Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

2 2 4 O ur role as a tourism development authority is to ensure that the necessary safety measures are in place to protect the health and wellbeing of our visitors and provide the peace of mind they need for a truly well-deserved holiday. The authority has implemented strict sanitary and hygiene measures, resulting in it being the first city globally to be certified by Bureau Veritas, and the first emirate to secure the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council. Despite cruise services currently being suspended, our port terminals are ready and well equipped to welcome our visitors once again, with strict safety measures in place to ensure their safety. The terminals now have automated temperature monitoring digital systems and all passengers and crew will undergo a medical screening procedure upon arrival into United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will be monitored and supervised by the Ras Al Khaimah Ministry of Health. Once they have passed through this facility, they will be allowed to proceed through the automated E-Gate Immigration System and enter the UAE. All staff and federal departments are obliged to wear face masks and gloves while in the terminal building and sanitising liquids are distributed throughout the terminal for use. Moreover, the staff will clean and sanitise the terminal building, jetties and external public areas more frequently. The cruise segment is a key part of our strategy and we’ve been working on developing the infrastructure to promote our cruise tourism proposition even before the Covid-19 crisis. Over the past year or so, the RAK Ports authority has finalised the transformation of its old ferry terminal into a modern and efficient boutique cruise passenger terminal and developed marine transport infrastructure around it. We are hiring a new cruise agency in 2021 and will be attending key international cruise events and exhibitions. In the last quarter of 2020, we will also be organising several familiarisation trips as an ongoing effort to develop and reinforce the boutique cruise and water tourism proposition in the emirate. CFR Raki Phillips is CEO of Ras Al Kaimah Tourism Development Authority MIDDLE EAST: V IEWPOINT Safety first Raki Phillips: Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority Raki Phillips explains how Ras al Kaminah is preparing for the return of cruise tourism following the pandemic