Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, will depart the national tourism agency in Aug, cutting short her second five-year term to take up an undisclosed opportunity abroad.
Harrison, who has led the country’s top tourism marketing organisation since 2019, guided the industry through some of its most turbulent years – including the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating geopolitical tensions with China, and ongoing economic challenges such as inflation.
During her tenure, Harrison spearheaded a number of high-profile response campaigns, most notably the ‘Holiday Here This Year’ initiative, aimed at boosting domestic tourism during international travel bans. She also led delegations to key international markets including China and India, working to restore inbound travel volumes as borders reopened.
Reflecting on her time at the helm, Harrison expressed gratitude to the wider tourism industry and her global team.
“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.
“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.”
Initially appointed as Executive General Manager of International in 2017, Harrison was reappointed to a second term as MD earlier this year.
A global search is now underway to find her successor.
