RAK Airways, the national airline of Ras Al-Khaimah, announced on Wednesday the launch of its first holiday promotion to the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, as part of an extensive joint marketing campaign between RAK Tourism and its Sri Lankan counterpart to promote their respective tourist destinations. The announcement was made in the presence of Dilip Mudadeniya, managing director of Sri Lanka Tourism, and other key dignitaries and industry officials at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2008 being held at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center. RAK Airways is the fourth national airline of the UAE established in February 2006. The airline operates both charter and scheduled services to several international destinations, as it aims to promote Ras Al-Khaimah on the global map and support the economic development of the emirate. The promotion comes only months after RAK Airways launched its inaugural 4-hour direct flights to Colombo, which are part of the airline's aggressive program to increase its fleet and expand its coverage of key international markets. RAK Airways also announced during ATM 2008 that it will soon open a new division to manage holiday packages for all its international destinations. “RAK Airways is moving forward and acting swiftly to take advantage of the growing interest in Ras Al- Khaimah from tourists and entrepreneurs all over the world. The new flights to Colombo will help strengthen our presence in the Asian market and also open new opportunities to expand in other key destinations in the region,” said Sheikh Salem Bin Sultan Al-Qasimi, chairman of RAK Civil Aviation and deputy chairman of RAK Airways. K. Ravindran, COO, RAK Airways, said: “The continued growth of RAK Airways will positively contribute to Ras Al-Khaimah's economy and will be a critical element in the long-term development program of the emirate. In addition, RAK Airways' expansion initiatives and strong market performance will help further promote Ras Al- Khaimah in the global tourism sector and consolidate the emirate's growing reputation as a favourite holiday destination in the region.” While tourist arrivals through RAK Airways have been projected to reach up to 60,000 passengers in 2008, the airline is seeking to further increase its capacity to complement the ongoing upgrade program being implemented at the RAK International Airport, which expects to handle over 1.2 million passengers by 2009. The robust growth prospects of the emirate's airline industry are based on the increasing visitor footfall in Ras Al-Khaimah, which according to RAK tourism officials reached around 500,000 in 2007. Within the next four years, industry experts have predicted a 400 per cent increase in total number of visitors, or about 2.5 million travelers to the emirate by 2012. RAK International Airport is only one hour away from Dubai though the Emirates Road, wherein travellers can reach the airport by taking Exit 119 just before they reach Ras al Khaimah City. With the airport offering free parking for travellers, plus easy and hassle-free check-in procedure, more and more travelers have been making RAK Airways their preferred airline in the UAE. __
