At an event held in Pretoria, South Africa, toasting the new South African Tourism Minister Thoko Xasa on her birthday, Ms. Xasa announced her government’s endorsement of the Hon. Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry for the Republic of Zimbabwe and current Chairperson of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Regional Commission for Africa, as the next Secretary General for the UNWTO.

Hon. Mzembi and Minister Xasa

African ambassadors on the UNWTO Executive Council turned out for the event, and in full force reinforced the position of the South African Development Community (SADC) and African Union (AU) to support Dr. Mzembi for the UNWTO Secretary General post, along with ambassadors from North African countries and the Middle East, Egypt, India, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

Following is a transcript of Dr. Mzembi’s speech:

Honorable Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa,

My Dear Sister, Cde Thoko Xasa,

Members of Team Tourism South Africa,

Excellencies Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps – including His Excellency Cde Isaac Moyo, Ambassador of Zimbabwe to the Republic of South Africa,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, allow me to express my profound gratitude to Her Excellency, Honorable Thoko Xasa, for the honor she has bestowed upon myself and my delegation, in arranging this dinner event tonight.

Yesterday, we were in far distant Thailand, participating in the World Travel and Tourism Council. The day after tomorrow, we will be in Lucerne, Switzerland, attending the World Tourism Forum. Then to Azerbaijan – current Chair of the UNWTO Executive Council – and, finally, on to Spain for the election of the new UNWTO Secretary General on 12 May.

Our campaign has taken us literally across the entire world over the past 12 months.

The core of my campaign strategy has been to visit each and every single one of the 33 member countries of the Executive Council – to explain, in person, my vision for the future development of global tourism under the umbrella of the UNWTO if I am fortunate enough to be elected to head that Organization come 12 May.

That world-wide engagement has helped me to shape my vision in a manner which I believe accurately reflects the concerns, hopes and aspirations of the vast majority of UNWTO member states as they look to UNWTO to deliver greater and more effective value in terms of the leadership it provides in this increasingly important economic sector.

I am the only candidate who has approached this election in such a comprehensive, face-to-face manner. The vision of leadership and direction I offer, therefore, goes way beyond the desk-top, cut-and-paste proposals of several of my competitors: it is a vision derived from a personal, pretty near exhaustive engagement with all regional groupings of the UNWTO, and with every single member of the Executive Council.

If I have concentrated on the Executive Council, it is because it is this body, these 33 member states who, on May 12, will cast their secret ballots to produce a Secretary General-elect.

The Executive Council will then propose the name of that Secretary General-elect to the next meeting of the UNWTO General Assembly, where he or she will have to garner a two-thirds majority endorsement of the 157 members of the Organization.

I am an African. I carry the unanimous endorsement of all 15 SADC member states as well as that of all 54 (at the time) member states of the African Union. So, in seeking the leadership of the UNWTO, I bear first and foremost the hopes and aspirations of the entire African Continent: a burden I am proud and very honored to bear.

But, way beyond that, as a global candidate for a global Organization, my vision speaks to all corners of the globe, to all players within our multi-faceted industry and to all communities whose lives can be and indeed are being improved by way of the growth and development of tourism in all those facets.

Unlike all other candidates, I unashamedly represent Change. I present myself as an Agent of Change. And I do so on the basis that our industry – Tourism – and the international context in which it operates is beset, today, by a matrix of complex, highly intricate challenges quite unlike those which it has had to confront at any stage in the past decades.

As Tourism leaders in our respective countries, we too have to change – to adapt to those challenges. And, change too is required at the very apex of global tourism – at the UNWTO.

Gone are the days when the UNWTO required a skilled marketer and communications guru to speak for global tourism: what is required now are the skills and competences of a global diplomat: a leader who can gain access to high offices across the world: who can effectively raise the profile, the voice and the relevance of an Organization which, hitherto, has been somewhat peripheral in terms of visibility and impact within the broad UN system.

The current Secretary General’s term of office expires at the end of this year. And so there will be a new Secretary General as from January 2018. With your support, I very much hope it will be me.

It is vitally important – if the UNWTO is to grow and to fulfil the essence of its mandate – and to respond effectively to these fast-changing circumstances – that the right individual be elected to succeed Dr. Rifai, the current Secretary General.

I believe I am that individual: and I am honored indeed humbled by the faith and confidence reposed in me by the entirety of Africa’s political leadership in endorsing me as Africa’s candidate for the top UNWTO job.

Being in this elective race, for me, is an idea whose time has come! The world is indeed transforming, and CHANGE is confirmed as the only constant; we should never fear change but glean from it ideas. Nor should we fear renewal but see in it an opportunity for regeneration: and, together, we should embrace ” growth with equity ” as a business philosophy. For if we do not, the “bottom three billion” will remain tethered to poverty, a sure threat to globalization and an inevitable gain for nationalism.

Indeed, increasingly at the international tourism conferences I attend, key-note speakers and world leaders openly characterize the future environment as one “besieged by the growing winds of far-right nationalism and unilateralism; the impact of migration, the growing ” fear” leading to closed borders and the application of travel advisories or travel bans as political tools.

How, in such circumstances, do we sustain the enormous gains already made in promoting and facilitating seamless travel, and how do we further enhance the impressive performance of our industry – which, in percentage terms, continues to outperform global average economic growth?

The answer, as I have indicated, lies in transformative leadership!

As Tourism leaders, we have long agreed that enhanced connectivity or connectography is the solution to our challenges.

It starts first with a connected leadership. Are we connected to political and corporate boardrooms, and to communities?

One of my key objectives is to reassert shareholder interest in the UNWTO. To reposition and repackage our sector for better understanding and greater brand visibility.

They are:

Firstly – Administrative and Governance Reforms

UNWTO is primarily state-membership driven, I intend to sign-up the more than 40 countries which still remain outside the UNWTO, including a number of countries which used to be members but withdrew because they simply failed to see the value of such membership. I intend to re-generate that value and to make membership a MUST for all. A universal organization is one which has clout.

I intend to broaden and diversify categories of membership: to create space for the 4 ‘C’s – Cities, Commonwealth, Communities and Companies.

I intend to devolve activity away from Madrid to the Regional Commissions. They have to be more active, more visible and more connected to the Regions and the Communities they represent.

I intend to ensure that the many Resolutions we take as UNWTO are actually implemented and followed-up upon.

I intend to ensure role clarity, to re-assert the intergovernmental agency leadership of the UNWTO, and to reinforce the role of the Private Sector as driver of the tourism industry; with UNWTO facilitating growth of the industry in close alignment with the agreed SDG framework.

I intend to reform the Secretariat. It must be more reflective of the broad membership of the Organization; and it must be more gender sensitive.

The attendant benefit from the above thrust shall be Inclusivity – Tourism for All.

Secondly – Sustainable and Responsible Tourism

Without peace, there can be no sustainable development: indeed, no development at all.

My candidature pledges an irrevocable commitment to the designation of Tourism as a Peace Sector; to be prioritized and facilitated by National Governments. No cause, or ideology should take precedence over or be used to undermine the facilitation of legitimate tourism travel.

I shall seek to broaden the definition of “Security” beyond just Terrorism, to include Climate Change, Natural Disasters, Pandemics, Child Sexual Abuse and even what I term Bio-Diversity Terrorism – Poaching.

I will conclude the Global Convention on Ethics and Responsible Tourism. And I will work against the politicization of travel advisories and travel bans: these are simply No-No’s from a Tourism perspective.

My candidature represents a strong commitment to the SDG’s: a commitment which, during my tenure, will go beyond mere theory and rhetoric to practical implementation by way of innovative resource mobilization and creative fund-raising.

Thirdly – Resource Mobilization and Tourism Funding
The UNWTO Mandate and Charter empowers the Organization to explore this area. Up until now, we have been content to take the easy path, relying on membership subscription payments and occasional benevolence from the richer member states, to fund the Organization’s activities and programs.

I would like to do more and, without departing from that mandate – indeed actually enriching it – I would want for the Organization to be able to better and more effectively respond to the developmental aspirations of member states. They, quite rightly, expect more from their membership, and would welcome some ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking with regard to resource-mobilization and fund-raising for sustainable tourism development.

Global financial flows must extend themselves to tourism infrastructure. The business-development focus of a future UNWTO is to eliminate frictions and to allow smooth flows of capital and, ultimately, connectivity.

Leveraging the very chief indicators of our sector – namely the number of tourism ARRIVALS, TOURISM EXPENDITURE and SUSTAINABILITY – should enable us to make a credible case for the creation of a Global Tourism Fund, similar to Global Funds established for other sectors.

Think-tanking around this and engaging in extensive consultations with developmental agencies and other financial systems within the UN suggest that we are already late in terms of developing and pushing this concept for consideration by our global leadership during the forthcoming UNGA as it celebrates the IYSTD.

Whatever the outcome of the forthcoming UNWTO election, I believe we must initiate a creative work program around this idea.

Connectivity, be it infrastructural, electronic, digital or virtual, is the revolutionary agenda of our times and, with it, comes the growth of tourism.

Fourthly and Finally – Repositioning and Rebranding of the UNWTO

This is an essential component of my vision.

It is clear to me and indeed to many others with whom I have engaged during my year-long campaign, that, in terms of value-addition and relevance, the UNWTO has probably reached its zenith.

Fewer and fewer Ministers are attending Regional Commission meetings, or the Executive Council meetings. They simply do not see the value of such high-level participation. Even as Tourism Ministers, they have other, more important things to do. And so, inevitably, it is the Secretariat – functionaries – who have ‘captured’ our Organization.

And, as a consequence, it has plateaued as a technical agency, number-crunching, analyzing statistics and work-shopping its way through life – having little if any real policy or political relevance or impact within the broader UN system.

I am committed to changing this: to repositioning and rebranding the Organization within the UN system, and at national Government, Private Sector and general community levels as well.

This is why my candidature was the first to challenge internal succession: to reassert shareholder interest in the Organization. And I think we can be pleased with the result – namely a floodgate of candidates from outside the Organization, inspired, I would like to think, by my own call for “renewal”.

A solid foundation has been laid by previous Secretary Generals, most of all by the incumbent, Dr. Taleb Rifai – who leaves a remarkable and lasting legacy in his wake. But the next stage requires us to accept that the environment we are stepping into has changed, and that it requires a different caliber of leadership to successfully navigate those changed and changing tides.

As we enter this final stage of the electoral race, we are six candidates. Let fair and decent competition allow the best of us to emerge as the next leader.

Honorable Minister, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

Once again, I submit that my candidature more than responds to the requirements of such leadership and that my professional and academic qualifications, the experience and expertise I have gained, and the passion, energy and drive I bring to the table more than equip me to serve global tourism to the benefit of all: and, in so doing, to justify the confidence shown in me by our collective African leadership as they put me forward to lead the UN World Tourism Organization.

My current mandate as Tourism Minister of Zimbabwe bears testimony to the tough training and preparation I have had to go through to reposition Zimbabwe after a decade of disagreement with some sections of the International Community. Whereas Zimbabwe was once a ‘to-be-avoided’ destination, it is now very much a ‘must-see’ destination: as confirmed by the 2015 New York Times in its 52 Must Visit Report. Earlier this year, the prestigious Conte Naste Traveller Magazine placed only two African countries in its global top 17 destinations – Zimbabwe at No 13 and Rwanda at No 14.

Arguably the highlight of that repositioning process and indeed of my career as Tourism Minister, and the most celebrated endorsement of brand Zimbabwe, was the hosting, in 2013, of the 20th UNWTO General Assembly at the Victoria Falls: an opportunity extracted from the midst of adversity by way of careful and sensitively managed diplomacy.

Honorable Minister, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

I am ready to lead global tourism.

Thank you again for this great honor. Thank you for your kind attention.

May God Bless you All.

I Thank You

The Honorable Dr. Walter Mzembi spoke out.  In a conversation at the just concluded global summit for the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in Bangkok, he provided WorldTourismWire with a well-thought through statement.

WorldTourismWire invites candidates to a debate on our platform based on vision, fairness, and respect. WorldTourismWire is looking forward sharing vision statements with our audience of top-level travel and tourism professionals in the public and private sector. Candidates click here and submit your statement.

Silence is not a weakness summarizes what Dr. Mzembi response is to feedback received by other candidates. “For me, it’s about vision and nothing else but a vision.”

Hon Dr. Waler Mzembi: The reason why you will never hear from me on responses to the besmirching of my name, country , President and Continent by other Candidates which is happening quite often in public and private in Candidates’ sales pitch about their suitability over mine, is because of the cause which is greater than the distractions.

I bear the burden of a Continent and other developing, emerging and developed economies elsewhere that seek relevance and robust growth with equity from this sector. The bottom three billion whom we must move out of poverty leveraging on this peace sector to become the future traveling middle class is my call.

Their brief for me is to connect travel to the trade and investment value chain with its attendant opportunities in their countries, and because of this understanding, I am not burning bridges by pushing my candidature ‘at all cost’ as if there is no other action taking place between our countries in other spheres.

I am not behaving as if there is no tomorrow because l treat everyone with dignity and respect. There is a tomorrow beckoning, with lucrative opportunities whose master key is travel. How then do we become effective keys if we insult countries, their governing structures, and citizenry if at all we wish to preside over this sector?

Where is the decorum and humility, consistent with this sector which demands from us, respect of each other at a personal level and let alone compliance with resolutions and decisions of multilateral institutions from our own regions?

How will we and can we be taken seriously to preside over a UN Agencies governed through resolutions and decisions if we disrespect and show disdain to other people, our own home and regional processes especially those we participated in and still want the world to believe a lie?

This is not for me to answer but clearly the voters, the Executive Council Members, the very people whose conscience and per degree is greater than cheap political scorings. Why do country legacy issues only matter now when in the intervening period between Elections we are comfortable not only to receive up to date subscriptions from those we besmirch but are hosted by them at the highest levels, turn out in our large numbers and proclaim destinations safe and secure.

The 20th Session UNWTO General Assembly in Victoria Falls in 2013 described as ” best ever” being the case in point. This was prepared with the collaboration of South Korea providing the benchmark and why thereafter throw stones!

Which country in the world is free of legacy issues and can we, with a clean conscience, throw stones at the others?

It goes without saying that those who live in glass house should not throw stones. Why in a civilized world are we not able to judge people on their own merits, integrity, craft competencies and positive attitude that are key in the deployment for higher offices? It is not enough in my view to deploying one on the basis of one’s own country brand for which it is not the one that delivers for the membership yearning for better and more.

About the same time, candidates move around the world attacking other countries instead of selling their own vision for global tourism.  Their home Governments will be pressing for bigger picture deals for their countries from the same.

If this Campaign was structured to allow Debate ” American Style”, then all this polemic and backbiting would be avoided by way of greater transparency and an equal opportunity to respond- again on the basis of the superiority of ideas and vision.

Are candidates apprised of these issues or press for employment against all odds by the UNWTO oblivious of diplomacy, in itself, a serious attribute for the next Secretary General given the array of problems characterizing the environment through which global tourism will glide through?

So, yes my cause is greater and I am not about to be prompted into media ping pongs designed to create sympathy on” isms”, race color, creed, sexual orientation, and preferences etc.

Being in this election in itself is an idea whose time has come, and it is ideas for the growth of global tourism for all in a sustainable manner which we must weigh from each candidate not how much we are able to manipulate the fourth estate to cast aspersions on each other in the most despicable manner.

I, for the record, have never attacked any candidate or their country of origin in public or private, and the nearly 33 countries of the Executive Council I have visited will bear witness to my thrust.

For me, it’s about vision and nothing else but a vision. It is Vision which should separate us not the sophistication of manipulative tendencies one shows to those countries and to the Media who already know anyhow and are able to discern cheap propaganda and Vision for the sector that they all expect to present to them and give them the confidence of what each one of us can offer.

Members are mature enough to know what they want without undue propaganda influence against one another, which l think has no place in this sector.

I will continue playing my game above the current fray, based on my vision and may the best Candidate win!

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) announces the departure of David Scowsill, President & CEO, after six years at the helm of the organisation.

During his tenure as the third President in the 26 year history of WTTC, he has taken the organisation to new heights, championing the private sector views in high level governmental discussions and promoting the sustainable growth of Travel & Tourism.

“It has been a privilege to lead WTTC, representing the global interests of the private sector of Travel & Tourism, through advocacy with governments around the world. The membership of the organisation has doubled in the last period, but more significant has been the work with governments at all levels on the key strategic issues for the sector,” said Scowsill. “By making this announcement now, the Executive Committee has time to identify a successor and to work through a smooth transition in leadership. Working with a very talented team, we have consolidated the position of WTTC as the authority in the sector, whether through research, advocacy, or the impact of the Global Summits. I now look forward to focussing on new opportunities, knowing that I am leaving WTTC in great shape.”

David Scowsill has been President & CEO of WTTC since October 2010. Amongst the highlights of his time, the public/private partnership with UNWTO has produced 84 meetings with Presidents and Prime Ministers, where messages about the importance of the sector have been directed to these key leaders. As founder and Chairman of The Global Travel Association Coalition, he ensured that the travel industry spoke to governments with One Voice on the key issues – from travel facilitation and terrorism, to infrastructure development and environmental sustainability.

Prior to WTTC, he served as Chairman or Director with various companies, working for six years in Private Equity and Venture Capital to execute a number of deals across the industry. He was Chief Executive of Opodo and the Minit Group, after holding executive and board positions at Hilton Hotels, American Airlines and British Airways.

“The Executive Committee thanks David for his service and is very appreciative of the many contributions he has made to the mission, growth and success of the sector over the past 6 years,” said Gerald Lawless, Chairman, WTTC. “Under his leadership and vision, WTTC is clearly positioned as the private sector authority on Travel & Tourism, reflected in the calibre and geographic diversity of the membership group. During this transition period it will be business as usual, as the Executive Committee works to identify a successor.”

The election date for a new UNWTO Secretary General are getting closer, and the suspense who will be the next leader of the global tourism industry is getting stronger.

Korean Candidate Ambassador Dho Young-shim and her running Mate Carlos Vogeler today issued this appeal to ministers of tourism voting at the upcoming  executive council meeting.

Excellency

In just a matter of days, one of the most important decisions for the future of global tourism will be taken at the 105th session of the UNWTO Executive Council. May 12^th, 2017 is when 33 Executive Council Members will propose a successor to Dr. Taleb Rifai as the next UNWTO Secretary General.

This recommendation cannot be taken lightly – there is too much at stake. Starting from day 1 of taking office, the new Secretary General must build on the invaluable work of Dr Rifai, maintaining and enhancing the support and cooperation achieved with governments, businesses, academia, the UN system, other International Organisations, NGOs, and travellers worldwide.

As you yourself know, the role of tourism in global development – poverty alleviation, sustainability, unity, inclusivity, peace and stability – is too important for leadership risk-taking. Making the right choice demands focus on candidate vision, credentials and character. The world of tourism depends on it.

From the outset of our candidacy, we are very grateful to you for having listened to our approach to the next leadership of the Organisation, which offers a combination of stability and renovation. Together, we will respectfully and responsibly build on the legacy received, injecting an enhanced level of energy and strategic mobilisation to take the Organisation to new heights.

Our candidacy as a team “ticket”, a woman and a man of different, yet complementary professional paths and accomplishments in the tourism sector, and from two regions of the world distant from each other, yet clearly determined to work together, is unique. Our combination is a perfect fit as a team, and our experience with UNWTO will ensure our effectiveness from day one. Over the past twenty years we both have been intimately associated to the Organisation, both externally and internally.

By choosing us the Secretariat of the UNWTO will be headed for the first time by a woman, and by someone from Asia, the second region of the world by its tourist activity after Europe, which has held the post of Secretary-General on three out of five occasions.

Importantly, the fact that we both come from the G20 and the OECD economically advanced countries – the Republic of Korea and Spain – enhances our ability to strengthen UNWTO membership, bringing back to the UNWTO the industrialized countries that are currently distant from the organisation or even those that were never with us.

Our partnership reflects our vision: one of a strong, delivery-focused UNWTO, championing global Tourism as a key enabler to fulfilment of the greater global growth agenda. Our immediate priorities will be:

Structure:

• To establish a lean, agile & delivery-focused structure with the necessary transparency of internal processes and resource allocation, together with sound financial management and effective generation of voluntary contributions.
• To increase and strengthen the membership body, using our network of high-level connections as OECD countries and also within the UN System.
• To adopt a customer relationship policy for members to reach high satisfaction levels and loyalty, and instil a sense of pride in being a UNWTO Member.

Strategy:

• To define priority projects / themes, especially with regard to new marketing trends, as well as new tourism markets and tourist profiles, with a special focus on the main outbound markets
• To amplify efforts toward an increased facilitation of travel in a safe, secure and seamless manner. We will propose to use the privilege UNWTO possesses as a specialized agency of the UN, to put the two issues of tourism visas and travel advisories to the ECOSOC, in accordance with the agreement linking the two institutions.
• To assist Small Islands States as well as coastal States, to apply sustainable development models to their fragile environments and to the low level of diversification of their economies
• To promote women empowerment and gender equality in tourism
• To pay a special attention to social tourism, promoting universal access to travel and leisure for vulnerable groups: seniors, disabled people, indigenous communities or disadvantaged groups
• To encourage the development of Public Private Partnership initiatives among members
• To make UNWTO an exemplary organization for sustainable development solutions and environmental and societal practices, and develop partnerships around climate change, green growth, etc.
• To advance in the use of technology for smart destinations and the new concepts of digitalization applied to Tourism, identifying opportunities for members, including analysing, processing and application of big data, virtual reality, augmented reality for better understanding, planning and optimizing the visitors´ experiences.
• To assist members in destination management and improving competitiveness and attractiveness, and defining standards, in terms of environment and quality of services at the destination level 

Intelligence:

To strengthen the research capacity of the Organisation producing a wealth of studies for advocacy purposes, including:

• accurate measure of the economic and social effects of sustainable tourism with a methodology that cannot be questioned and all the necessary indicators
• resources allocated by countries and destinations to marketing, branding and promotion activities to be able to design a global marketing model for measuring the impact and the efficiency of promotional campaigns on foreign markets
• domestic tourism to better understand its nature and measure its impact
• issues and impacts related to “private services on digital platforms”, inaccurately identified as “collaborative/sharing economy” incl. consequences on more traditional components of the travel industry
• evolution of some niche markets including business tourism / MICE, cultural tourism, shopping tourism, urban tourism, cruises, adventure tourism, youth tourism, health & wellness tourism, religious tourism, gastronomy and wine tourism, as well as rural tourism and mountain tourism and evaluate the tourism impact of major sports and cultural events.

 

The Executive Council’s choice identification and proposal of the next Secretary General of the UNWTO needs to focus on competence in Tourism, for Tourism. The future of the UNWTO and wider UN system’s ability to utilise Tourism as a critical tool for development of nations, as well as fulfilment of the SDGs, depends on the Executive Council Members choosing carefully and responsibly the most capable and experienced leadership.

Together we must ensure it is a future defined by leadership before leaders.

We thank you.

Dho Young-shim                                                                                                     Carlos Vogeler

One African Candidate is the message for the African Union to the upcoming election for a UNWTO Secretary General. Questioning the move to have a second candidate by the Seychelles has caused great confusion. It triggered an urgent call fir the African Union to appeal to the Republic of the Seychelles to withdraw the candidature of Alain St.Ange.

Her Excellency, Dr Amani Abou-Zeit, the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy,and Tourism  from Ethiopia submitted this urgent letter to the ministers in charge of tourism from the following African countries: Congo, Uganda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Niger, Kenya, Gambia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo. They met on the sidelines of the 59th UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa in Ethiopia from 18-19 April 2017, to deliberate on the candidature and deployment of Hon. Dr. Walter Mzembi to contest the post of Secretary General of the UNWTO.

The Ministers noted the importance of Africa voting as a bloc through its representatives in the Executive Council constitutes by Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles, Tunisia, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Zambia.

In order to maximize Africa’s chances to win this important post, Africa should remain united behind the candidature of Hon. Dr. Walter Mzembi, whose candidature was unanimously endorsed by the Southern African Development Community and African Union Summits in March 2017 in Gaborone, Botswana, and in July 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda, respectively.

The Minsters are concerned with emergence of Mr. Allen St.Ange from Seychelles as a candidate cognizant of the fact that Seychelles participated in all the processes of SADC and the AU to reach the decision for a single African candidate in the person of Hon. Dr. Walter Mzembi.

At our meeting with your esteemed self as the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Tourism, on 20 April 2017, we agreed to escalate the matter to the Chairperson of the AU Commission in order for him to raise the matter officially with the Government of the Republic of Seychelles, and share with it the disadvantage of having another candidate coming from Africa contrary to the consensus decision of the African Union Heads of States and Governments. It is envisaged that with support from the other regions, and a solid vote by African countries in the Executive Council, the African Union candidate stands a better chance to win this position.

By this letter, we are therefore appealing to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission to approach the Republic of the Seychelles to put the interest of Africa first and to withdraw their candidature and work with Hon. Dr. Walter Mzembi in order for Africa to enhance its chances of winning this position.

We thank you in advance for your urgent attention to this matter in view of the fact that the election are to take place in Madrid, Spain from 11-12 May 2017.

Signed by C.R. Banda,
Minister of Tourism and Arts of the Republic of Zambia
Authorized signatory on behalf of the Ministers responsible for Tourism listed above.

 

The curtain is lowered on the 59th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Africa by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in Addis Ababa last week. This was the case not only for Africa but also for the ongoing campaign for the election of a new UNWTO Secretary General.

The nominee will be nominated by the UNWTO Executive Council at its 105th session to be held on May 11-12 in Madrid, Spain. The UNWTO General Assembly will take the final decision. The next General Assembly will be held  September 4-9 in Chengdu, China.

The article of the statute of UNWTO says that the position of Secretary-General is one of great importance, requiring the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity, as well as a firm commitment to the values and principles of the Organization. Candidates presented should have proven leadership and managerial abilities, extensive experience in international relations, and strong diplomatic and communication skills.

The Rome based eTN correspondence Mario Masciullo attended the Ethiopian conference and had a chance to speak to Ambassador Dho Young-Shim, the candidate for the Republic of Korea.

Ambassador Dho told eTN: ” Having been playing a frontline role in tourism at a global level for the past 4 decades and operating within the UN and UNWTO for over twenty years, I am the Chairperson of the ST-EP Foundation. ST-EP is UNWTO’s response in focusing on the elimination of poverty through tourism. The ST-EP Foundation is now in its final days of UNWTO custodianship in accordance with a decision taken in 2013 by the UNWTO Executive Council and its membership at the UNWTO General Assembly.

The question posed could have sounded provocative: “Madame Dho, why do you want to run for the UNWTO’s top job?”

“Knowing from first-hand experience the challenges and opportunities for tourism across all regions of the world, especially tourism’s ability to elevate nations for the benefit of all citizens, I’m firm in my belief that with the right leadership, tourism can finally get the attention, support, and resources needed to operate as a key part of the global growth agenda”, was Dho’s response.

In her own words, Ambassador Dho is clear in her convictions: “We live in challenging times. We all see it. All around. People are struggling to find hope.”

No country is able to get away from the troubles that the world is experiencing, whether in their economy, or amongst their people. This generation has never been so challenged in how to create a future for all to come together, peacefully, and with a feeling of personal value. At the same time, I see, I know, that tourism offers a way for people, whoever they are and wherever they live, to have hope. Tourism creates jobs. It creates stability. And it naturally creates identity. I know the difference that makes to creating opportunities for countries to build a future for the better of all. Tourism must be seen and used a part of the solution to global growth and development. Now is the time for action. No more words. Action”

For this reason, Ambassador Dho views the position of UNWTO leadership holistically. Dho emphasizes: “It’s not about me. It’s about the UNWTO global tourism community. We all together, are working to bring the world to a better place, one where people can recognize and celebrate their value, and the value of others. As Secretary General it will be my job to empower others so that tourism can be applied to lift up people and places across the world, making economies stronger, societies stronger. As Secretary General, it will be my job to unlock the power of tourism as a force for good for all. But I cannot do this alone. No one can. It must be a team effort”.

As stated by the Ambassador of Foreign Affairs of Korea in Spain at the formal presentation of this nation’s chosen candidate: Together, Madame Dho, with her chosen Deputy, Carlos Vogeler, a well known and respected leader of and friend to global Tourism, offer a unique combination of global expertise, experience, insight and exposure.

“My country is confident in their exceptional ability to lead the UNWTO, and its membership, to a position of even greater importance and impact within the Tourism sector, and wider global community.” Concludes Madame Dho.

There is a simple formula for UNWTO candidate Alain St. Ange competing for the post of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary General: “Friends of all, enemies of none equals tourism for all”

The run for the post of the new Secretary-General for the United Nations World Tourism Organization is in full swing. Candidates from Brazil, Colombia, Georgia, Seychelles, South Korea, Zimbabwe are competing for the highest post in travel and tourism. Among them the former minister of tourism from the Indian Ocean Republic of the Seychelles.

Tourism is the number one industry in Seychelles, and the person competing for the UN post managed to almost single-handed put Seychelles on the map of global tourism and was widely praised as one of the most successful and outspoken ministers of tourism. He is Alain St. Ange.

Friends of all, enemies of none. This has been the message Alain St. Ange transmitted to the world when he was a minister of tourism. He said: “The Seychelles is the only country on the globe where anyone can arrive with no visa.”

After St. Ange entered this campaign he added to his message of ‘Tourism for All’ – to rid the industry of discrimination, in terms of race, religion, gender, sexual preference, disability, politics etc. He is the only candidate that had actively reached out to LGBT travelers and his country is now welcoming this group with open arms.

St.Ange was one of the first thinking about entering the UNWTO Secretary General race, but backed out due to local political issues in the Seychelles and came back unexpectedly. This has caused a conflict with the African Union. The Seychelles is a member of AU, and the organization voted anonymously to support the Hon. Walter Mzembi as the African candidate for the race of the UNWTO. Just last week this endorsement for Mzembi caused African Union officials to ask St.Ange to back out of the race and support the Zimbabwe candidate.

Africa never had a UNWTO secretary general. The highest post within the UNWTO from Africa is currently held by Elcia Grandcourt. She is from the Seychelles and works asthe regional director representing Africa at UNWTO. Previously Ms. Grandcourt was the head of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

Despite the pressure, Alain St. Ange, however, stands firm in continuing his global campaign for the highest post in tourism. Tomorrow he will be leaving to attend the WTTC Summit in Bangkok and after that, he is to participate in a panel at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

St. Ange campaign approach is unique. He puts a big emphasis in reaching out to the private industry and media. This got him a record number of endorsements from many private companies in the Seychelles and abroad. It also got him good visibility in publications, TV and radio, including a session with CNN Richard Quest.

Alain recently said in an interview with Travel Daily that tourism and insecurity do not go hand in hand. He wants to make this one of the pillows in his vision for tourism.

Second is sustainable tourism. He said: “The UN and the UNWTO have been preaching this cause, but now it is time to work with member states to push the point across.”

St. Ange wants tourism to be seen as good custodians of what destinations have been blessed with. Sustainable tourism will promote long-term tourism and will work for countries to alleviate poverty and help bring a climate of peace. Louis D’Amore founder and president of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism has been a great fan.

As all candidates have said, St.Ange also wants to enter into discussions with countries who are not members of the UNWTO to invite them to the table. “We have but one tourism industry and we need to see the world work together to grow that tourism cake for everyone to benefit in return.”

St. Ange wants to decentralize the UNWTO Madrid headquarters with the opening of satellite offices in regions and key countries.

The Seychelles manifesto summarizing St.Ange ideas names as “other key points”  to immediately open cross-sectorial meetings with private sector organizations such as WTTC, PATA among others on the one side, the UNWTO, UNESCO, ICAO, UNEP etc on the second side, and the press on the third side.

“This will see ministers of tourism, civil aviation, and internal affairs sit together and look at security, and also air access issues.”

“Secondly it is again an extension of sustainable tourism where training is looked at with member states to ensure that regions have good hotel and tourism academies where languages are also taught. Training brings job satisfaction and creates additional value for people in tourism destinations. ”

“Thirdly to look at communication and marketing with member states. This will look at standards and value-for-money, but also the question of “What is Tourism?” and help countries move away from the connotation that tourism is a hotel or excursion. We need to replace this concept with the country being the tourism and to look at the infrastructure, cleanliness, culture, people etc.”

Yes, it matters that the USA and Great Britain, Australia, Singapore among others are not members of the UNWTO. We have one tourism industry that encourages people to cross borders and be a tourist so we need to sit together and develop strategies together. The world is today small because of easy air access and the ability to communicate as will. We need to be innovative and ready with trends and challenges and it is together that we can be better prepared. As SG I will actively try to bring non-member countries into the fold.

“I want to be remembered as having made a difference and having become the spokesman for tourism wherever a success story is developing or a disaster has occurred.”

Today is earth day. The event is celebrated in 192 countries around the globe. Professor Jeffrey David Sachs is an American economist and director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, where he holds the title of University Professor, the highest rank Columbia bestows on its faculty. He is known as one of the world’s leading experts on economic development and the fight against poverty.

He is a special adviser to the former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on the Millennium Development Goals, having held the same position under former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. He is co-founder and chief strategist of Millennium Promise Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending extreme poverty and hunger.

Ambassador Dho promotes tourism, sports, and education to fight poverty in the world’s least developed countries. She is spearheading the Thank You Small Library project of the UNWTO ST-EP Foundation which has established over 80 libraries in developing countries since October 2007.

Ms. Dho is a candidate to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Today Professor Jeffrey David Sachs issued an open letter of endorsement to support the campaign for Ambassador at UNWTO.

The open letter reads: 

To All Concerned:

I am absolutely delighted to learn that Ambassador Dho Young-Shim is a candidate to lead the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Under the very able leadership of Secretary-General Dr.

Taleb Rifai, the UNWTO has positioned itself and the tourism industry as a strong and creative supporter of Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. From my detailed and longstanding engagement with Ambassador Dho I have no doubt that she would continue to lead the UNWTO will great energy, dedication, decency, and commitment to the global agenda of sustainable development and peace.

In my capacity as a senior UN advisor and as a development scholar and practitioner at Columbia University, I have closely worked with Ambassador Dho for more than a decade, for both the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Ambassador Dho is a remarkable person: full of energy, drive, and tremendous organizational and leadership capacity.

She gets things done. She insists that others get things done. And she always acts for the greater good. She has served as a member of many high-level groups in support of the UN agenda and the UN leadership, currently including her active role as a member of the SDG Advocates appointed by the UN Secretary-General, in which I too am a member.

Ambassador Dho knows the challenges facing Africa and the developing world more generally.

She also knows well and on a first-hand basis the successes that Korea has achieved during the past half century in economic development and quality education, and has worked fervently and diligently to extend the lessons of Korea’s successes to the rest of the world. And she knows the myriad ways that tourism can serve not only the wellbeing and safety of tourists and workers in the tourist sector, but of humanity more generally, in extending good will, creating quality jobs, and breaking down barriers between peoples.

I am fully confident that Ambassador Dho would be an outstanding Secretary General of UNWTO.

With all best wishes,
Jeffrey D. Sachs
University Professor
Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

On April 19 UNWTO Candidate Walter Mzembi spoke out about his vision for the future of UNWTO, and the future of global tourism. He spoke in Addis Ababa at a reception hosted by the Zimbabwean government on the sideline of the UNWTO’s Commission for Africa meeting.

TRANSCRIPT of Dr. Mzembi’s statement:

Her Excellency Honourable Hinut Woldermariam, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

His Excellency Dr Kwasi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission

Excellencies, Colleague Ministers

Mr Tewolde GebreMariam, Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines

Invited Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

First and foremost, my sincere thanks to you all for being here this evening. I am aware of how tight our CAF programme is and the heavy demands upon your time : so I am very grateful that so many of you have been able to accept the invitation and to join me as I share with you some thoughts about the electoral campaign in which, on your behalf, I am engaged.

Tonight, I am prompted to speak to Africa – notwithstanding my global vision for tourism which has already been distributed to you.

For the past year, I have literally traversed the world, sharing and building that vision with input from member states. Since 2016, I have also attended all statutory Regional Commission meetings – gathering information, absorbing opinion and regional nuance, and adding to my own understanding and appreciation of the issues of real concern to our sector.

My take on global tourism, therefore, is not the result of a desk-top exercise. It derives, rather, from a lengthy, comprehensive physical engagement with the entire Executive Council.

But before I proceed, Excellencies, again let me acknowledge the presence amongst us of the outgoing Secretary General of our Organisation, Dr Taleb Rifai – now in the twilight of his tenure at the helm of the UNWTO. Someone whom we will all miss very much and someone whose remarkable legacy speaks for itself.

In Africa – and perhaps more specifically sub-Saharan Africa – you will be remembered and indeed revered for your strong adherence to principle : and to the promotion of tourism to foster understanding, particularly in destinations under siege for one reason or another.

I cite the holding of the 20^th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly, by Zimbabwe and Zambia, in 2013, along with Executive Council meetings in Kenya, Egypt and Algeria, as just some examples of the supportive, inclusive approach which has always characterised your leadership.

But these examples are a mere microcosm of your global calendar and the philosophy you have always followed – of promoting tourism as a vehicle to create greater understanding between peoples and cultures, to resolve conflict and, as you have always said, to make this world a better place for all.

But we have now entered a new age : and the global environment which has characterised your tenure of office has changed and indeed continues to change – quite dramatically in some respects –   presenting new, multi-faceted challenges for our sector and, inevitably, for your successor.

The threat of terror – specifically directed at the tourism industry – is now more pronounced than ever before. Equally, the impact on travel of natural disasters, many of them the direct consequence of the phenomenon of climate change.

But add to this

the new and intensifying trend towards isolationism and intolerance by state administrations;

• the apparent shift towards unilateralism and the nationalistic politics of the far right;
• the threat of cyber-terrorism and the unintended consequences of the ICT revolution;

and it is clear that whoever assumes the post of Secretary General, will have his or her hands full with a vastly changed global environment : will have to grapple with the impact of political decisions emanating from nation states against each other – where diplomacy has been sacrificed on the altar of nationalistic unilateralism : and where tourism-economies find themselves at the mercy of such extreme politics.

Accordingly, the incoming Secretary General, will have to be suitably equipped – in terms of qualification, professional experience, general aptitude and craft-competence – to successfully confront those challenges and to effectively respond to the expectations of UNWTO members in this changing world.

Excellencies, Dear Colleagues,

I believe we have no option but to be very honest with ourselves and, in so doing, to ask ourselves a number of questions relative to the pedigree and calibre of the person we would wish to deploy to Capitan Haya street in Madrid; and, obviously, the direction our Organisation should take going forward.

I believe we all agree that this is not a purely sectoral contest. It is not purely about Tourism : and it is not a contest devoid of political content or context.

It is, rather, a quest to find the best, most qualified, most competent person to lead us into the future.

The quest is decided by way of an election. Our electoral college – the Executive Council – comprises 33 member states, each one, nominally at any rate, representing 5 others. It is the Council which comes up the single candidate to recommend to the General Assembly : but, to what extent, if any, do those 33 members consult with the broader membership they represent, with regard to the election of the Secretary General ?

When they cast their ballots, whose choice are they expressing ? Their own, subjective national preference or the consensus choice of the collective they are purportedly representing ?

I raise these two issues because, as we observe this election process, it is becoming apparent that a number of ‘deals’ are being struck – some on the basis of bilateral reciprocal trade-offs – which, often, have little if any relevance to our tourism sector.

Of course, we should not be naive : this is sometimes how things happen and sometimes how these international systems operate. But if we simply close our eyes to it, or worse, become a party to it, we risk, in the end, being beaten by that system : and becoming accessories to the success of other regions rather than our own.

I do not believe we should allow ourselves to be beaten by any entrenched system. Our Continent and our Organisation deserve better. Indeed they deserve the very best.

I believe we need to speak the truth, both to ourselves and to others : so let me proceed by recalling a number of key facts and posing a few pertinent questions – to ourselves, as Africans.

Firstly – we need to be fully aware that we, Africans, constitute a third of the total membership of the UNWTO : 55 out of 157 member countries. It could be said that we provide the heart and soul of the Organisation;

Secondly – we need to appreciate that since 1957, when Robert Lonati inaugurated what would later become the UNWTO, Europe has led the Organisation for some 44 years. The Americas (Mexico) led it for 8 years : and the Middle East, under our brother Taleb here, has led it for 8 years.

The highest post Africa has ever occupied within UNWTO is that of Regional Director for Africa – a post currently held by the Seychelles.

Thirdly – we need to be aware that there exists an established, albeit informal principle of rotational equity which seeks to achieve fairness in the designation of leadership positions within the UN system : the very principle which saw our brothers Boutros Boutros Ghali and Kofi Annan elected to the very pinnacle of UN Leadership posts.

Fourthly – we must never lose sight of the unyielding efforts of our Heads of State and Government to bring about reform of the entire UN system – specifically the Security Council – and their determination to achieve a greater presence and visibility for the Continent throughout the UN system.

I pose the question : Are we, as Tourism Ministers, fully aligned to this broader vision so cherished by our Heads of State and Government ?

Fifthly – and consequent upon the previous point – we must remember that in order to optimise our chances of securing these international positions and fulfilling the wishes of our Heads of State and Government, the African Union conceived the concept of Candidature Committees at both sub-regional and Continental levels : specifically to allow for cross-regional and cross-Continental consultation so as to allow the best candidate to emerge, and then to fight, as a single united Africa, in support of that candidate.

It was this transparent, democratic formula and the unity of purpose manifested by Africa which recently secured an African, Dr Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo, former Prime Minister of Togo, the key post of Director General of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Dr Mousshira Khattab of Egypt and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia and indeed I myself, Walter Mzembi, have submitted ourselves to the same stringent selection process as we seek election to the head of UNESCO, WHO and UNWTO, respectively.

The point I seek to make, Excellencies and Dear Colleagues, is, in essence, an obvious one : namely that if we respect and honour the vision of our Heads of State and Government – of seeing Africa accorded its rightful place within the broad international body politic; and if we respect and honour the decisions they have made to gradually bring that vision into reality; and, equally as important, if we remain united in our pursuit of that noble objective, then we constitute a formidable force – well able to overcome the machinations of the entrenched system to which I have referred.

Excellencies,

Election time is drawing nearer. The stakes for Africa are high. If we miss this opportunity – especially if we miss it by virtue of division or allowing ourselves to be used : to become distracted by the blandishments of others who believe, sadly, that Africans can be ‘bought’ – then it will again slip beyond our reach for a decade and possibly more.

Excellencies,

As I ask you to reflect on the issues I have raised, allow me to also address, briefly, the essence of my vision for the future development of global tourism under the aegis of the UNWTO.

My Statement of Policy and Management Intent lists a four-pronged Agenda covering the following areas :

• Administrative and Governance Reform of the Organisation
• Resource Mobilisation and Business Development
• Responsible Tourism and Sustainability
• Organisational Repositioning and Brand Development

My candidature is about

• reform and renewal of the Organisation;
• providing leadership which will take the UNWTO beyond marketing excellence into the realm of high-level diplomacy and statecraft : which will take it to new levels of global visibility, consequence and relevance : and which can deliver growth with equity and real value to all member states in terms of their membership expectations.

It is about

• building an Organisation with more universal membership;
• to enhance its effectiveness and relevance within the broader UN family so that tourism, with its cross-cutting presence within all 17 SDG’s, can fulfil its potential as a significant contributor towards global socio-economic development under the SDG framework;

It is about

• building a more fully inclusive Organisation;
• one which accommodates and reflects all views and which seeks, through inclusive consultation and interaction, to find comprehensive solutions to the challenges which confront the industry today;

It is about

• ensuring greater fairness and equity in the development and growth of global tourism, especially in the emerging world where tourism receipts continue to lag significantly behind other parts of the world;

It is about

• ensuring that the Secretariat is more reflective of the UNWTO’s broad membership; and more gender sensitive;
• ensuring that the Regional Commissions become more visible, present and operational in their respective theatres of activity;

It is about

• working tirelessly to secure Tourism’s place as an integral and indispensable component within the broader trade and investment value chain : after all, each trade and/or investment begins with a visit;

It is about

• initiating debate on the creation of a Global Tourism Fund, by way of innovative, creative think-tanking, with the objective of clawing back even a single US dollar from each tourist arrival as seed-capital for such a Fund;

Without some form of sector-specific Fund, it is hard to see how UNWTO, how Tourism can fulfill its obligations under the SDG framework; or how UNWTO can adequately respond to the development-related expectations of member states, especially those in the emerging economies; 

My candidature is about

• building the Organisation’s capacity to respond more effectively and practically to the many vexing challenges which confront the global industry today.
• Issues such as Tourism and Security, Travel Bans, the Use/Abuse of Travel Advisories, the issues of Migrants; the impact of Currency Fluctuations; Pandemics; Climate Change, Natural Disasters; Child Sexual Abuse;
• Member states expect the Organisation to respond to these issues and to be visible and audible, on behalf of the global tourism industry, especially at international fora where such matters are debated;

These, then, are the core components of my vision. In all, they constitute a comprehensive Ten Point Plan (of Action).

Much greater detail is contained in the folders which Honourable Ministers and Excellencies, you will take away with you this evening.

Excellencies,

The key to such vision lies, essentially, in Leadership – exactly the caliber of leadership which I offer.

Our distinguished host Minister cited leadership – or the lack of it – as a key factor constraining the development of tourism in Africa.

I believe we can all agree with this. I believe we all recognize the opportunity we now have to deploy one of our own into the cockpit of global tourism. Let us not squander that opportunity to accelerate the realization of our own vision, “The Africa We Want”, through Agenda 2063.

Excellencies,

Let me conclude by saying how deeply honored and indeed humbled I am by the faith which African Heads of State and Government have reposed in me through their unanimous endorsement and the confidence they have in my ability to provide leadership of this global Organisation

I am more than ready to serve global tourism and will do so to the very best of my ability.

Excellencies, My Dear Brothers, and Sisters,

My sincere thanks to you all, once again, for being here this evening.

May God Bless You All.