His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, today received an award for Outstanding Leadership after delivering an insightful keynote speech to open the 15th Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) at the Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center in Ras Al Khaimah.
H.H. Sheikh Saud was presented with the award in recognition of his formidable achievements in leading Ras Al Khaimah to unprecedented levels of success, particularly with regard to the Emirate’s burgeoning tourism and hospitality industry. The Outstanding Leadership Award is part of the prestigious annual AHIC Creating Impact Awards, and was presented to H.H. Sheikh Saud by Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events and Founder of AHIC, and Amine Moukarzel, President, MENA Region – Louvre Hotels Group.
Prior to receiving the award, H.H. Sheikh Saud spoke to a 1,000-strong audience of top-level hoteliers, operators and investors about the progress Ras Al Khaimah has made in recent years.
His Highness Sheikh Saud said during his speech:
“I have great admiration for the leadership of the UAE. So I thank His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai; and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for their continuous commitment to the development and prosperity of the UAE. Under their leadership, there has been rapid progress in a short period of time.
In the tourism sector in Ras Al Khaimah we have witnessed exponential growth – reaching more than 1 million tourists for 2018. We have also overseen vast improvements in education, in health and in the standard of living in Ras Al Khaimah. Yet we still have bold ambitions for the future.
Already Ras Al Khaimah stands out from the crowd in terms of its diversity. Diversity of attractions … diversity of industries … and diversity of investment opportunities.
We must achieve our goals, so that the next generation can look back on our legacy and talk with pride of the wisdom and achievements of their parents, as we do of the founders of this great nation.”
Commenting on the Outstanding Leadership Award given to H.H. Sheikh Saud, Mr. Worsley said:
“We could not think of a more deserving winner for the AHIC Outstanding Leadership Award 2019 than His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. We are thrilled and honored to have His Highness attend and speak at the 15th edition of AHIC and thank him for his ongoing support of the conference.”
AHIC, now in its 15th year and for the second year in a row hosted in Ras Al Khaimah, is the annual gathering for the Middle East’s hospitality investment community. AHIC is a knowledge and networking platform for global and regional investors, offering essential insights to investing in hotels, showcasing regional and international hospitality investment opportunities and facilitating direct connections with hospitality industry stakeholders. The final day of the 3-day conference takes place on Thursday, April 11.
