The casino in Ras Al Khaimah plans to attract more than 5 million tourists

More than 5 million tourists are expected to visit Ras Al Khaimah thanks to the opening of the first casino in the UAE, located at the Wynn Al Marjan Island Resort. Colliers International believes this will change the game for the tourism market in Ras Al Khaimah.

By 2023, the resort is expected to attract over 5.5 million tourists, exceeding the local Tourism Development Authority's target of 3 million tourists. The opening of the new resort will not only bring more tourists to the region, but also boost the economy.

It is expected that the resort will attract 3.8 million tourists by 2027, with an average annual growth rate of 28% compared to 2022. Additionally, the new resort will create a significant number of new jobs. According to Colliers' report, in 2022, Russians became the leaders in terms of tourist flow volume to Ras Al Khaimah, followed by travelers from Kazakhstan.

Wynn Resorts, an international developer, has already chosen the main contractor for the construction of the casino-hotel on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah - ALEC Engineering and Contracting. The company, which is part of the Dubai Investment Corporation (DIC), has been awarded the contract to build the resort complex. Bauer International will handle the piling work. The casino hotel will open in a year, in 2027.

Currently, Ras Al Khaimah is updating its legislative framework and developing rules for gambling, taking into account the experience of Singapore and the United States. The Wynn Marjan casino-hotel will have an area of ??approximately 18,500 square meters and will become home to one of the ten largest casino hotels in the world. The Al Marjan Island resort complex will have 1,000 hotel rooms, over 10 restaurants and lounges, a large conference center, as well as shopping and spa centers.

The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has created a new department to regulate the operations of gaming establishments, which will deal with licensing, taxation, operational activities, and consumer protection specifically for the construction of the new resort.

Keywords: Ras Al Khaimah casino tourism Wynn Al Marjan Island Resort Colliers International UAE development economy ALEC Engineering and Contracting Bauer International gambling regulations licensing taxation consumer protection