Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) is putting its final preparations in place to host the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Middle East & North Africa Leaders Forum 2019 next week. The forum will take place on 2 October at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center in Ras Al Khaimah for the first time in the region and will bring together key industry leaders to discuss the core issues facing the region’s travel sector.

The one-day programme is set to bring together government agencies, industry associations, CEOs and senior leaders of the top travel and tourism companies, experts, and media from across the region, in an effort to explore contemporary issues facing the sector and discuss growth opportunities to advance the regional agenda.

‘Leading by Example’ is one of the key panel discussions, set to discuss investment opportunities and key challenges faced by the region in its journey to establishing itself as a global hub for travel and tourism. The panel discussions are also going to delve on the need for skill development and job creation with the sector’s promising contribution to the economy; sustainable development with climate action being top on agenda; and the leveraging the digital disruption to the sector’s benefit.

Raki Phillips, chief executive officer of RAKTDA said: “The opportunity to host this prestigious industry forum comes at a pivotal time as we aim to fuel a sustainable tourism-driven economic growth in Ras Al Khaimah, as guided by our current Destination Strategy 2019-2021. Tourism remains one of the key drivers of the Emirate’s continued growth in GDP and employment.”