Ras Al Khaimah Wants to Be 80% Premium by 2030

Ras Al Khaimah plans to shift from a value destination to a premium one. “Around 13.3% of the current hotel inventory is in the luxury five-star category. By 2030, 80% of our keys are going to be premium,” said Phillipa Harrison, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. This year brings the 258-key Rotana Ras Al Khaimah — The Mangroves. Next year adds the 70-key Saij Mountain Lodge by Mantis, a luxury lodge on Jebel Jais, the UAE's highest peak, alongside the Wynn Al Marjan Island casino resort. The year after brings a wave of international names, including Nobu, Janu, Fairmont, W Hotels, The Unexpected, and Four Seasons. The 1,530-key Wynn property, now expected to open in September 2027 rather than the original first-quarter 2027 target, is the pipeline's largest single addition. RAKTDA counts 8,000 keys in the pipeline through 2030. The destination currently has 8,700 hotel rooms and aims to have around 16,000