Raki Phillips is an award-winning tourism veteran and visionary leader, celebrated for his ability to drive economic prosperity through sustainable innovation. As the Regional President for the Middle East, Africa & Türkiye at Accor, Raki brings over two decades of experience across global brands like Ritz-Carlton and Fairmont Raffles to elevate the region’s hospitality landscape. His strategic expertise was most recently evidenced during his tenure as CEO of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, where he led the destination to record-breaking visitor numbers and a new era of infrastructure development.
A serial entrepreneur at heart, Raki thrives on transforming ambitious concepts into reality—from developing multi-billion dollar hotel pipelines to pioneering the region’s first online dessert brand. Recognized by Forbes Middle East as a top leader in travel and tourism, he is a dedicated advocate for creating meaningful investment opportunities that benefit both the industry and the community. His work reflects a deep-seated passion for inspiring change, ensuring that every project he touches contributes to a more vibrant and connected global travel experience.
Sessions
April 9, Thursday
Venue: Innovation City Cape Town
OTAs: The Next Frontier
As we enter The Next 20, online travel agencies face a new frontier shaped by AI interfaces, shifting traveller trust, regional platform strength, and new paths to discovery and booking. Will OTAs become invisible infrastructure, intelligent trip partners, or powerful super-platforms? And as travellers gain more tools and control, how must intermediaries evolve to stay essential? This session brings together global and regional OTA leaders to examine where value will be created next – from product and payments to partnerships and localisation – and how competitive dynamics between global giants and homegrown champions will play out across emerging markets. Expect candid perspectives on what OTAs must reinvent, defend, and double down on in the next era of travel distribution.
Speakers:
Andy Hedley, CEO, Travelstart
Albert Fernando, CEO, Travelwings
Bayo Adedeji, Group Chief Executive Officer, Wakanow
Moderator:
