A massive housing development dedicated to hospitality employees in Ras Al Khaimah is ready to welcome the first of its 3,000 residents, as the emirate gears up to double its hotel inventory within the next few years.
The first phase of The Campus, being developed by state-owned Ras Al Khaimah Hospitality Holding, is complete and will start receiving tenants within the next two months, Alison Grinnell, chief executive of RAKHH, told The National.
The hospitality-dedicated high-end accommodation project comes as Ras Al Khaimah prepares for an influx of employees to run the multi-billion dollar developments springing up in the emirate.
The hospitality sector in the northern emirate is expected to create more than 25,000 new job opportunities by 2030, according to data from Stirling Hospitality Advisors consultancy.
The Campus will include shopping avenues, community centres, cafes and outdoor spaces. Phase 2 of the development − the master plan of which has yet to be revealed − is expected to be double the size of the first phase.
“The Campus is a home away from home for hospitality employees – aiming to provide a high quality of life,” Ms Grinnell said.
Accommodation will be assigned based on designations and job roles, with units and buildings earmarked for entry-level, supervisory, junior-level management and other managerial staff, media reports earlier suggested, but the company did not comment on it.
More hotels, more jobs
RAKHH− which operates through several subsidiaries that manage hotels, logistics, restaurants and leisure assets across the emirate − is also working on other hotel projects.
“We have several new hotels in the pipeline, looking to meet the demands of different customer segments and take advantage of the unique topography of the emirate,” Ms Grinnell said.
“We are working on developments on Jebel Jais, on the beach and in the desert. Wynn Al Marjan will contribute circa 1,500 [rooms], which, of course, contributes to the overall inventory growth,” said Ms Grinnell.
The $5.1 billion Wynn resort – expected to create 7,000 jobs when it opens in 2027 − is a joint venture between RAKHH, Marjan and US-based hotel operator Wynn.
“The arrival of Wynn Al Marjan will significantly benefit the entire emirate, becoming a strong pillar of the broader destination strategy,” said Ms Grinnell.
“The integrated resort will create extensive job opportunities, increase demand for hotel keys, attract new suppliers and benefit from enhanced staff accommodation."
RAKHH's hospitality portfolio also includes Pullman Resort Al Marjan Island, Rixos Beach Resort, Hilton Garden Inn and the Ritz Carlton, Al Wadi Desert.
The group, which brought Rixos Hotels to its fold last year, operates and manages hotel ventures across three countries through its subsidiary, Stirling Hospitality Advisors.
RAKHH also announced two new additions to its portfolio in Jebel Jais – the Saij Mountain Lodge by Mantis Collection and a fire and grill restaurant concept in partnership with Rikas Hospitality.
Branded residences in demand
The tourism boost is also shaping real estate demand in the emirate with the supply of residential units set to double by 2030. A report released by Savills Middle East said at least 11,000 units were scheduled for completion over the next five years.
Meanwhile, about 40 per cent of all new developments coming up in the emirate are branded residences, The RAK Investment Pulse report by Stirling Hospitality Advisors found.
RAKHH's Ritz-Carlton Residences is seeing strong demand, Ms Grinnell said. Unit prices start at around Dh15 million ($4 million), according to online listings.
“The [branded residence] concept fits ideally with the demands we are seeing from both travellers and new residents. Interest in branded residences is coming from both investors and also people looking for second homes," she said.
"We see interest coming from numerous source markets, European, Asian and GCC, varying according to the product on offer."
'Destination of the future'
Ras Al Khaimah celebrated its best year for tourism, with a record 1.28 million overnight arrivals in 2024 and plans to increase annual visitors to three million by 2030.
Connectivity to Ras Al Khaimah has improved significantly with the introduction of direct flights from cities in Poland, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Romania, the Czech Republic, Russia, Saudi Arabia and India.
With a focus on sustainable tourism, Ras Al Khaimah is also ranked among the top 10 cities for expats in the InterNations City Ranking 2024.
