Ras Al Khaimah is set to add more than 1,300 new hotel rooms to its offerings this year during the UAE’s staycation boom.
Three new hotels with 1,333 rooms will be available to guests by the end of 2021 on Al Marjan Island, the emirate's man-made archipelago.
Movenpick Hotel and Resort, set to open in September, will have 418 rooms, and Hampton by Hilton and Radisson Resort will add 515 rooms and 400 rooms, respectively.
There are currently three hotels open on the island with 1,600 rooms, including suites, family rooms and penthouses.
“We carried out a deep study on the performance of our hospitality market and Ras Al Khaimah has an aggressive plan to reach three million annual visitors by 2025,” said Abdullah Al Abdooli, chief executive of Marjan, master developer of Al Marjan Island.
“To achieve that we need to add at least 15,000 additional hotel keys to the emirate, 50 per cent of which will be on Al Marjan Island.
“In 2019, the annual visitor numbers to Ras Al Khaimah were about 1.1 million, but there is demand to widen that scope for both tourists and domestic guests.”
Mr Al Abdooli said the emirate's tourism sector performed well during the pandemic because "more people turned to staycations due to international travel restrictions".
On Monday, engineers used a crane to fit a suspended bridge that connects the east and west wings of one of the hotels under construction on the island.
The bridge is 44 metres above ground, 36 metres long and weighs more than 300 tonnes.
“Today, we are witnessing the installation of the longest bridge between two buildings in the northern emirates,” Mr Al Abdooli said.
“That bridge, part of the Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, will be one of the most iconic features of the property.
“There will be eight family rooms positioned within the bridge once complete.”
The bridge is supported by four main trusses, each weighing 55 tonnes and the structure was assembled in two pieces before being lifted into place using a 650-tonne crawler crane.
The bridge project – from design to installation – was completed in about 65 days by more than 55 workers.
The rooms will offer sea views on both sides of the hotel. It will also have private chalets and standalone villas with private pools and gardens – a first for the island.
Last year, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority started an online campaign called #FindRAKLater to encourage tourists to explore the emirate when travel restrictions eased.
The UAE travel and tourism sector accounts for about 12 per cent of the country's gross domestic product, according to government data.
Raki Philips, chief executive of the tourism authority, said the sector was the fastest contributor to the emirate's economic growth.
Of the 1.1 million visitors who visited Ras Al Khaimah last year, 60 per cent were international tourists.
Unesco sites from Ras Al Khaimah - in pictures
