Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development authority (RAKTDA) today announced the commencement of the first charter operation from Moscow to the Emirate, in partnership with TUI Russia, part of the TUI Group, one of the world’s leading travel companies.  The inaugural Ural Airlines flight for the Winter Season 2019 – 2020, touched down in Ras Al Khaimah International Airport at 18:50 on the 30th of October, carrying 220 passengers from Domodedovo Moscow Airport.

The partnership with TUI Russia comes in line with the increasing number of inbound tourists to the Emirate from key international markets including Russia. The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has witnessed a 5% growth in overall visitor arrivals YTD, with the peak reaching 117,995 visitors in August 2019. Russia has significantly contributed to this record-breaking number of visitors recorded in August 2019 with growth percentages of 25.3%.

The first cohort of passengers arriving in Ras Al Khaimah were welcomed by the CEO of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, Sanjay Khanna, the CEOs of Desert Adventures Tourism, Mr. Peter Payet and Mr. Tarek Mohamed, and key members of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. The arrival was celebrated through an exclusive culture program, comprised of a red carpet welcome and a selection of gifts from the Duty Free for each passenger.

H.E. Engr. Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Bin Saqr Al-Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation Ras Al Khaimah commented “We are happy to welcome TUI Russia to Ras Al Khaimah, this new partnership will help us to further introduce Ras Al Khaimah to the Russian market and will offer our guests greater choice and convenience. I welcome all the guests to Ras Al Khaimah and am confident that this partnership will thrive here in this dynamic, innovative and welcoming Emirate. We look forward to welcoming and ensuring the guests enjoy a relaxing and smooth experience throughout the airport and around the Emirate.”

Raki Philips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority said: “Russia has held its position as one of the key source markets responsible for a big share of the increasing number of inbound tourists to the Emirate. We are honoured to be welcoming further visitors from Russia to experience the diverse landscape and abundance of attractions Ras Al Khaimah has to offer as a result of our fortuitous partnership with TUI Russia. This new addition is an important step in our continuous drive to increase accessibility and visibility, attract more high yield visitors, and ultimately boost both first-time and repeat visitation from our source markets.”

Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is currently connected to over 20 destinations around the world including Prague, Moscow, Luxembourg, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Katowice, Poznan, Brno, Cairo, Calicut, Peshawar, Jeddah, Islamabad and Lahore, highlighting the Emirate’s soaring popularity in markets outside the region. It plays a key role in the Emirate’s plans to draw in 1.5 million visitors by 2021 and 3 million visitors by 2025, supported by partnerships with globally recognised bodies such as the TUI Group.

Sanjay Khanna, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport said “Ras Al Khaimah International Airport is pleased to collaborate with TUI Russia and we continue to welcome such partnerships, whilst investing in enhancing operations to meet the rising number of visitor arrivals. We are constantly focusing on increasing connectivity and ensuring one of the most convenient and hassle free airport experience for the passengers. We believe that a destination can be successful if there is a good airlift and our agenda is to find the right opportunities and capitalize on them. We identify the potential of a route and aggressively work on getting it done. We would like to thank the authorities and the team at TUI Russia for making this possible.”

With over 7,000 years of fascinating history, traditional culture and magnificent landscapes, Ras Al Khaimah promises an authentic Arabian experience to the incoming guests resulting from the partnership with TUI Russia.  The haven of year-round sunshine, features a rich backdrop of spectacular landscapes, ranging from pristine beaches, lush mangrove trees and undulating terracotta desert, to fertile, green oases and the dramatic, awe-inspiring vistas of the majestic Hajar mountains.

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