Ras Al Khaimah once again proved that New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Middle East are on a different level. The emirate welcomed 2026 with a spectacular 15-minute display of drones and fireworks, setting a new Guinness World Records title - the world’s largest phoenix image created with multicopters, DKNews.kz reports.
And it wasn’t just entertainment - it was a carefully crafted story about renewal, ambition, and the future.
Phoenix as a symbol of transformation
The night sky turned into a living canvas. 2,300 drones - including 1,000 pyro-drones - formed a massive phoenix. Its wings lit up as if it rose above the shoreline, symbolizing optimism and rebirth.
The symbol wasn’t chosen by chance. The phoenix reflects Ras Al Khaimah’s ongoing transformation - from tourism and infrastructure to urban development and investment.
Another standout formation, titled “Welcome”, depicted a figure emerging from the sea with open arms, sending a powerful message of openness and hospitality.
Six kilometers of fireworks
Exactly at midnight, the spectacle continued with fireworks. For about six kilometers - from Al Marjan Island to Al Hamra - waves of color and light spread across the sky.
Everything was synchronized with near-perfect precision, creating the feeling of a visual symphony that left the audience breathless.
Thousands of residents and visitors watched from beachfront hotels, festival areas, and the Corniche Al Qawasim waterfront, where an earlier show took place.
“It’s not just about the record”
Phillippa Harrison, head of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said:
“New Year’s Eve in Ras Al Khaimah is, above all, a celebration of unity. We wanted to create something that both residents and visitors could enjoy. The record matters, but what truly counts are the memories. 2025 was a year of major progress for the emirate, and tonight was about celebrating that momentum and looking ahead.”
Turning celebrations into strategy
For Ras Al Khaimah, events like this are more than a show.
They are:
- a tourism growth driver,
- a tool for attracting investment,
- proof of technological ambition,
- a way to build a strong global brand.
The new Guinness World Records title adds to the emirate’s growing portfolio of headline-making celebrations.
Ras Al Khaimah stepped into 2026 the way it plans to move forward - bold, ambitious, and future-focused.
The phoenix in the sky became a powerful metaphor for a destination that isn’t afraid to reinvent itself.
