Over 1000 Delegates will gather at the UNWTO General Assembly. China to host the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly
“A unique opportunity to get the sector united towards the common goal of making tourism a true driver of sustainable development.” This is how the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, described the forthcoming UNWTO General Assembly. The bi-annual event, which takes place in Chengdu, China on 11-16 September, will discuss how to advance the contribution of tourism to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and define the actions of the Organization for the period 2018-2019.
A high-level debate on tourism and the SDGs, a special session on smart tourism, the celebrations of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017, the conversion of the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics into an international Convention and current trends of the tourism sector are all integrated into the agenda of the 22nd session of the UNWTO General Assembly. The Assembly will also discuss the lines of action and key priorities of the Organization for the two coming years.
“This General Assembly gives us a unique opportunity to take key decisions that will guide us towards making a strong contribution to the future of people and planet,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai. “The UNWTO General Assembly constitutes the most relevant meeting of global tourism leaders and therefore we should capitalize on this occasion. Tourism is at a crossroads. This Assembly is our opportunity to strengthen our sector in view of the changes it faces.” he added. A high-level debate on tourism and the SDGs, a special session on smart tourism and the celebrations of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017 are all integrated into the agenda of the UNWTO General Assembly.
“Tourism is at a crossroads. This Assembly is our opportunity to strengthen our sector in view of the changes it faces.”
UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai This 22nd session of the General Assembly is the second hosted in China and the fourth in Asia and the Pacific. “China is not only the world’s fourth most-visited country and the first outbound market in the world; it is also an example of a country prioritizing tourism as a driver for development. The efforts of Chinese authorities to define tourism as a strategic pillar of the national economy and an effective development tool make China a fitting host for this UNWTO General Assembly“, said Rifai.
India has new Tourism Minister
India has a new Tourism Minister. In a Cabinet shuffle, K J Alphons has been inducted as Tourism Minister, replacing Mahesh Sharma.
Alphons is a retired bureaucrat, who served his Kerala State and the Delhi Development Authority with distinction.
He feels that India has much to offer, with its rich civilization, and what is required is good infrastructure at the tourist destinations.
In Kerala, Alphons is credited with developing the Kumarakom district as a tourist attraction.
Ratify or Reject? UNWTO Secretary-General Elect Voting Is Not A Done Deal
It should be considered breaking news, eTN has learned from highly placed sources, the drivers behind the current Secretary-General Elect, Zurab Pololiokashvilis, have been up to the same election trickery they engaged in last May to secure his nomination in Madrid.
From our archives in 2013, we published an article about Dr. Taleb Rifai being reelected as UNWTO Secretary-General. One can always learn from the past. Those were much simpler days.
Dr. Rifai said at the time, his job isn’t easy. “The role of being both a reformer and a consensus builder can be polar opposites.
We cannot live in a world that is static, everything changes. Reform is not just a character or passion. We have no option but to keep reforming and keep changing.” commented Rifai.
In the same article from 2013, it was noted, Taleb Rifai not only welcomed scrutiny, he encouraged it.
Never has our UNWTO been under greater scrutiny. As mentioned, one can always learn from history.
It appears bi-lateral deals to have Georgian nominee Zurab confirmed are continuing to flourish between Georgia and other voting UNWTO member countries. None of the deals have a clear connection to tourism. Apparently, these backroom deals are being engineered by the Georgian Foreign ministry under the directive of Georgian Prime MinisterGiorgi Kvirikashvili to ensure Georgia’s candidate is given a YES vote at the upcoming General Assembly in Chengdu, China.
When deals are brokered behind the scenes, with zero regards for our global tourism industry, we all we need to pause. It affects us all, right down to the very grassroots level of our global industry and to the very core and foundation of our UNWTO.
Pressing the reset button and having a do over might be prudent. While unprecedented, as our outgoing Secretary-General noted in 2013: “We have no option but to keep reforming and keep changing.”
With that in mind, NO ratification of this particular Georgia candidate elect is in order. A resounding NO vote to this particular Georgia candidate elect is in order. It will take only a little more then 1/3 of all voting nations to say NO to not confirm the Secretary General Elect and we can truly start over ensuring politics, favors and secret handshakes do not determine the leadership of UNWTO.
Last week, an Georgian investigative journalist quoted a top level local official within a due diligence report on the proposed UNWTO Secretary-General Elect:”“Most of Pololikashvili’s fortune was accumulated by his father, who was an influential businessman and a go-to guy for amicable dealings in post-Soviet Georgia, especially during Shevardnadze’s tenure. Zurab himself just was a good son who listened to his dad. That’s where he got his savvy acumen and knack for negotiation. He’s a perfect second man.”
Our UNWTO’s top post should not be a job for the kid of a crony or “negotiated for”. Diplomatic postings within one’s own government is expected, that we understand. Trying to hijack world’s top tourism post on a quid pro quo basis, is entirely another matter.