Ras Al Khaimah receives 1.35 million visitors and records a 12% growth in tourism revenues during 2025
Ras Al Khaimah, 19 January / WAM / The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah achieved record tourism performance during the year 2025, recording a growth in the number of visitors by 6% to reach 1.35 million visitors, in conjunction with an increase in tourism revenues by 12%, which represents a turning point in the emirate’s journey towards achieving the 2030 targets aimed at attracting 3.5 million visitors annually and doubling the number of hotel rooms.
This transformational year has seen Philippa Harrison appointed to the position of CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority in August 2025, ushering in her extensive international experience a new era focused on enhancing tourism experiences and leading the national strategy for the sector.
Harrison stressed in her statement that the year was exceptional thanks to the significant growth in the number of visitors and the enhancement of experiences through events, hotel projects and partnerships, and is committed to continuing development to achieve added value for visitors, investors and the local community.
This success was based on remarkable growth in international and local markets, as the number of visitors from Russia increased by 20%, China by 19%, India by 14%, and the United Kingdom by 10%, in addition to the growth of the local market by 7%. The expansion of the air network through partnerships with airlines such as “IndiGo” and “Air Arabia” also contributed to achieving qualitative leaps in the number of visitors from new markets, recording a growth of 41% from Romania, and 26% from Romania. From Belarus, and 22% from Poland.
The growth was not limited to leisure tourism, but the meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and wedding sector achieved an increase in revenues of more than 25%, supported by hosting major events and international conferences that strengthened the emirate’s position as a regional center for business events.
In terms of infrastructure and strategic investments, Ras Al Khaimah continued to diversify its hotel portfolio with the opening of the “Rove Al Marjan Island” and “SO / Ras Al Khaimah” hotels, while announcing future projects for international brands such as “Jano”, “Four Seasons”, “Fairmont”, “Taj” and “NH Collection”. The “Wynn Al Marjan Island” project stands out as one of the most important projects, as construction work on the 70-storey tower reached a height of 283. meters, and is expected to open in 2027 at a cost of $5.1 billion to include 1,530 rooms, providing more than 9,000 job opportunities.
These projects were complemented by the unveiling of huge development plans such as “Marjan Beach”, which extends over an area of 85 million square feet, and the “RAK Central” project, which witnessed the sale of all its commercial lands within one year, which reflects the high confidence of investors.
To enhance its position as a global destination, the emirate hosted a series of major events, including the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon with a record participation of 10,000 people, the Emirates Tour, the Ras Al Khaimah Art Festival, and New Year’s celebrations that set a Guinness World Record for the largest drone air show.
The Authority also continued to consolidate its presence in the luxury tourism market by joining the Virtuoso and Serendipians networks, and signing partnerships with major booking platforms.
In the context of paying attention to human capital, the Authority launched the “BeRAK” application to enhance the interaction of sector employees, and organized the first Tourism Excellence Awards ceremony, an approach that culminated in the Authority receiving the “Best Work Environment in the Government Sector” award at the level of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
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