Phillip J. Jones is the Chief Tourism Officer at the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), driving the strategy, infrastructure and marketing for sustainable and responsible place-making, promotion, expansion, and reputation of AlUla as a global tourism brand and destination in line with the Saudi 2030 vision.

In this role, Jones oversees a diverse portfolio that includes tourism, culture and heritage, arts and creative industries, film, hotels and nature and wildlife. This includes oversight of programs such as the world’s biggest archaeology program; the save the Arabian Leopard project and rewilding of the nature reserves; development of the arts and creative industries; tourism experience development and operations; events; global destination marketing; hotels development; and film attraction.

Jones joined RCU in May 2019 as the Chief Destination Marketing and Management Officer and led the RCU team to create the Experience AlUla brand and first official website for the destination of AlUla. Following this the destination’s first brand campaign The World’s Masterpiece targeted at the GCC markets and more recently AlUla’s first global brand campaign, Forever Revitalising, which launched in nine markets around the world. In addition, Jones spearheaded the development and marketing of the events season under the new AlUla Moments brand.

Jones has also been instrumental at delivering key partnerships including the UCI competing cycling Team - Liv Jayco AlUla and acquiring the AlUla Tour cycling tournament for AlUla.

Prior to his role at RCU, Jones has an impressive track record of leadership positions within key government entities in North America including; The Dallas Sports Commission; President and CEO of Visit Dallas; Department Secretary (Minister) of Tourism for the State of Louisiana; Director and Chairman of key national travel and tourism associations.

Jones was named in the top 100 Travel and Tourism Leaders by Forbes Middle East and regularly speaks on panels and about tourism management and marketing, sustainability and the future of tourism.