1st city to be ‘Safe’: RAK

Ras Al Khaimah has become the first city in the world to be certified as a ‘Safe’ destination by Bureau Veritas and the first emirate in the UAE to be given the Safe Travels Stamp by WTTC.

Ras Al Khaimah has become the first city in the world to be certified as a ‘Safe’ destination by Bureau Veritas and the first emirate in the UAE to be given the Safe Travels Stamp by WTTC.

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has confirmed that the emirate has been certified as a ‘Safe’ destination by Bureau Veritas, the global leader in testing, inspection and certification services, as it completes its ‘Safeguard Assurance’ programme. Ras Al Khaimah is the first Emirate in the UAE to receive the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp, the world’s first ever global safety and hygiene stamp for the travel and tourism industry, designed specifically to address COVID-19 and similar outbreaks.

Through a strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas, the Authority has led the way in implementing stringent health, safety and hygiene measures across all Ras Al Khaimah hotels to mitigate any possible risk for employees and guests, and provide complete confidence in the destination. Through an ongoing series of independent audits of all its hotels in the emirate, the partnership was designed to further validate the measures and processes already in place, and takes RAKTDA’s ‘Stay Safe’ Hotel Certification Program to the next level.

Protocols under the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp were developed in collaboration with WTTC members (including RAKTDA), leading industry associations and international organisations, and covers operational and staff preparedness, ensuring a safe experience, re-building trust and confidence and implementing enabling policies. It also follows the current guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and will continue to be updated as new information about COVID-19 becomes available.

Raki Phillips, CEO, RAKTDA, says, “As travel starts to resume, our role as a tourism development authority is to ensure that robust measures are in place to protect our visitors.” On India, he adds, “The wedding and M!CE segment has gained momentum from India. The emirate has been home to some high-profile Indian weddings as it boasts a diverse array of natural landscapes that appeal to visitors.”