A UAE delegation from Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK) is seeking greater investment ties with investors from mainland China and Hong Kong as the emirate’s team looks to ramp up FDI inflows.
RAK-China Visit
The high-level three-day mission in mainland China and Hong Kong aims to raise RAK’s profile whilst attracting regional investment into the emirate.
At the time of the visit, the delegation met local officials and representatives to promote the emirate as the UAE aims to diversify.
Until now, Dubai has led non-oil diversification in practise whilst Abu Dhabi is guiding the financing of the project.
FDI Inflows
Annual FDI inflows rose by 50% YoY in 2025, with a record $45B in FDI last year, even as global FDI declined by 11%.
RAK is positioning itself to take a slice of this FDI boom into the UAE.
Logistics Connection
The grand opening of Etihad Rail in 2026, the first national rail service for nationals and UAE residents, is forecast to scale-up the tourism industry in coastal lower-population-density emirates like RAK and Fujairah.
Operations will connect all 11 cities and is forecast to boost the national tourism sector by AED 21B over the next 40 years. Tourism authorities in RAK and Fujairah are positioning themselves to capitalise on the shorter time lags between the southern to northern emirates.
Capital Flows: Singapore & Hong Kong to GCC
Foreign Direct Investment is booming between Asia and the GCC: average Asian allocation in Gulf debt issues now range between 15-20%, up from 5% to 7% in early 2024.
Gulf banks are tapping Asian infrastructure funds in a bid to gain off state-backed investment in Asia, whilst UHNW individuals and family offices are relocating to Dubai to take advantage of better connectivity, taxation policies, and the regional ecosystem of American, European, and Asian capital pools in the city.
Singapore, a touted rival of Dubai and Hong Kong, is losing favour amongst some UHNW investors and family offices according to senior finance professionals at ADFW 2025 in conversation with ADFW 2025.
Hong Kong has 2,700 single family offices while Singapore has more than 2,000. Singapore’s millionaire inflow halved (2025).
RAK’s Recent Tourism Wins
RAK’s UAE first casino project is forecast to be operated under the brand of Hong Kong-listed Wynn Resorts. The Group CEO of UAE real estate firm Marjan, CEO Abdulla Al-Abdouli, commented on the developments: “Hong Kong is a very good gateway from the Middle East into Asia and China.”
Abdouli added that Wynn Al-Marjan Island, a signature integrated resort scheduled to open in 2027, will showcase some of the emirate’s distinctive attractions including 43km of coastline to Jebel Jais and the highest peak at about 1, 900 metres.
RAK is one of the seven emirates of the UAE often overlooked in favour of Dubai and Abu Dhabi for foreign investors.
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