Phillipa Harrison named as new CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority

The Government of Ras Al Khaimah has named Phillipa Harrison as the new chief executive officer of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA).

Harrison, formerly the Managing Director of Tourism Australia, will lead the emirate’s ambitious drive to position itself as the“Destination of the Future”. She brings decades of international tourism expertise spanning Australia and other global markets.

Her appointment comes as Ras Al Khaimah strengthens its position as one of the region’s fastest-growing sustainable tourism destinations. The emirate welcomed a record 650,000 visitors in the first half of 2025 and is on track to achieve its target of more than 3.5 million annual visitors by 2030.

“I’m honoured to join at such an exciting time,” Harrison said. “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.”

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAKTDA’s Executive Committee, welcomed the appointment.

“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,” he said. “Ms. 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.”

The Board of Tourism Australia has appointed Robin Mack as acting managing director, from Monday 25 August, for a up to three months.

 Mack joined Tourism Australia in 2012 and is currently the executive general manager of Global Markets and Business Events at Tourism Australia.

 The process for the recruitment for a new TA managing director is ongoing.

The Board of Tourism Australia has appointed Robin Mack as acting managing director.

The background

Foreign governments, including Arab Gulf states, are paying top dollar to secure our homegrown tourism executives, paying vast sums to secure their services, with Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison the latest to take up a post overseas.

Three months ago, the Board of Tourism Australia announced managing director Harrison would be departing the organisation on August 22 “to take up a new opportunity overseas”.

Just weeks beforehand, Harrison told Travel Weekly that she was planning for the future, and had re-signed with Tourism Australia late last year for another four years. But a little over a month later, she resigned.

In a statement on June 3, Tourism Australia said Harrison’s “vision has been to grow a sustainable tourism sector, which was particularly challenging when faced with the devastating impacts of the Black Summer bushfires of 2019 and 2020 and a global pandemic”.

Former DNSW CEO Steve Cox is already in Dubai where in the acting executive director role – Strategic Marketing & Communications, with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi.

According to Tourism Australia’s 2022–23 Annual Report, Harrison received a total of $536,792 including salary plus benefits and allowances. It is likely she will be paid significantly more in this new overseas role.

While there’s no direct salary disclosure for Cox’s former role as CEO of DNSW, it is plausible his remuneration fell within or near the Public Service Band 3 or lower end of Band 4 range (up to approximately $608,850).

In his current acting role, Cox directs Abu Dhabi’s global tourism and cultural marketing efforts, overseeing brand strategy, campaign execution, and stakeholder engagement across all channels and sectors, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He lists his other roles as driving Abu Dhabi’s global brand positioning, overseeing the development and implementation of marketing plans for DCT’s corporate and initiative brands, ensuring consistency, integrity, and effectiveness across platforms.

He also leads the strategic promotion of Abu Dhabi’s flagship festivals, events, and cultural programs”, maximising reach through digital, traditional, and experiential campaigns”.
In her resignation announcement Harrison thanked “the 300,000 operators in Australia and 200 staff across the world who work to support and grow tourism and create the experiences visitors love”.

“It’s been the greatest privilege of my career to lead Tourism Australia on behalf of an industry I love and have dedicated my life to,” she said. “Australian tourism has a powerful story to tell – not only about the unforgettable experiences we offer but also, the economic, social and cultural value we deliver across the country.

“I’m proud to have represented this resilient industry through challenging times, and I’m deeply grateful to the team at Tourism Australia for their passion, professionalism and unwavering love for this incredible country.”

Yet her tenure has not been without its issues with a travel expenses scandal involving senior financial personnel.

In February 2025, Tourism Australia confirmed an AFP investigation into a former senior employee who has since been formally charged in connection with alleged misuse of public funds – about AU$49,000 – that were used on personal travel. Although the sum has since been repaid, the case is now before the courts.

Tourism Australia recently launched the second chapter of its successful $130 million “Come and Say G’day” campaign, featuring personalities including Robert Irwin and Nigella Lawson which targets the UK, China, India, Japan and South Korea.

The travel and tourism sector is anticipated to inject around $315 billion into the economy in 2025, up significantly from pre-pandemic levels. It’s projected to support 1.7 million jobs, making up around 11–12 per cent of national employment.

Another expat Australian, Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill also finishes up in this month after four years in the role he took on in the middle of the pandemic. Hill revealed on LinkedIn that he will returns to Australia “permanently” following his departure.

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}