Ras Al Khaimah, a prominent emirate in the UAE, has officially become a sustainable tourist destination! The emirate has been awarded Silver Certification in EarthCheck’s Sustainable Destinations programme, making it the first location in the Middle East to receive this recognition.
EarthCheck is an organisation that specialises in scientific benchmarking and certification for sustainable travel and tourism. Its evaluation is rigorous and science-based, with a focus on people-centred certification. It assesses various criteria, including the establishment of a destination’s sustainability authority, the formulation of environmental, cultural, social and economic sustainability policies, benchmarking, certification, and ongoing monitoring and auditing to improve the destination’s sustainability performance each year.
EarthCheck’s sustainability indicators cover areas such as energy and water consumption, waste management, carbon footprint analysis, and community engagement.
Ras Al Khaimah’s sustainable tourism model: A UAE marvel
This recognition is particularly significant considering Ras Al Khaimah’s challenging climate, which necessitates a robust approach to managing energy and water consumption to meet the organisation’s stringent standards. The achievement comes at a crucial time, coinciding with the United Nations’ climate change conference, COP28, scheduled for November 2023, focusing on reducing global emissions to 43 percent by 2030.
Raki Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, emphasised that the Silver Certification awarded to this UAE emirate marks a significant step toward establishing the region as a leader in sustainable tourism.
Additionally, the Authority has introduced its own sustainability certification program for tourism businesses, known as ‘Responsible RAK’. It is supported by EarthCheck’s scientific data, and more than 20 tourism businesses are part of this programme. Ras Al Khaimah is also forging partnerships with operators and developers that prioritise sustainability. A notable example is the upcoming Wynn Al Marjan Island, which will be developed with local partners Marjan LLC and RAK Hospitality Holding LLC, to achieve the highest standards of sustainable practices, as reported by Travel Daily Media.
Find out more about EarthCheck here
Hero and Featured Image credit: Creative Family/Shutterstock
Related: Forget Dubai And Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah Is The Place To Be In The UAE
Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
