Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone is extending its international marketing campaign to Turkey following a steady increase in investment in the free zone by Turkish businesses.

Over the past two years Turkish investment in the free zone has gone up by around 30 per cent, reflecting a growing awareness among Turkish businessmen of the benefits of establishing a base in the UAE. Now RAK Free Zone aims to increase its presence in the Turkish market by opening a new liaison office in Istanbul next year.
The free zone is also taking part in the inaugural ‘UAE Trade Exhibition in Turkey’ taking place in Istanbul from September 13 to 15. The venue is the Grand Cevahir Hotel and Convention Centre.
The RAK Free Zone was established in 2000 with just 15 registered companies but today has more than 1,800 from 70 countries. It attributes its success to its top-class facilities, competitive prices and its location in the northernmost emirate close to East-West trade routes with a distinctive landscape comprising beautiful mountains and a long coastline.
Oussama El Omari, CEO for RAK Free Zone, said: “Our recent success in the Turkish market has been based on our ability to offer facilities and services of the highest quality. We are confident that the ‘UAE Trade Exhibition in Turkey’ will be a huge success.”
The exhibition will give RAK Free Zone an opportunity to make contact with Turkish manufacturers and traders who have business interests in the Gulf and the Far East. It intends to target companies from various sectors including cons-truction and building materials, food proce-ssing, household goods and electronics. At present 85 per cent of Turkish companies registered in the Free Zone are traders.
The Free Zone is currently promoting a range of new modern warehouses with flexible sizes, power loads and complementary services according to the require-ments of its investors. It is also offering a cost-effective package which allows clients to run their company remotely from anywhere in the world via the Internet and covers all basic requirements for setting up a business in a foreign country.
Idil Akin, general manager of Mosaic Organisations, technical organiser of the exhibition, said: “This new event is seen by many as a positive step towards establishing a free trade agreement between Turkey and the UAE. There are clearly huge opportunities for investors from both countries. Figures released by Turkish government officials show that the UAE is Turkey’s biggest export market in the GCC region with Turkish exports to the UAE up from $315 million in 2000 to $1.6 billion in 2005.”
The ‘UAE Trade Exhibition in Turkey’ is being organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza) and Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).
It is also supported by the Turkish Travel Agencies Association and is taking place under the patronage of the Turkish Chambers of Commerce and the Turkish Secretary of Foreign Trade.