Ras Al Khaimah

رأس الخيمة

A20190007 Lee Geon Young- Tourism Resources in the UAE(SEC51)

Introduction

Interest in the potential value of tourism is growing rapidly as a new engine of

economic growth in the low development and high unemployment era around the world.

The surge in interest is attributed to the continued rapid growth of the international

tourism and domestic tourism industries, and to the greater economic ripple effects of

job creation than other industries. To develop the tourism industry into a new growth

industry in the 21st century, it is urgent to strengthen the competitiveness of the

domestic tourism industry and there is a need to develop from the low-wage labor

industry to a high value-added industry that creates decent jobs.

The tourism industry contributed 11.1 percent of the UAE economy in 2018. The

UAE's travel and tourism sector will contribute US$44.6 billion to the national GDP

and create 18,000 new jobs in 2017, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council

2017 UAE Economic Impact Report. In terms of GDP contribution, the travel and

tourism sector in the United Arab Emirates is expected to account for 12.4 percent of

the country's total GDP in 2027, which is equivalent to the currency value of $72 billion.

As of 2017, investment in the travel and tourism sectors reached 7.0 percent of the total

investment, or AED26.2 billion.

[Picture 1] How does travel & tourism compare to other sectors?/ Friday

Activating local tourism is a homework that any country has. Large metropolises,

including the metropolitan area, are already flooded with infrastructure and other

tourism resources, technology, restaurants, and convenient traffic, resulting in one or

two or three cities for all tourists, including citizens.

In the United Arab Emirates, all infrastructure tends to be concentrated in Dubai. The

difference from other countries is that the United Arab Emirates has all the tourist

resources in Dubai, not Abu Dhabi, the capital, unlike the usual capital city hot place.

Al Ain, where UAEU is located, is also located in Abu Dhabi, but there are many

difficulties for tourists to enjoy sightseeing easily. Even though it is the capital, there is

no subway or enough bus here. The price of the Taxi, which has become the only means

of transportation, is not cheap also.

The three biggest factors that should not be left out in the tourism industry are

transportation, communication, and tourist activities. For Dubai, these three factors are

well equipped, and most of the tourist attractions are related to entertainment and

shopping. And these tourist attractions are already well-made and well-promoted. Very

far later, other cities can catch up with Dubai and develop into great tourist cities, but

now that the main airport is in Dubai, it is unlikely that other cities will develop into

larger tourist cities than Dubai (and in that Dubai is geographically closest to Abu

Dhabi). Therefore, it would be better for Dubai to keep developing on these area and

other cities to focus on other areas. Therefore, I want to develop the tourism industry in

Ras al-Khaimah, focusing on the fact that it is out of the city center, the natural

landscape is outstanding and the traditional culture is better preserved.

The main cities of Ras Al-Khaimah and Tourism Development Plan

The biggest geographical advantage of Ras al Khaimah is that fishing and agriculture

have developed together as it is located on the outskirts of the country and is close to

the sea and is surrounded by mountains in some villages. Ras Al-Khaimah has the most

fertile soil in the country due to the high rainfall and underground water from the Hajar

River. Therefore, I want to develop this city by taking advantage of its natural

advantages. First, we will look at the towns and the items that can be developed.

1. Al hamra village - ras al khaimah harbor, fish market, Cruise & Yacht & Kayak,

coastal walk, Al Jazeera diving & swimming center, Aryana Fishing Trips Ras Al

Khaimah, Crab Hunting in the Mangrove, fishingUAE(https://fishinguae.com/ras-al-

khaimah/)

2. Masafi – Wadi Shawka kayak&boat, water museum

3. Digdaqah – agriculture tourism(dates, berries), Rak Natures Treasures, Rak Zoo, Al

Sawan Camel Track

4. Al Rams - Suwaidi Pearls

Next, we will take a look how to develop tourism by categories. The problem is that

the UAE's tourism business is large, but all investment and infrastructure are

concentrated in Dubai, and that it is limited to the entertainment and sports sector, which

makes it impossible to generate profits in other areas. Therefore, it is important to

expand the size of the tourism industry in various industries.

1. Expanding the Tourism Industry

1-1. Leisure Tourism

The WTTC found that leisure travel dominated tourism spending in the United Arab

Emirates in 2016, 77.4 percent compared to 22.6 percent of travel spending, or

AED336 billion. Spending on leisure travel increased 3.7 percent to $32.47 billion in

2017 and is expected to rise 4.8 percent to AED191.5 billion in 2027.

1-2. Eco Tourism

Al Ain has Jabal Hafeet, Ras Al-Khaima has Jabal Zais. Jabal Zais is a colder place

than other areas inside Ras Al khaima, which has the lowest temperature in the UAE

and has a large temperature difference between day and day, and sometimes snow

falls below zero in the winter. The government has opened a mountain road with more

than 300 million dirhams invested in it, and the Ras Al-Khaima government plans to

develop the area in a massive bid to attract tourists. The area will include hotels, golf

courses, para gliding boarding grounds and ski slopes.

1-3. Agriculture Tourism

Digdaqah is the main farming area in Ras al Kahimah, so it would be good to develop

this area for agriculture tourism. If there is a farm with cows and sheeps, tourists can

experience getting milk and learn how to make cheese or harvesting berries. At ras al

khaimah harbor, It would be nice to make fish market, Cruise & Yacht & Kayak place,

and coastal walk. There is Al Jazeera diving & swimming center, Aryana Fishing Trips

Ras Al Khaimah at Al Hamra Village. The government also have to promote and

develop these places.

Crab Hunting in the Mangrove, fishing would make wonderful experience to family

tourists.

1-4. DIY Tourism

Date products making, Pearl products making, Jam making with berries could be a

wonderful example.

2. Increase the Demand of Tourism Industry

2-1. Actively promote, Use of SNS and blog, blogging, Youtube

It should move away from the conventional framework and use media used by many

people. The billboards at news and bus stops have no longer been effective as

advertisements. Advertisements in modern society should deliver impressive

messages in a short time and should be video.

2-1-1. Advertisement for residents

There’s no much efforts needs for residents. If they have good facilities and good

attractions, it will naturally be promoted through mouth of mouth.

2-1-2. Advertisement for foreigners

Of course, the government and firm’s promotion is important, but the most

important way to advertise a place is visitor’s review. But there will be lots of lacks

to collect people who are good at and interested in promoting. There is one of the

methods that Korea use for this. The government or the company recruits students

who are interested in it and give them scholarship and certificate. Those students

have to upload at least 1 post every week.

3. Development of transportation

Shades are a very important factor in walking in a hot country. On the beach, we can

create another tourist destination by creating sidewalks, bike paths, public bikes and

walking trails around the coastal areas.

There’s too less buses and taxis in other cities except Dubai. There’s no doubt that

transportation is a prerequisite in the tourism industry.

4. Application Utilization

They need more effort to make better apps. Many apps here do not find the exact

location of users and do not provide real-time information. The delivery men can't speak

both English and Arabic fluently, so they can't communicate properly with customers.

Therefore, I think the app should play this role instead. The map must know the exact

location, the refund must be made through the app at any time without a call, and the

complain for the service must also be made and resolved through the app.

5. UAE Telecoms' Problems

UAE's data systems are too complex and expensive even for locals to understand. The

Visitor Plan, used by most tourists, is 100 AED per two weeks and offers only 1 GB.

Providing only 1 GB per two weeks in modern times, where Google Maps, mobile

bookings and mobile translation are commercialized, is like omitting the most basic

needs, such as food and beverage. Making cell phones unavailable to tourists who come

to a new world, new country, full of unfamiliar environments and incomprehensible

languages is like asking them to survive on their own in the middle of the desert. There

is also an absurd lack of explanation for the data system. Most tourists don't know about

the fact that they can buy data at convenience stores. In addition, there are not many

convenience stores in UAE and foreigners do not know where a convenience store is.

They save 1GB for two weeks and use data to find directions and information. There is

only one reason why the UAE insists on doing so without changing its system, to use

data as a means of making money for the nation. However, there is a fatal flaw in this

case. First, long-term tourists disappear. Tourists will all try to complete the trip in two

weeks and plan a two-week trip. Second, tourists who travel long distances disappear.

If information retrieval is restricted, tourists want to stay in the safest place and only

where Wifi works. For them, they feel stable where the Internet works well and where

they can reach their families on the Internet. There is also a big restriction on checking

the location and time of the express bus. As mentioned above, most of the infrastructure

is concentrated in Dubai and other areas are very underdeveloped. This is a circular

effect. Without tourists, the government will not feel the need to develop the area, and

without the development of the area's infrastructure, tourists will lose their will to visit

the area. For example, in other countries, In Taiwan, tourists can select data and use data

indefinitely, divided into 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, 8 days, 10 days, 15 days and 30 days.

To sum up, mobile phones are a necessity in modern society, and disseminating the

Internet, a prerequisite for using them, at a reasonable price helps boost the local

economy and develop the tourism industry.

Conclusion

Tourism is one of the industries that any country wants to develop. It is not just an

area where just huge sums of money is needed to make it successful, as it must make

the attractions and tourism products which contain the country's features and charming

points. I think only the people who know the country better than anyone else and love

it more than anyone else can develop it in an effective way. They are not foreign

countries with a lot of technology and not a foreigner who has lived in the UAE for a

long time. They are emirates people,

It is impossible for the state to develop the tourism industry alone. The country's role

goes as far as trimming roads, building highways, supplying water and electricity,

managing taxes on tourism and expanding public transportation. Creating tourist

attractions, tourism products, places of activity, restaurants and accommodations is a

business's job. Therefore, close cooperation between the government and businesses is

needed, and the government should pushfully help companies grow actively.

Reference:

https://www.thefirstgroup.com/en/news/uae-travel-and-tourism-sector-s-economic-

importance-growing-wttc/ /THE FIRST GROUP

https://government.ae/en/information-and-services/visiting-and-exploring-the-

uae/travel-and-tourism/tourism-and-economy / World Travel and Tourism Council, The

Official Portal of the UAE Government

https://www.breakingtravelnews.com/news/article/ras-al-khaimah-to-host-new-wttc-

forum/ /breaking travel news

https://fridaymagazine.ae/life-culture/people-profiles/the-teacher-s-pets-the-story-of-

fujairah-s-tireless-animal-welfare-hero-1.2306437/ Friday