Government entities, hotels and private sector industries have come together at the 2021 Global Citizen Forum to pledge collectively to deliver Ras Al Khaimah’s Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy that will see it become the regional leader in environmentally conscious tourism by 2025. 

 

Led by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), the Sustainable Tourism Policy Commitment marks a milestone in the emirate’s plan to secure long-term sustainability and drive overall tourism growth. Signatories included government departments and representatives from across the tourism, hospitality, hotel development and real estate sectors.

 

Providing a framework for action, the guiding principles for all tourism stakeholders include: protecting and enhancing Ras Al Khaimah’s cultural and natural heritage through implementing sustainable management frameworks and embracing green construction principles; delivering sustainable tourism developments and experiences which are high quality, authentic and complement the emirate’s natural environments; working with business, government and community partners to ensure economic returns from tourism investment and the development of human capital; regular measurement and benchmarking of key environmental, economic and cultural tourism indicators; working to minimise energy, water usage and waste generation; building improved tourism industry resilience; respecting and safeguarding local culture and communities.

 

RAKTDA CEO Raki Phillips said: “We have taken an important step towards a more sustainable future for our emirate. As government and tourism stakeholders collectively pledge to work together in order to establish Ras Al Khaimah as a regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025, we are also signaling that environmental considerations are necessary for long term investment and hospitality development in a destination.”

 

He added: “The Global Citizen Forum was the perfect platform to make a collective commitment to deliver a more sustainable and resilient future, not only for Ras Al Khaimah but also for future generations of global citizens.”

 

The signing took place as part of the sustainability stream at the Global Citizen Forum’s annual summit, held at the Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Centre. The event, themed ‘The Future in Motion’, welcomed some of the world’s leading minds including country leaders, ministers, philanthropists, activists, acclaimed artists and athletes, entrepreneurs and top-tier economists, with sustainability forming a key pillar of discussion.

 

The strategy follows the authority’s announcement earlier this year of over 20 new sustainable tourism initiatives across the emirate marking an investment of half a billion dirhams in partnership with RAK Hospitality Holding and RAK Chamber of Commerce and Industry. These projects centre on the new destination strategy that focuses on nature, leisure, adventure, accessibility and authenticity.

 

RAK was named the Gulf Tourism Capital for both 2020 and 2021 by the GCC and set a benchmark in becoming the first city in the world to secure the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Label and World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travel Stamp. In recognition of the number of progressive policies in place that promote employee well-being, RAKTDA was also certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ in the Middle East 2021, the first and only organisation to be awarded this certification in Ras Al Khaimah.-TradeArabia News Service