Ras Al Khaimah new investment hotspot offering 30-50% ROI, Marjan CEO urges investors to benefit from RAK property and tourism sectors at ICAI Dubai Conference

Officials and investment experts also urge Non-Resident Indians to invest in equity markets, especially in pre-IPO stage to multiply wealth, at a conference titled: Opportunities Unlimited: Investing in a World of Possibilities, organised by the Dubai Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)

Date: Dubai, UAE; September 30, 2025

The emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is the next investment hotspot offering 30-50 percent Return on Investment (RoI), Abdulla Al Abdouli, Chief Executive Officer of Marjan told members of the Dubai Chapter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), urging investors to benefit from the opportunities in the emirate’s real estate and hospitality sectors, at a conference held in Dubai on Sunday.

The conference, Opportunities Unlimited: Investing in a World of Possibilities, is one of the many knowledge series organised by the ICAI Dubai Chapter to help its members benefit from investment opportunities across the UAE and India – where most Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) invest in equity, bond, real estate, commodities and currencies, among other asset classes.

“Dreams do not come true by dreaming. Neither hard work can make dream come true, nor smart work can make it true. For making a dream come true, two things are required – Smartness and Boldness. Smartness to understand and gather knowledge, boldness to put into action.” said by CA Jai Prakash Agarwal, Chairman of ICAI Dubai Chapter while addressing this important event on Investments and Opportunities.

Mr. Agarwal also lauded the commendable role played by the Indian Chartered Accountants and his fellow members, as ICAI Dubai touched the highest number of members this year in 43 years and stands at 3150+ members and counting. He added that Indian Chartered Accountants have charted out a vision to grow not only in numbers, but also in knowledge and resources as well.

Ras Al Khaimah is the northernmost of the seven emirates that form the UAE, having a population of 400,000 and US$14 billion gross domestic product (GDP). It has been attracting investment across real estate, tourism and manufacturing industrial sector.

In the first half of 2025, 3,000 off-plan homes, valued at Dh6 billion were sold, while 550 ready properties worth Dh646 million changed hands. Rental yields in the emirate remain attractive, averaging 5.6 per cent, with apartments outperforming villas at 5.7 per cent versus 2.3 per cent. 

The emirate’s transformation is being catalysed by mega-projects like the Dh14.3 billion Wynn Al Marjan Island resort, set to open in 2027, and a Dh5 billion investment pipeline from RAK Properties, which includes 12 luxury developments across Mina and Al Marjan Island.

“If investors can’t make at least 30 percent return on investment, then I feel bad and then I work to ensure the investors get a much higher return so that they benefit as well as we expand our economy with more properties and hotels,” Abdulla Al Abdouli, Chief Executive Officer of Marjan spoke at a conference titled, Opportunities Unlimited: Investing in a World of Possibilities, organised by ICAI Dubai Chapter.

“Currently investors in real estate are getting 30-50 percent ROI and that’s a healthy return, good for investors. Ras Al Khaimah is the new investment hotspot and I urge all investors to invest and benefit from the opportunities.”

The population of Ras Al Khaimah is expected to jump more than 50-62.5 percent to 600,000 to 650,000 by 2032, from 400,000 now, he said. “This will require us to deliver 45,000 new homes in the next six years. Tourism and hospitality sectors are also going to grow at a faster pace as Ras Al Khaimah has a vast beach and mountains at the backdrop that, if developed properly, will attract millions of tourists,” he said.

“We currently have around 8,000 hotel keys, serving 1 million tourists a year. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Authority envisions this to jump to 5 million tourists who will need accommodation. We are building new hotels to deliver 8,000 more hotel keys in the next few years.

“In addition to eco- and adventure tourism, we are also transforming Ras Al Khaimah to a gaming destination that will attract international tourists. So, demand for homes and hotels will continue to grow and this is the right time to invest in Ras Al Khaimah.”

Marjan Island has emerged as one of the UAE’s fastest-growing investment and lifestyle destinations. In 2024, the emirate welcomed 1.28 million visitors, achieving a 12 per cent increase in tourism revenue, with a vision to triple visitor numbers by 2030.

He said, Al Marjan Island, the flagship project of Marjan, stretches 4.5 kilometres deep into the Arabian Gulf creating 2.7 million square metres of reclaimed land where developers are building 12,000 apartments, 600 villas and it is on track to deliver 15,000 hotel keys, of which 3,500 have already been delivered.

Due to high investor demand, Marjan has launched RAK Central – a new master-planned community – where all the plots have been sold out. “We are soon going to announce a new mega master-planned community in the coming days – that will offer greater investment opportunity for investors,” he said.

India has reached a significant milestone in its economic development, with gross foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows totalling an impressive INR86.87 trillion (US$1 trillion) since April 2000, according to the India Brand Equity Forum (IBEF).

“This achievement has been further strengthened by 13 percent increase in FDI compared to FY24, amounting to INR4.41 trillion (US$50 billion) during FY25. Such growth underscores India’s rising attractiveness as a global investment destination, fuelled by a proactive policy framework, a vibrant business environment, and enhanced international competitiveness,” IBEF said in a statement.

India’s FDI equity inflows for FY26 (April-June 2025) surged by 13 percent to INR1.59 trillion (US$18.62 billion), with significant investments in services and computer software and hardware sectors.

The flow of money into NRI deposit schemes surged by 42.8 percent to INR1.154 trillion (US$13.33 billion) between April and December 2024, compared to INR808 billion (US$9.33 billion) during the same period in 2023, according to data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). As of December 2024, total outstanding NRI deposits stood at INR14.02 trillion (US$161.8 billion), up from INR12.72 trillion (US$146.9 billion) in December 2023.

These deposits include foreign currency non-resident (FCNR) deposits, non-resident external (NRE) deposits, and non-resident ordinary (NRO) deposits. Among them, FCNR bank deposits saw the highest inflow, totaling US$6.46 billion during April–December 2024, compared to US$3.45 billion a year ago.

The total outstanding amount in FCNR bank accounts stood at INR2.78 trillion (US$32.19 billion). These accounts allow NRIs to maintain fixed deposits in freely convertible foreign currencies for one to five years, shielding funds from fluctuations.

Indian economy is growing at double the growth rate of the average global growth of 3.5 percent that provides golden opportunity for investors. More than 7,500 companies are listed in Indian equity market with a market capitalization exceeding US$4.29 trillion as of March 2025 – higher than the country’s GDP.

Piyush Jhunjhunwala, Founder and CEO of Stockify, urged people to invest in stock exchanges and in companies in the Pre-IPO stage.

“National Stock Exchange (NSE) delivered 16 times return on investment when invested at the pre-IPO stage, when compared to post-IPO stage. Invest in great companies with great leadership and in unlisted companies, especially those preparing for the Initial Public Offering (IPO),” he said. “Your returns could range from 6 to 15 times or more.

“Indian economy clocked 7.6 percent growth in the last quarter, more than double the global economic growth. The median age of our population is 29 years, when young professionals start families. So, the consumption is going to increase fast and the economy will continue to grow faster, offering great investment opportunities for all of us, especially those in the UAE.”

Naushid Mithani and Pratibha Suryanarayana of Standard Chartered Bank offered insights on balanced investment and wealth portfolio for investors while Aparna Shanker and Nishad Khanolkar from The Wealth Company spoke on Mutual Funds. Bilal Moti, Chairman of Windmills explained the importance of asset valuation before purchasing property while Rachna Ranade showed how to use Artificial Intelligence for investment decision.

ICAI is second largest professional body of Chartered Accountants across the world with over 850,000 students and around 415,000 members. ICAI has such a wide network with 5 Regional Councils, 175 Branches, 50 Overseas Chapters and 31 representative offices across the globe. And among 50 overseas chapters ICAI Dubai Chapter is the largest & most vibrant chapter of ICAI. Of the 8,000 Indian Chartered Accountants active in the UAE‘s private sector, 1,400 are currently leading businesses in senior positions.

ICAI Dubai Chapter, established in 1982, is the largest, most active and award-winning chapter among the 54 overseas chapters of ICAI. It has registered a phenomenal growth in membership in recent years and currently has over 3,000 members representing more than 1,550 multinationals and other companies.

Ends

Editor’s Notes

About The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body established under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 (Act No. XXXVIII of 1949) for the regulation of the profession of Chartered Accountants in India. During its 73 years of existence, ICAI has achieved recognition as a premier accounting body not only in the country but also globally, for its contribution in the fields of education, professional development, maintenance of high accounting, auditing and ethical standards. ICAI now is the second largest accounting body in the whole world.

ICAI Dubai Chapter

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Dubai Chapter, is the largest accounting professionals’ group comprising of some of the most powerful players in the UAE’s public and private sectors.

ICAI (Dubai) Chapter, established in 1982, is the largest, most active and award-winning chapter among the 44 overseas chapters of ICAI. It has registered a phenomenal growth in membership in recent years and currently has over 3,100 members. Members represent more than 1,550 multinationals and other companies.

Its vision is to contribute to the development of its members as global professionals through facilitating continuous learning and recognition in the wider community. Its mission is to develop professionals with world class competencies.

Web: https://icaidubai.org/