FROM convention centres and theme parks to ski resorts and spas, Ras Al Khaimah continues to be a hive of tourism infrastructure activity.
The emirate has invested heavily in leisure, business and ecotourism and its airport is undergoing an upgrade that will enable it to handle 1.2 million passengers by 2009. With the most diverse landscape of all the emirates, Ras Al Khaimah markets itself as one of the top tourism draws for potential visitors to the UAE.
A total of 22 hotel projects worth Dh113 billion are planned and will add 6,752 new rooms by the end of 2011.
Following the recent opening of the Cove Rotana Hotel and Resort in Ras Al Khaimah, the homegrown hotel chain’s first property in the northernmost emirate, several other operators are looking to open their doors to tourists this year.
The new five star Rotana property opened in February, and offers 202 rooms and 76 one, two and three bedroom villas. It has five food and beverage venues and leisure activities including a children’s club, gym and private beach. Rotana hopes it will become popular with the UAE’s meetings crowd for the property features three fully equipped meeting rooms with the latest audio-visual equipment and IT facilities, ideal for meetings for up to 150 delegates.
Meanwhile, the Ras Al Khaimah Banyan Tree Hotel and Resort is expected to open its doors at the end of the summer. “We are proceeding with our plans for the new launch that we will have by the end of summer this year,” general manager Pascal Eppink told media recently.
Part of the hotel is located next to the beach, while other parts are spread around in tranquil Wadi Khadeja, the protected enclave of the deep rooted Arabian Ghaf tree. Featuring 70 pool villas and 31 tented pool villas, the resort holds true to traditional Arabic architecture amidst miles of rolling sand dunes, Eppink said. The property will also feature a state-of-the-art Banyan Tree Spa with 10 treatment rooms, while restaurant and meeting facilities cater for up to 120 guests.
A Radisson property was due to open in 2009, but with no marketing from the brand at this point, this 250 room project could well be pushed into next year.
In total, some 25 hotels are expected to open their doors by 2012 delivering up to 3,700 new rooms. New brand arrivals in the emirate are a 300 room Marriott, due to open 2010, and a 232 unit Premier Inn set for 2011.
Several large scale development projects also include hotels. The emirate’s many island projects; including the Dh6.6 billion Al Marjan Island, the first man made island project to be developed in Ras Al Khaimah; the 5.3 sq m Dana Island; and the Saraya Islands, consisting of 7 kilometres of natural islands, are set to host several hotels each.
The Al Hamra village will house two luxury properties. The Dh3 billion RAK Financial City, a new offshore hub for the region’s business community, will have two 65 floor towers, offices, residential apartments, hotels and commercial areas.
The Jebel Al Jais Mountain Resort will include ski slopes and support services, a golf course, commercial and residential towers, a hotel and villas. The completion date is 2012.
The SRK Boulevard project, backed by the Bollywood superstar, has already been delayed. It is to house at least one world class hotel.
Other leisure projects underway include a Dh800 million amusement park, the redeveloping of the Hajjar Mountains, with hotels, a golf course and an outdoor ski hill and Noor City, a Dh3.6 billion island near the Kuwaiti Street Corniche.
Meanwhile developer Rakeen is building a new convention and exhibition centre, with hotels for every budget. These include three hotels in the five, four and three star tiers: the five star plus Tower Hotel with more than 750 keys; the 750 key four star Oasis Hotel and the three star 750 key Expo Hotel.
By Clark Kelly