Grand Plans for RAK properties!

The northern emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is all set to go into becoming the next popular tourist destination on the world map that would cater to tourists seeking a peaceful, relaxing vocation to the up-market tourist whose interests’ afar the sun, sand and sea. Its closer neighbor Dubai has been busy for more than thirty years into transforming its vast miles and miles of deserts into a wonderland gifting itself and to the world as a prime tourist destination and a world class business center. All these years RAS was happy and contended with its traditional economy while thriving on the sweet fruits of its rapidly growing industrial sector. This northern emirate endowed with the bounties of natural beauty with the mystical Hajar Mountains in the east, the deep splashing Arabian Gulf to the west and the gorgeous Musandam peninsula to the north besides unparallel topography distinctive of the region and mesmerizing enthralling sights soothing to the eyes. The emirate is all geared up to give its already flourishing neighbors thriving on artificial resources a run for their money yet ensuring that it does not give an impression as their mirror image. RAS plans to give its tourism industry a color which is a gentle mix of tradition imbued with a hue of modernity. It seeks to let its visitors get a feel of its rich past while being comfortable with the amenities contemporary life has to offer.
The government of RAS in its endeavor to make the emirate the next important tourist destination is doing so with its well charted out GRAND PLANS ambitiously titled Ras Al Khaimah- Top of the Emirates in joint collaboration with RAK Properties the leading real estate property developers functioning under the aegis of its Managing Director and CEO Mohammed Sultan Al Qadi. The step intends to serve twin purpose of not only bring RAS onto the world map but also facilitate generation of much needed revenue to further the standard of living of its people by bringing in superior projects.
In consonance with this strategy, the government has devised a tourism master plan with tentative investments of around Dh 5 billion which would see the erecting of luxury 4 star as well as 5 star hotels, luxurious residential complexes, an offshore island, mountain areas and redevelopment of the creek area.
The plan also includes the development of Jebel Jais Mountain Resort –a stunning mountain complex which would house a five star hotel, luxurious residential units, a snow slope and a climbing and abseiling centre. The tourism master plan is also covering the restoration and maintenance of the RAS heritage sites and its mountain belts besides the construction of luxurious sea facing four and five star hotels. The emirate is also promoting its Awafi Festival presently popular in the UAE and the Gulf into an international event attracting tourists from all over the globe. The festival organizer claims that more than 150,000 visitors have attended the festival and they plan to bring the European markets into their fold by devising special programmes for them and organizing excursions for them with the assistance of tourist agencies in Dubai.
The last three years has see 68% increase in the occupancy of visitors in six hotels and figure is expected to rise exponentially by 2010.
The RAS Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi’s has recent announced allowing of the foreigners to own residential development property on a free hold basis in the emirate will be a haven for expatriates in Dubai. The completion of the Emirates Road will further reduce the travel time between Dubai and RAS. Many of the people working in Dubai would want to own properties and bask in the in the development benefits of new RAS while escaping from the frustrating traffic congestion of Dubai.
RAK Properties is behind the completion of many of the projects in the emirate including the Mina Al Arab, a complex housing 14 hotels, 25,000 accommodation units, shops, a theme park, Julfar Towers, two 43-storey high skyscrapers for office space and accommodation by the creek and is scheduled to be ready by the end of next year. The design of Mangrove Islands, a low rise residential and commercial building is in pipeline.
In their prestigious list of real estate development projects, a community area complete with golf club, 2000 luxury villas, schools and a shopping mall on the Emirates Road is due completion by 2009. All the developments will be on free hold basis and attract foreigners and expatriates from all over the world into Ras Al Khaimah all set to hit the new horizons in light of its new GRAND PLANS.