Ras Al Khaimah appoints Global tourism leader Phillipa Harrison as CEO of RAK Tourism Development Authority

The Government of Ras Al Khaimah has welcomed Phillipa Harrison as the new CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), effective immediately.

Harrison, who recently served as Managing Director of Tourism Australia, brings over three decades of industry leadership experience. “She will spearhead the Emirate’s bold vision to become the ‘Destination of the Future’, bringing decades of international tourism expertise across Australia and other global markets,” the authority said.

In her previous roles, she worked with Rawson Group as General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Hamilton Island as General Manager of Sales, Luxury Lodges of Australia as Company Secretary, and Viator as Vice President of Product. She also began her career with STA Travel and Base Group.

On the academic front, Harrison holds an MBA from UNSW Business School, has completed the Company Directors Program at the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and Psychology from Macquarie University.

Welcoming Harrison to the leadership team, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAKTDA’s Executive Committee, said, “Tourism is at the heart of Ras Al Khaimah’s strategy, it is our fastest-growing sector and we’ve achieved remarkable milestones in a short period of time. Harrison brings with her a depth of knowledge and leadership experience, most recently with Tourism Australia, that gives us confidence in her ability to align with Ras Al Khaimah’s ambitious goals and strategic targets in the tourism sector.”

Harrison added, “I’m honoured to join at such an exciting time. Ras Al Khaimah has already established itself as an international success story, and I look forward to unlocking even more growth in the years ahead.”

You may also like:

• Report finds UAE workers spending extra hours in office to ‘keep up'
• Meta announces hiring freeze; Here’s what we know
• Andy Weiss shares 6 agile frameworks for HR leaders in a flux
• Can Million$ bonuses retain top talent? Finding the missing link in EX
• Oman mandates employers to pay at least 75% of their workforce's salary via the WPS

Harrison will spearhead RAK's objectives to become a leading sustainable tourism destination and achieving a target of over 3.5 million visitors annually by 2030. In the first half of 2025, the authority welcomed a record 650,000 tourists.