Disabled Travelers Are Often Ignored. Ras Al Khaimah Hopes to Change That

The Ras Al Khaimah government has partnered with Sage Inclusion, a global provider of accessible tourism consulting, to position the emirate as the world’s first certified destination for travelers with disabilities. Together with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, Sage has developed a certification process that aims to pitch the once lesser-known emirate as a hub for inclusive travel.

“We’re just about to become the first Sage-accredited destination in the world. We see that as the beginning of the journey,” said Emil Petrov, Vice President of Strategy and Insights at tourism authority, during a recent panel discussion moderated by Skift.

John Sage, founder and CEO of Sage Inclusion, said the sector’s biggest challenge is communication.

“The industry as a whole is not doing a very good job of marketing to people with disabilities,” said Sage. “We are very thirsty for accessible information. But I’ll tell you how overlooked this is — I’m a manual wheelchair user, CEO of three accessible travel companies, I travel constantly, and I receive no ads from any airport, airline, cruise line, or hotel chain.”

“No one is saying, ‘We’re accessible — here’s how — book with us.’ The industry is missing out on a huge demographic.”

An Untapped Market

In 2022, MMGY Global released Portrait of Travelers with Disabilities: Mobility and Accessibility, a survey highlighting the travel challenges faced by people who use mobility aids and their companions. The most common frustrations included lost or damaged mobility devices, inaccessible hotel amenities, and a lack of reliable information during trip planning.

The survey of U.S. travelers found that accessibility issues were widespread, with 96% of respondents reporting problems with lodging, 86% with flights, and 79% with local transport. Despite these barriers, travelers with mobility disabilities took an average of 3.4 leisure trips annually and spent around $3,546 per year, contributing a significant $58.2 billion annually to the U.S. travel economy.

According to the World Health Organization, 1.3 billion people — roughly 16% of the global population — live with a significant disability. While Ras Al Khaimah isn’t aiming to attract them all, it has set a target of 3.5 million visitors by 2030, with accessibility a pillar in its tourism expansion.

The first step in Ras Al Khaimah’s accreditation process is to centralize accessibility information across its tourism sector.

“The first stage for us is information provision,” said Petrov. “Not having centralized and consistent information is one of the biggest barriers to travel. But also, what gets measured gets managed. By putting the information out there, we create the right incentives.”

He added, “If the information is available, the demand will come.”

Building with Accessibility in Mind

The certification also ensures future developments in the emirate incorporate inclusive design from the outset.

“As part of the audit, we visited upcoming projects to ensure they had the right standard operating procedures to build in compliance and identify areas for improvement,” Petrov explained.

Ras Al Khaimah’s hotel inventory is expected to double by 2027, with nearly 7,000 new rooms under development and another 1,000 in planning for completion by 2030. Much of this growth is focused on Al Marjan Island — a man-made four-island archipelago — where brands like Marriott (including JW Marriott, Westin, W, and Le Méridien) and luxury operators like Nobu are establishing a presence.

Sage noted that the accreditation will also benefit MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) travel.

“It not only supports leisure travelers, but also event organizers and business travel managers,” he said. “They want accessibility but often lack the expertise or time to ensure it. With Ras Al Khaimah certified, they can confidently host events that include people with disabilities.”

“We evaluated hotels, attractions, transportation — everything — so that whether it’s a large group or a small one, they’ll know they can come here.”

Accessibility Efforts in The Region

While Ras Al Khaimah may be the first to get this new stamp from Sage, they are not the only ones in the region talking about accessibility. Just last week, neighboring emirate Dubai announced it had become the first autism-friendly-certified destination in the Eastern Hemisphere.

Recognized by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), Dubai’s certification means the city has implemented autism-friendly measures across airports, hotels, attractions, and transport systems. Over 70,000 people have been trained in autism and sensory awareness, more than 300 hotels are involved in the certification process, and key locations like Dubai International Airport, Emirates airline, and Expo City have received individual certifications.

In Saudi Arabia, Red Sea Global, the master developer of The Red Sea Project, says it is building all 50 of its new hotels, its new airport, and all transportation infrastructure with accessibility in mind.

Looking ahead, Petrov said Ras Al Khaimah’s goals will always shift when it comes to accessibility. “It’s a continuous journey. I think we’ll know that we succeed when we stop talking about accessibility and it just becomes natural and intuitive.”