aviation and tourism industries, it will provide a platform for leaders to discuss the next steps for their respective sectors and highlight the positive outcomes expected.

Offering state-of-the-art, elegantly designed meeting facilities, the venue is the first safe meeting facility in the world, as certified by Bureau Veritas, the international leader in testing and inspection services. This certification follows the implementation of a series of safety and hygiene initiatives since April 2020 by RAKTDA, offering hospitality and event providers access to global best practice, supportive policies and professional guidance on safety and hygiene. The Emirate also offered guests and hospitality employees complimentary PCR testing; a service that all international guests can still avail now.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the destination’s agility in addressing the situation has led to a series of recognitions. It was the first destination to be certified as safe by both Bureau Veritas and the World Travel and Tourism Council. Ras Al Khaimah was also named the Gulf Tourism Capital for the second consecutive year. Its efforts till date have seen the Emirate lead in ADR (average daily rate) in the UAE and RevPAR (revenue per available room) in the UAE and GCC for 2020.

Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “The theme of this Summit, ‘Arab Aviation in the New Normal’, aptly describes the growing call for the resumption of travel across nations. We are delighted to host the Summit at Al Hamra International Conference & Exhibition Centre, the first to be certified by Bureau Veritas. The strong performance of the aviation sector is a significant driver of tourism and we look forward to the industry bouncing back. Hosting the Summit as the first physical conference in the new normal underlines the genuine recovery of our destination and we look forward to welcoming more visitors across the leisure, MICE and corporate sectors to explore the diverse offerings of Ras Al Khaimah.”

Ras Al Khaimah recently launched new weekly flight routes to eight cities in Kazakhstan in partnership with SCAT Airlines and welcomed expanded operations from SpiceJet, bringing in guests from six key cities in India, spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Cochin, Amritsar, Lucknow and Jaipur. Further discussion is underway with partners to open additional routes across Europe and Asia.

Delegates’ safety and wellbeing remains Ras Al Khaimah’s utmost priority. In addition to becoming the first city in the world to be certified as safe by Bureau Veritas and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), all 45 of its hotels have also received Bureau Veritas certification. RAKTDA is working closely with all hotel partners to ensure they are strictly adhering to all government and public health guidelines and complying with all social distancing advisories. A series of protective measures have also been implemented across all aspects of the Summit that have been designed for everyone’s safety.