Ras Al Khaimah Becomes the First City in the World to be Certified as Safe by Bureau Veritas

• As travel starts to return, visitors to Ras Al Khaimah can be assured that global standards in safety and hygiene are implemented across the Emirate
• Ras Al Khaimah was confirmed as the first city and Emirate in the world to receive both the prestigious Safeguard Assurance Label from Bureau Veritas and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp
• Al Hamra International Exhibition and Conference Center is also the first MICE facility in the Middle East to be Bureau Veritas certified

30 June 2020, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE: Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) today confirmed that the city has been certified as a safe destination by Bureau Veritas, the global leader in testing, inspection and certification services, as it completes its Safeguard Assurance program. It is first city in the world to receive both the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Assurance Label and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp which recognize the heightened safety standards, training and hygiene protocols in place across the Emirate.

Through a strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas, the Authority has led the way in implementing stringent health, safety and hygiene measures across all Ras Al Khaimah hotels to mitigate any possible risks for employees and guests and providing complete confidence in the destination. Through an ongoing series of independent audits of all its hotels in the Emirate, the partnership was designed to further validate the measures and processes already in place, and takes RAKTDAs Stay Safe Hotel Certification Program to the next level. In addition, the close to 50,000 sqft Al Hamra International Exhibition Conference Center is following the detailed protocols developed by Bureau Veritas global health, safety and hygiene specialists and will become the first certified MICE (meeting, incentive, convention event) facility in the region.

Adding to the global validation, Ras Al Khaimah is the first Emirate in UAE to receive the World Travel and Tourism Councils (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp, the worlds first ever global safety and hygiene stamp for the travel and tourism industry, designed specifically to address COVID-19 and similar outbreaks. The protocols were developed in collaboration with WTTC members (including RAKTDA), leading industry associations and international organizations and covers operational and staff preparedness, ensuring a safe experience, re-building trust and confidence and implementing enabling policies. They also follow the current guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will continue to be updated as new information about COVID-19 becomes available.

Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority,comments, As travel starts to resume, our role as a tourism development authority is to ensure that robust measures are in place to protect the health and safety of our visitors and provide the peace of mind they need for a truly well-deserved holiday. We are immensely proud to be the first destination in the world to be certified as safe by Bureau Veritas and receive the WTTC safe travels stamp and believe it will go a long way to restore confidence and bring tourists back to Ras Al Khaimah. It also validates the huge efforts of our hospitality partners who are focused on delivering the highest global safety standards, today and every day, as we navigate this new normal for the industry.

He added: WTTC is a very important partner for RAKTDA and one we wholeheartedly support in its efforts to restart and speed up the recovery of the sector in the wake of COVID-19. The WTTC Safe Travels Stamp is an important vehicle to demonstrate alignment with essential safety protocols of the highest level and we are delighted that we can reassure visitors that Ras Al Khaimah meets these global standards.

About Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is the northernmost of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. It isknown for its rich history,dating back 7,000 years,anddiverse landscape, from 64km of pristine beaches, to terracotta deserts and an imposing mountain backdrop. TheEmirate is home to the highest peak in the UAE, Jebel Jais,standing at 1,934 meters and featuring the worlds longest zip line,atalmost 3km.

Ras Al Khaimah is also centrally located at the modern crossroad between Europe, Asia and Africa, with one third of the worlds population within four hours flying time, making it an ideal location for businesses to expand into the UAE, the Middle East and Africa and beyond.Indeed, the World Banks Doing Business report ranks Ras Al Khaimah 30^thout of 190 economies for ease of doing business.

At the Emirate's economic heart lies multiple major companies and diverse sectoral interests, including manufacturing and tourism. Major companies include: RAK Ceramics, RAKBANK, Julphar Pharmaceuticals, RAK Ports, RAK Rock, Stevin Rock, RAK Economic Zone, RAK Gas. Supporting these industries is a modern infrastructure, state-of-the-art industrial areas and business parks and world-class hotels, facilities and attractions for tourists.

Ras Al Khaimah is also a cultural melting pot with agrowing population, currently at about 375,000, 31% of which is local Emirati. It is considered an extremely safe place to live,consistently ranked highly in global surveys.

With year-round sunshine,straightforwardbusiness set-up and a competitive and affordable cost of living, Ras Al Khaimah is the informed choice for business, lifestyle andtravel.

About Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA)

The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (TDA) was established in May 2011 under the government of Ras Al Khaimah. In order to attract 1.5 million visitors by 2021, and 3 million visitors by 2025, the Ras Al Khaimah TDA aims to develop the Emirates tourism infrastructure and establish Ras Al Khaimah as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel, creating sustainable investment opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. In order to achieve its goals, the Ras Al Khaimah TDA has a government mandate to license, regulate and monitor the Emirates tourism and hospitality industry.

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About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world-leading provider in testing, inspection and certification. Created in 1828, the Group has more than 78,000 employees located in more than 1,500 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients to improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.

Bureau Veritas has been present in the Middle East for more than 50 years and currently has more than 4,000 employees across the region in more than 50 offices and laboratories located in 18 countries.

For more information, visithttps://middle-east.bureauveritas.com, and follow us onLinkedIn.

About WTTC:

The World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC) is the body which represents the Travel Tourism private sector globally. The Members include over 170 CEOs, Chairmans and Presidents of the worlds leading Travel Tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. WTTC works to raise awareness of Travel Tourism as one of the world's largest economic sectors, supporting one in 10 jobs (319 million) worldwide and generating 10.4% (US$8.8 trillion) of world GDP in 2018. WTTC conducts research on the Economic Impact of Travel Tourism in 185 countries for nearly 30 years. In 2018, the Travel Tourism industry experienced 3.9% growth, compared to the global economy (3.2%). One in five new jobs were created by the industry over the last five years and is why WTTC is the best partner for governments to create jobs. Their priorities are: Security Travel Facilitation, Crisis Preparedness, Management Recovery, and Sustainable Growth.
https://www.wttc.org/