Al Marjan Island set to drive Ras Al Khaimah’s hotel growth through 2030
Ras Al Khaimah is set to add thousands of hotel rooms, with Al Marjan Island taking centre stage as tourism continues to grow.
Key takeaways:
- Ras Al Khaimah is set to add 8,500 hotel rooms between 2027 and 2030, with almost two-thirds of the new supply planned for Al Marjan Island.
- Wynn Al Marjan Island is a key part of the hotel expansion, with the UAE’s first licensed casino scheduled to open in September 2027 and featuring 1,530 rooms.
- Al Marjan Island’s property market is continuing to grow, with apartment sales values rising 23.1 per cent year-on-year in H1 2026.
- Hotel visitor numbers are strengthening, with Ras Al Khaimah recording 670,400 visitors in H1 2026, up 2.7 per cent year-on-year, while domestic and GCC visitor numbers both increased 47 per cent.
Ras Al Khaimah is set to add 8,500 hotel rooms between 2027 and 2030, with almost two-thirds of the new supply planned for Al Marjan Island, according to real estate services firm CBRE.
The expansion comes ahead of the September 2027 opening of Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE’s first licensed land-based casino and gaming facility, adding a major new element to the emirate’s tourism offering.
CBRE’s RAK Real Estate Market Review – H1 2026, released on September 21, said Ras Al Khaimah currently has around 9,000 operational hotel rooms across 60 hotels. More than 80 per cent of future hotel supply is expected to be in the five-star category.
Wynn Al Marjan Island is now expected to cost around US$5.7bn, after its project budget increased by US$600m, according to reporting on Wynn Resorts’ latest earnings update.
The hotel expansion is unfolding alongside a rising property market. CBRE said apartment sales values on Al Marjan Island rose 23.1 per cent year-on-year during H1 2026.
Across Ras Al Khaimah, apartment values increased 18.0 per cent to AED2,298 (US$626) per sq ft, while villa sales values rose 7.3 per cent. Apartment rents also moved higher, increasing 14.3 per cent year-on-year, with growth led by Mina Al Arab and Al Marjan Island.
The residential pipeline is expanding at the same time. More than 34,000 residential units are expected to be delivered across Ras Al Khaimah between 2026 and 2030, including around 10,000 branded residences, CBRE said.
Tourism numbers have also been moving upwards. Ras Al Khaimah recorded 670,400 hotel visitors during H1 2026, up 2.7 per cent year-on-year. Domestic visitor numbers increased 47 per cent, while arrivals from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets also rose 47 per cent.
The growing hotel pipeline comes as Marjan prepares for Wynn Al Marjan Island and the changes the resort is expected to bring to the emirate’s tourism market.
In comments to Gulf News, Marjan Group COO and Marjan Hospitality CEO Alison Grinnell said Wynn would bring its own customer base to Ras Al Khaimah, while the arrival of gaming could broaden the emirate’s visitor mix. “So I think there’ll be a continued pickup of that, plus people travelling from more gaming-centric markets as well,” she said.
Grinnell described Wynn as a critical milestone for Ras Al Khaimah and said Marjan is working to ensure transport, infrastructure, supply chains and the wider ecosystem are ready for the resort’s opening.
She also said Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism sector could return to pre-conflict levels in 2027, depending on regional developments.
Wynn Al Marjan Island will feature a 70-storey integrated resort tower and 1,530 rooms. Wynn Al Marjan Island will also offer a range of luxury accommodation, including newly unveiled Townhomes and two ultra-luxury apartments within its Enclave development. Elsewhere on Al Marjan Island, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is developing Dolce Residences, comprising 93 waterfront residences and five retail spaces.
