RAKTDA, Airbnb ink agreement

Dubai - * Airbnb and RAKTDA sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote responsiblehosting in the Emirate* MoU follows the new Directive officially recognising home sharing in Ras Al Khaimah* New agreement will support the growing number of visitors looking to experience theEmirate like a local

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and Airbnb have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote responsible home sharing, boost tourism and diversify the tourism offer in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah.
The announcement was made by Haitham Mattar, chief executive officer of RAKTDA and Hadi Moussa, Airbnb's General Manager for the Middle East and Africa, at a Press conference in Ras Al Khaimah.
This agreement follows the recent adoption of a new Directive which makes clear that people in the Emirate are allowed to share their space as long as they respect basic safety rules and register via a simple online process.
As part of the MoU, Airbnb and Ras Al Khaimah will promote the new rules and responsible home sharing by creating a Responsible Hosting Page informing hosts of the rules and linking to official information and sending regular email reminders to hosts; Exchange insights and learnings about travel trends on Airbnb in order to raise awareness about the positive impacts of the Airbnb Community and boost tourism.
Haitham Mattar, chief executive officer of RAKTDA, said: "The MoU that we've signed with Airbnb marks a massive milestone towards diversifying the tourism scene in Ras Al Khaimah. We aim to welcome one million visitors by end of 2018 and 2.9 million by 2025, and therefore the demand for more rooms is essential to accommodate those visitors. We are confident that our partnership with a leading international hospitality pioneer such as Airbnb will help take Ras Al Khaimah's tourism offering to the next level. In addition, this project will strengthen our ability to increase the choice of options for our guests and cater to a more diverse traveler portfolio, particularly in light of growing demand towards the sharing economy."
On the new Directive legitimising home sharing, Haitham added: "As part of RAKTDA's responsibility, we will ensure that hosts adhere to the quality standards of safety, insurance, health and amenities needed to enhance the visitors experience."
Hadi Moussa, General Manager Airbnb Middle East and Africa said "Ras Al Khaimah is a wonderful place to visit and I'm excited that our growing host community will support the Emirate in attracting more travellers to the region and help the diversification of tourism. Airbnb has so far partnered with over 350 governments around the world and we are committed to being good partners to the Emirate and support the responsible growth of innovative forms of tourism."
The new Directive and agreement between RAKTDA and Airbnb will ensure that more residents of Ras al Khaimah will be able enjoy the benefits of tourism and more guests will be able to discover all the Emirate has to offer. - business@khaleejtimes.com