Mubasher: The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) announced the development of a comprehensive sustainable tourism master plan that will be based on a detailed UNWTO assessment of current performance and future opportunity.

The authority is considered the government body of which goal is to enhance the Emirate’s tourism infrastructure, in addition to initiating its domestic and overseas promotions, according to a recent statement.

This tourism master plan followed RAKTDA’s official sponsorship of the UNWTO International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development in 2017 with the aim to promote a more sustainable global tourism landscape.   

“The new report will help RAKTDA take the next step by further integrating sustainability into its Destination 2021 strategy to guide the development of tourism over the next 12 years until 2030,” the statement added.

One of the major projects that will form part of the development roadmap will be a sustainable luxury camp on Jebel Jais which is the UAE’s highest mountain.

Final negotiations are currently ongoing with hotel operators and further announcements will follow. 

The news was shared at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) and set out the key areas RAKTDA will focus on in its destination strategy update which will be disclosed in the fourth quarter of 2018. 

“Ras Al Khaimah is one of the region’s fastest-growing tourism destination and whilst we embrace this growth it’s fundamentally important that we retain a position of destination sustainability.  We have made some great strides as part of our Destination 2019 strategy but as we plan for the future we want to take the next step and guide the development of tourism in the run up to 2030,” Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said.