Ras Al Khaimah has developed its first agent training programme and announced a programme of fam trips for next year to educate the trade about the emirate.
This comes as the destination gets ready to unveil the world’s longest zipline – which is open for VIPs and dignitaries from December 4 before opening to the public on January 1, 2018 – among a host of other adventure product set to open next year.
Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authorty chief executive, Haitham Mattar, said: “We have done several fam trips this year for media and trade, and we will continue to focus on working with the travel trade, especially with adventure tourism.
“We will continue education through fam trips, and this year we will be launching our online training portal for trade, which goes live in December.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a training programme. We thought it the best way to ensure that we keep our travel agents abreast of the developments. We are a new, up-and-coming destination and we want to make sure that we keep everyone abreast of the changes in real time.”
The online course has three modules focusing on an introduction to the destination, adventure, and culture, with further modules to be added in future. Agents who complete the course will be eligible for discounts on activities and attractions in the destination, receive invitations to take part in exclusive workshops, and get the chance to attend a fam trip.
Thomas Cook opened a Smartline Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort this month, one of 13 new properties set to open by 2020. There has also been significant investment in the country’s adventure tourism product: enhancing capacity on the via ferrata on the UAE’s highest mountain Jebel Jais; installing a new Jebel Jais Viewing Deck; and mapping out hiking routes and challenging biking trails which are due to open in mid-2018.
The tourist board is also developing a potential site for a Bear Grylls survival academy and is working on a luxury campsite and adventure park in the mountains, which could be open as early as this time next year.