RAK tourism bolstered by event and wedding revenue

The number of overnight visitors to Ras Al Khaimah rose 6 percent year on year to exceed 1.4 million.

Weddings and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) contributed around a quarter to the total tourism revenue in 2025, according to official data.

Ras Al Khaimah has a population of around 400,000. 

Tourism growth was recorded across both local and overseas markets, supported by Russia, China, India and the United Kingdom, the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said in a statement.

Increased direct air links also helped increase arrivals from Romania, Poland, Uzbekistan and Belarus, which posted double-digit increases.

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport added direct services from cities including Jeddah, Warsaw, Katowice, Bucharest, Moscow, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Minsk, Tashkent and Prague. It also expanded partnerships with India’s IndiGo, Air India Express and Sharjah-based Air Arabia.

Plans have been announced for a VIP terminal, scheduled to open in 2027, to attract private aviation traffic.

Revenue from MICE and weddings increased by 25 percent compared with the previous year. Overall tourism income increased by 12 percent year on year, although authorities did not disclose the total amount.

Construction continues on the $5 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island development, the UAE’s first approved casino, which is due to open in 2027. The resort is expected to generate more than 9,000 jobs and attract international visitors to the emirate, the statement said.

RAK merged master developer Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding, creating a contender to Dubai’s Emaar and Abu Dhabi’s Aldar. 

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“Our mandate is to deliver key destinations in Ras Al Khaimah. That’s the only plan for the next few years. Our focus is to develop all the key assets of Ras Al Khaimah,” Marjan CEO Abdulla Al Abdouli told AGBI in September 2025. 

The company launched Marjan Beach, a beachfront project that will include around 12,000 hotel rooms and 22,000 homes.

RAK also signed a new multi-year agreement with Greek company Celestyal Cruises to position the emirate as a port of call in the Arabian Gulf for smaller, upscale vessels.