Ras Al Khaimah Tourism, Royal Brunei Airlines ink partnership agreement

Ras Al Khaimah, 3rd June, 2015 (WAM) - Royal Brunei Airlines and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (TDA) announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to promote this exciting destination to UK audiences as well as through the airline's network in Australasia. Ras Al Khaimah, a growing presence on the Middle East's tourism landscape, is home to a number of leading international hotel brands as well as offering a wealth of cultural and heritage sites and adventure sports opportunities. Located in close proximity to Dubai International Airport, and with a pipeline of 2000 new hotel rooms to be delivered by 2018, Ras Al Khaimah provides Royal Brunei passengers with the chance to experience a new destination that is fully equipped to cater to families, couples and millennial travellers. Ras Al Khaimah is home to a number of leading international hotel brands including Rixos, Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, Rotana and Banyan Tree. Ras Al Khaimah's tourism sector is undergoing significant infrastructure development and investment as it seeks to capitalise on the growth potential that agreements with major international partners such as Royal Brunei Airlines that can offer. The partnership between Royal Brunei Airlines and Ras Al Khaimah TDA was announced during the prestigious Institute of Travel and Trade Conference, currently underway at the Waldorf Astoria Resort in Ras Al Khaimah. Royal Brunei is the official airline sponsor for this event which has attracted more than 400 of the UK's most highly ranked travel and tourism professionals to the Emirate. Royal Brunei Airlines has been operating successfully in UAE and UK markets for over 25 years and has an excellent reputation for customer service. Currently, the airline has a very convenient daily operating schedule between London Heathrow and UAE using the ultra-comfortable flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which will be very attractive to visitors to Ras Al Khaimah. In addition, Royal Brunei Airlines also operates daily from UAE to Brunei and beyond to more than 12 destinations across Australasia including Melbourne. This new exciting partnership with Ras Al Khaimah will involve a number of joint promotional events to media and travel trade. Initially, the UK market will be a key focus of attention and subsequently the partnership will be rolled out in other markets across Australasia. As part of the initiative, Royal Brunei Airlines will be working with travel trade partners to develop a range of competitively priced packages, which will be very attractive to travellers looking for unbeatable year-round sunshine breaks in Ras Al-Khaimah. Mr Dermot Mannion, Deputy Chairman and CEO of Royal Brunei Airlines said: "We are very proud to enter into this exciting new partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority. In order to demonstrate our commitment to the project, we will shortly open a brand new travel office in Ras Al Khaimah as part of our GSA arrangement in UAE. Royal Brunei and Ras Al Khaimah share a common commitment to high standards and service quality which we are confident will create a winning combination for the future'. Mr Haitham Mattar, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: "Ras Al Khaimah is experiencing a terrific upswing in momentum as we position ourselves to capitalise on the growth and expansion being experienced across the region. We have a strong pipeline of projects right across the Emirate that will be able to cater to families, couples and millennials. We have witnessed marked increases in tourists from the UK and our other source markets as they discover that Ras Al Khaimah can offer an experience unlike any other in the Gulf. Building long term committed partnerships with international carriers such as Royal Brunei only serve to underpin our ambitions to create a sustainable and prosperous industry here in Ras Al Khaimah." – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/economics/1395281359818.html