Ras Al Khaimah Names Tourism Australia’s Phillipa Harrison as New Tourism Chief

Ras Al Khaimah on Monday named Phillipa Harrison as the new CEO of its Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA). Harrison was previously the managing director of Tourism Australia, where she became the first woman to hold the role in 2019.

She takes over from Raki Phillips, who steps down in October to join Accor as regional president for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

The change comes at a time when Ras Al Khaimah is expanding its tourism ambitions. The emirate welcomed a record 654,000 visitors in the first half of 2025, a 6% increase over the previous year.

Harrison joined Tourism Australia in 2017, first leading its overseas markets across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and New Zealand. She later became managing director and steered the agency through the pandemic years, when Australia’s borders were closed. Before her time in public tourism, she worked with Hamil