Ras Al Khaimah to host Middle East Gala Ceremony 2018

The ceremony heralds the opening leg of the WTA Grand Tour 2018 – a search for the finest travel and tourism organisations in the world. The Grand Tour 2018 also marks WTA’s 25th anniversary of honouring excellence in the international hospitality industry.

It will be WTA’s first visit to Ras Al Khaimah, the most northerly of the UAE’s seven emirates.

Graham Cooke, Founder and President, WTA, said: “It will be an absolute pleasure to visit Ras Al Khaimah for the very first time. Fringed by the majestic Al Hajar Mountains amid swathes of terracotta coloured dunes, Ras Al Khaimah promises an authentic Arabian experience."

“WTA has maintained its position as the industry leader for the past 25 years, consistently proving its value as the global benchmark for excellence in the travel, tourism and hospitality business,” added Cooke.

“This year will be extra special as we will be celebrating our 25th anniversary so there is a lot to look forward to, starting with our Middle East Gala Ceremony 2018 in partnership with Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.”

As part of the Grand Tour 2018, WTA is also hosting ceremonies in Athens (Greece), Jamaica, Hong Kong, Guayaquil (Ecuador), Durban (South Africa), with the winners progressing to the Grand Final in Lisbon (Portugal)

Haitham Mattar, CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), said: “It is a great honour to welcome the prestigious World Travel Awards gala dinner for the first time to Ras Al Khaimah, an event that brings together travel industry leaders worldwide. Choosing Ras Al Khaimah to be the host of this event is testimony of our growing appeal within the MICE sector and we look forward to the guests experiencing our authentic Arabian hospitality and diverse tourism offer.” 

The WTA Middle East Gala Ceremony 2018 will take place alongside the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) which runs from 17th-19th April.

Voting for the WTA Middle East Gala Ceremony is now open and runs until 18th March 2018.