SENIOR representatives from Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and Air Arabia led a two-day intensive campaign to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to promote direct routes to Ras Al Khaimah Airport and increase awareness of the destination. Led by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, the roadshow involved a series of destination workshops, press conferences, meetings and engagement dinners with prominent figures in the Saudi Arabia and Kuwait travel trade and tourism industry. Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: "With flights from Cairo, Doha, Jeddah and Muscat connecting daily through Sharjah and direct to Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, Air Arabia was a natural partner for this roadshow as we begin to nurture growing numbers of visitors from the GCC markets. "We are looking to achieve one million visitors by the end of 2018 and we believe travellers from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will comprise a significant proportion of this total, particularly when supported by direct Air Arabia flights." Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has witnessed a 14 per cent rise in visitor numbers from the GCC year-to-date compared to the same period in 2014. This exclusive roadshow is the first step of an extensive marketing program to the Kingdom and Kuwait, with the aim of raising awareness of the destination within the GCC through the authority's partnership with Air Arabia and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. Moosa Abdullah, Air Arabia General Manager in Saudi Arabia said: Air Arabia said: "Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are enormously important markets for Air Arabia and with more than 140 weekly non-stop services operating to both. We believe there is a real opportunity to drive demand for leisure and business travel between the GCC and Ras Al Khaimah as we look to add more direct routes and frequencies in the near future." Air Arabia opened its hub at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport in April 2014, with Jeddah, Riyadh and Kuwait among the launch routes. In addition to a press conference and dinner with the media and trade, members of the Authority and Air Arabia team met with senior representatives of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Kuwait Travel & Tourism Agencies Association. The delegation outlined plans for investment in the emirate's tourism proposition and economic diversification strategy by extending connectivity throughout the GCC.
