Mövenpick debuts in RAK

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has finalised a deal to operate the Swiss hospitality firm’s first property in Ras Al Khaimah, scheduled to open in 2019.

TT Bureau

Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah, will have 550 rooms and boasts a prime beachfront location, offering guests views of the Arabian Gulf and Ras Al Khaimah coastline. Al Marjan Island is Ras Al Khaimah’s first man-made project, built to the tune of $1.8 billion, and features a cluster of coralshaped islands, creating a destination that is fast emerging as a top Middle East holiday hotspot.

Mövenpick’s upcoming five-star resort, comprising 430 rooms and suites and 120 serviced apartments, will cater to the increasing number of local and global leisure travellers heading to this idyllic beach destination. Visitor numbers to Ras Al Khaimah are expected to surge 11 per cent to reach more than 820,000 in 2016, according to the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, which has set a target of one million arrivals by the end of 2018.

“Mövenpick Resort Al Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah, is a valuable addition to our portfolio and will provide leisure travellers with another compelling reason to visit one of the UAE’s most stunning holiday destinations,” said Andreas Mattmüller, Chief Operating Officer, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Middle East and South Asia.

Al Marjan Island is close to RAK International Airport, served by scheduled carriers such as Qatar Airways, Air Arabia and Air India Express, as well as numerous European and Russian charter airlines, while the world’s busiest airport, Dubai International, is just 45 minutes by road.