Magazine 2024 Opportunities Pack

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CONTACTS TO INTERVIEW

Art at home

Affiliates can be interviewed to provide quotes to be included in an editorial feature that covers a territory, subject, or lifestyle in which they have expertise and insight.

Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah is fast becoming the hottest destination in the United Arab Emirates for those looking for a grand adventure on a road less traveled The emerging emirate Words: Nicola Chilton

Peace and prosperity

Ras Al Khaimah offers the best of both worlds— tranquil beauty and an exciting

abundance of opportunity.

frame game Everything you ever wanted to know about living with art but were too afraid to ask… The

ubai, long the darling of the United Arab Emirates for its resorts, superlative shopping, and glamorous restaurants, may need to keep a sharp eye on the upstart that’s snapping at its heels. While the UAE’s northernmost emirate of Ras Al Khaimah may not yet be as famous as its neighbor to the south, great opportunities exist here. RAK, as it’s commonly known, has had a reputation for being a sleepy place, a weekend destination for UAE residents looking for a slower pace of life and less elevated accommodation. But Ras Al Khaimah is waking from its slumber, and it has ambitious plans. International visitors are starting to get wise to the emirate’s charms, too. The first half of 2023 saw an impressive 14.8 percent jump in arrivals, with new daily flights direct from Doha on Qatar Airways. Additional routes are slated to launch in 2024. Big brand luxury hoteliers are rushing to make their mark on RAK’s coastline. The emirate is already home to luxury resorts by Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria, and InterContinental, and a new Anantara is bringing Maldives-style overwater villas to the neighborhood. According to Raki Phillips, CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), more than 20 new hotel projects are in the pipeline, bringing an additional 7,183 keys to the emirate by 2027—an 80 percent growth. But goals in Ras Al Khaimah go much further than opening hotels, and Phillips is keen to ensure that development doesn’t come at the cost of the natural environment. It’s about expanding responsibly, he says. “As the licensing authority for all new hotel developments, RAKTDA is also able to set guidelines and protocols to regulate sustainability standards and work closely with hotels to ensure sustainable practices.” The emirate is also keen to go beyond tourism. While the trickle-down effect of increased leisure options, restaurants, and retail resulting from the new hotels will likely have a positive impact on residents’ quality of life, the additional development of infrastructure, along with improved health and transport facilities, make the emirate a serious contender for those looking for a long-term home. F

Words: Rachel Loos

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PROPERTIES TO FEATURE

Outdoor kitchens

Many features are planned with a related property spotlight—an in-depth feature on a specific property. There are also smaller, grouped property listings in the editorial section related to specific features.

Prepping a meal alfresco, with your garden as a backdrop, brings a whole new meaning to plant-based cooking. We celebrate the joy of outdoor kitchens FOOD for THOUGHT Words: Fiona McCarthy

iewers of last year’s Netflix documentary on former British footballer David Beckham may have a lasting memory of his safari-tent- style outdoor kitchen. Dreamed up

furniture, and customized grills is a relatively recent phenomenon. The National Kitchen & Bath Association in the U.S. concluded in its first-ever Luxury Outdoor Kitchen Report last year that outdoor kitchens were not only increasingly prevalent on every homeowner’s wish list, but the desire for one was also being driven by the trend for wellness as it gives people the opportunity to connect with nature through their outdoor spaces. “There’s something incredibly satisfying about incorporating the outdoors into our daily tasks,” says Houston-based interior designer Marie Flanigan. “We approach these spaces as we would any interior room, starting with an understanding of how the space needs to function, and then working on the layout before choosing hard finishes like surface slabs, flooring, backsplashes, and cabinetry that will withstand the location’s climate—paramount to lasting functionality.” Caroline Burvill of British outdoor kitchen and furniture specialists Gaze Burvill agrees. “We are big believers in encouraging our customers to F

by Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels filmmaker Guy Ritchie, the WildKitchen was launched at London’s Chelsea Flower Show in 2021. Ritchie’s canvas and hardwood tented kitchen celebrates year-round cooking in the great outdoors with family and friends—if a storm whips up, the fully-retractable roof can drop down quickly to keep everyone protected from the elements. Beckham is not alone in loving cooking outside. Outdoor kitchens are fast becoming big business, in part spurred on by the pandemic when people were stuck at home, but also by the value an outdoor kitchen brings to a property in terms of an adding another ‘room’ to its footprint. The design world’s love for marrying indoors and out isn’t new, but investing in a serious outdoor kitchen with all the mod cons, bespoke

A breath of fresh air Clive Christian Furniture’s Garden Kitchen at a mansion in Surrey, England.

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