RAS AL KHAIMAH BECOMES THE FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO BE CERTIFIED AS SAFE BY BUREAU VERITAS AND THE FIRST EMIRATE TO RECEIVE THE WORLD TRAVEL AND TOURISM COUNCIL (WTTC) SAFE TRAVELS STAMP

• As travel starts to return, visitors to Ras Al Khaimah can be assured that global standards in safety and hygiene are implemented across the Emirate

• Ras Al Khaimah was confirmed as the first city and Emirate in the world to receive both the prestigious ‘Safeguard Assurance’ Label from Bureau Veritas and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp

• Al Hamra International Exhibition and Conference Center is also the first MICE facility in the Middle East to be Bureau Veritas-certified

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) today confirmed that the city 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’ program. It is the first city in the world to receive both the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Assurance label and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp, which recognise the heightened safety standards, training and hygiene protocols in place across the Emirate.

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. In addition, the almost-50,000sqft Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center is following the detailed protocols developed by Bureau Veritas’ global health, safety and hygiene specialists, and will become the first certified MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions& events) facility in the region.

Adding to the global validation, 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. The protocols 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 of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, comments, “As travel starts to resume, our role as a tourism development authority is to ensure that robust measures are in place to protect the health and safety of our visitors and provide the peace of mind they need for a truly well-deserved holiday. We are immensely proud to be the first destination in the world to be certified as ‘Safe’ by Bureau Veritas and receive the WTTC Safe Travels Stamp, and believe it will go a long way to restore confidence and bring tourists back to Ras Al Khaimah. It also validates the huge efforts of our hospitality partners who are focused on delivering the highest global safety standards, today and every day, as we navigate this new normal for the industry. WTTC is a very important partner for RAKTDA and one we wholeheartedly support in its efforts to restart and speed up the recovery of the sector in the wake of COVID-19. The WTTC Safe Travels Stamp is an important vehicle to demonstrate alignment with essential safety protocols of the highest level, and we are delighted that we can reassure visitors that Ras Al Khaimah meets these global standards.”

He adds, “The wedding and MICE segment has gained momentum from India due to its proximity to the UAE as a quick getaway, destination offerings and high level of hygiene standards which will attract the Indian traveller to return to Ras Al Khaimah. The Emirate has been home to some high-profile Indian weddings as it boasts a diverse array of natural landscapes that appeal to visitors of every kind, and destination weddings from India seek an exotic place with fantastic hotels at value for money.”