US Hotel Brands Set to Operate Nearly Half of Ras Al Khaimah's Hotel Keys, Building Upon Decades-Long Partnerships with American Operators

Delegation visits five U.S. cities, as bilateral relationships and investment opportunities are presented

RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates, September 18, 2026--U.S.-operated hotel brands will account for almost half of the total portfolio of the hospitality developments within Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.

A total of 6,365 of the 12,811 hotel keys in the Emirate are set to be operated through U.S. companies and brands, making it the largest single-market share held by any group of operators. The increase in U.S.-operated keys in Ras Al Khaimah builds on the Emirate's long-standing partnerships with high-end U.S. brands Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria. When Waldorf Astoria was looking to Middle East markets, it chose Ras Al Khaimah as its first UAE location, opening the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah in 2013.

The figure of U.S. hotel keys in Ras Al Khaimah is published as a delegation from the Emirate travel to the United States from September 20 to October 10, visiting Miami, Detroit, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and New York.

Fourteen international hotel brands are now signed or operating across Al Marjan Island, Marjan Beach and RAK Central, the Emirate's key lifestyle and business hubs.

Among the brands committed to Ras Al Khaimah include Wynn Al Marjan Island, the UAE's first integrated resort, scheduled to open in 2027. Spanning more than 60 hectares, with 1,530 rooms, 22 restaurants, bars and lounges, 12 pools and 550 meters of private beach, the project is the largest single U.S. foreign direct investment project in the UAE.

Other major projects include Janu Al Marjan Island, an Aman brand, in addition to others already operating including the Ritz-Carlton and Waldorf Astoria.

Arch. Abdulla Rashid Al Abdouli, Chief Executive Officer of Marjan Group, said: "International capital commits when it can see a comprehensive plan and we are curating Ras Al Khaimah for the next 30 years, so that each project connects to the next rather than standing alone. The interconnectivity of Al Marjan Island, Marjan Beach and RAK Central bring all that together in a unique environment."

Alison Grinnell, Group COO, Marjan and CEO, Marjan Hospitality, said: "The number and quality of brands coming to Ras Al Khaimah highlights a considered assessment of this market by some of the most experienced operators in the industry, and we treat it as a responsibility as much as an endorsement. Our role as master developer is to ensure those commitments are matched by the infrastructure, connectivity and planning discipline that allow each property to perform, and to make sure operators who open here have reason to open a second."