This is a report on UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili right-hand man, Mr. Mssalim Afandiyev.

eTurboNews received an email from a person with an official position in the UNWTO system.
Since the time is critical to keep delegates attending the ongoing UNWTO General Assembly in Saint Petersburg informed, we decided to publish this letter in a raw, unedited format.

We checked with other sources and were able to confirm the general concerns raised in this letter is similar to concerns reported to us over time.

UNWTO has never responded to any eTN questions, emails or LinkedIn messages since Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili took office. We have little hope of a response this time but are trying, knowing UNWTO blocks our emails. There is literarily no information available on social media on Mussalim Afandiyev.

The information in this letter is the opinion of the writer of the letter and based on information the writer experienced. It’s not based on verified research by a reporter of this publication.

Letter to the editor

Dear friend,
Please allow me to keep my anonymity.

I have read your news about the information hidden by the secretary-general.

I am surprised because I haven’t read anything about the case of Mussalim Afandiyev. 

Mr. Afandiyev is the right-hand man of the SG into UNWTO headquarters. He is the executor of the oppression measures of the secretary-general on the officials of the organization.

He started at UNWTO as a service contract on loan of his country. He earned 4000€ / month. In one year (2019) he went from a service contract position (external worker) in the Europe program to an official position (category P5), € 8000 / month. Now he is “Director of reforms”, it is a new position created to adapt to him. This is one of the highest position in the organization.

He is a closer friend of Ms.Tayen and Mr.Pololikashvili.

The hiring of Mr. Afandiyev was absolutely embarrassing.
He is a relative of senior politicians in the Azerbaijani government. Mr. Afandiyev harassed several officials, made disciplinary dismissals without any humanity or education.

World Tourism Wire received a document from an anonymous source within the UNWTO. The UNWTO General Assembly in Saint Petersburg is about to start, many meetings on the sideline of the General Assembly are scheduled for Monday.

We feel this feedback may be important for delegates to see and develop your own judgment. Therefore we’re sharing the information with you and without comment, fact check or correction.

We will follow up on details moving forward but are sharing this with you as a raw unedited letter received.
Please email your feedback or additional information to [email protected]

Letter Received by sources inside UNWTO: (not edited)

UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL POLALIKASHVILI DISMANTLES UNWTO MISCONDUCTS AND HIDES INFORMATION FROM STATUTORY ORGANS.

WE CAN PROVIDE THE FACTS TO NECESSARY UNWTO ORGANS DURING MEETINGS IN RUSSIA

WHAT HASN’T CHANGED IN 2019?

THE TOP ADVISOR FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL STILL IS ANITA MENDIRATTA, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS IS STILL MARCELO RISI, BUT MANY IN UNWTO HAS BEEN REPLACED AS THE FOLLOWING:

MYTH OF RECRUITMENT

UNWTO SECRETARY GENERAL POLALIKASHVILI TRADES STAFF POSITIONS FOR VOTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

THOSE POSITIONS ARE NOT ANNOUNCED INTERNALLY AND NOT PRESENTED TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION FOR WHICH THE FORMER SECRETARY-GENERAL WAS NOT INVITED AFTER WHAT HE DID FOR THIS ORGANIZATION AND HIS ABSENCE WILL CERTAINLY RAISE EYE BROWS OF MANY.

DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE: ITALY IN EXCHANGE OF VOTE, BEST CANDIDATE WAS NOT CHOSEN ACCORDING TO INTERNAL SOURCES

DIRECTOR FOR MIDDLE EAST: SAUDI ARABIA IN EXCHANGE OF VOTE, BEST CANDIDATE WAS NOT CHOSEN ACCORDING TO INTERNAL SOURCES

DIRECTOR FOR STATISTICS: ARGENTINA AS PERSONAL FAVOR TO MINISTER SANTES PERSONAL FRIEND OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL. MINISTER SANTES BELIEVED TO BE THE NEXT DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL AFTER THE LATER LEFT IN JULY

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL CABAL LEFT THE TOP UN POSITION IN ONE YEAR BECAUSE OF MAJOR DISAGREEMENT AND DISAPPOINTMENT WITH SECRETARY-GENERAL’S LACK OF MANAGEMENT AND MISCONDUCTS

DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR EUROPE LEFT RECENTLY BECAUSE OF MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THE SECRETARY-GENERAL’S INTERNAL MANAGEMENT STYLE AND LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND IMMEDIATELY WAS HIRED BY WTTC BECAUSE OF HIS PROFESSIONALISM

UNWTO EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS PLAY NO ROLE IN AUTHORITARIAN MANAGEMENT STYLE OF THE UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL AND ARE NOT INVOLVED IN RULING THE ORGANIZATION.

ACCORDING TO OUR INTERNAL SOURCES AT THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM OF SPAIN UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL PRESSURING SPAIN TO FORFEIT THEIR RIGHT TO HOST EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN FAVOR OF HIS HOMELAND GEORGIA AGAINST UNWTO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DECISION TO TAKE HIS FRIENDS TO TASTE GEORGIAN WINE AND CUISINE.

ANOTHER FRIEND OF SECRETARY-GENERAL ILLEGALLY GIVEN STAFF OF DIRECTOR OF AFFILIATED NETWORK LAST YEAR FRAMED AS ON JIU RECOMMENDATIONS IS DISMENTLING THE NETWORK BASED ON INSTRUCTIONS OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL TO HAVE THE ABSOLUTE POWER OVER 500 MEMBERS

CLOSED PERSONAL FRIEND FROM SOUTH AMERICA IN CHARGE OF INNOVATION AND INVESTMENTS RECEIVED P5 POSITION WITHOUT JUSTIFIED EXPERIENCE BASED ON PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP WITH TOP SPANISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IS ANNOUNCING SECRETARY-GENERAL’S PRIORITY IS NO MORE THAN EVENTS AND GIVING PROJECTS TO HER FRIENDS FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND EUROPE.

ACCORDING TO HER SOCIAL MEDIA SHE HEADED DELEGATION TO SAUDI ARABIA TO REACH AGREEMENT OF 10 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE SECRETARY-GENERAL’S PERSONAL PRIORITIES AT UNWTO OF 5 MILLION AND OTHER  5 MILLION FOR HIS OWN NETWORK OF BUSINESS CONTACTS TO SUPPORT SAUDI ARABIA IN INTERNATIONAL ARENA AFTER THE KNOWN KILLING CONDEMNED BY THE UNITED NATIONS.

MYTH TRAVEL REGULATIONS

TRAVEL REGULATION WAS UPDATED IN 2018

BUT WAS NOT ANNOUNCED TO PUBLIC

SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVELS TO OPEN HOTELS OF HIS PERSONAL FRIENDS AS ON OFFICIAL MISSION (SOURCE HIS SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS FOR MEXICO, MARBELLA, IBIZA) IN RETURN TO FINANCIAL REMUNERATION

SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVELS  WITH HIS CLOSED CIRCLE OF FRIENDS FROM THE CABINET TO TOP TOURISTIC DESTINATIONS SPENDING PUBLIC MONEY TO STAY IN EXPENSIVE HOTELS FOR GALA DINNERS RECEPTIONS LUNCH BREAKS FOR HIS FRIENDS AND CONTACTS

• Reference article from Uruguay click here
• Reference article from Ibiza click here

UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL AND NEW SPECIAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT MS TAYEN FROM PALESTINE DECIDE ON TRAVEL AND HOTELS OF STAFF SEPARATELY FROM UNWTO DELEGATION.

ACCORDING TO INTERNAL SOURCE HER POSITION AND APPOINTMENT WAS NOT ANNOUNCED TO STAFF. IN ONE YEAR A PROFESSIONAL YOUNG LADY MANAGED TO BE PROMOTED FROM TECHNICAL CATEGORY OF G5 TO P4 WITHOUT ANY PROFESSIONAL JUSTIFICATION BUT RATHER TO BE KNOWN WELL IN ART OF ………. 

THE SAME WAY WAS CHIEF OF CABINET PROMOTED LAST YEAR WHO WAS REMOVED BY MS TAYEN IN OF MANIPULATION AFTER TRAVELLING ON PERSONAL BASES WITH THE SECRETARY GENERAL TO ARGENTINA, PARIS, DUBAI, COLOMBIA, USA AND LONDON. ALWAYS STAYING SEPARATE FROM ALL DELEGATION AS IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION’S ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOTELS.

BASED ON INTERNAL LIST SENT TO STAFF SHE WILL BE TRAVELLING TO MOSCOW AS THE ONLY STAFF ON PERSONAL BASES AND OTHERS FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL PURPOSES.

HER FAST TRACK CAREER AT UNWTO UNFORTUNATELY CAN NOT BE APPLIED TO ALL OTHER PROFESSIONALS WORKING WHO ARE DENIED PROMOTIONS AND SALARY RAISES.

FROM THE TEAM OF THE FORMER SECRETARY-GENERAL AND BEST FRIEND OF THE WIVE OF THE LATTER SHE MANAGED TO SURVIVE THE MANAGEMENT CHANGE AND MAKE A CAREER THAT WAS NOT MADE IN 10 YEARS.

IF PROFESSIONALISM IS ONLY CRITERIA OR SECRETARY-GENERAL HAS OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR WOMEN EMPOWERMENT.

MS TAYEN HAS THE POWER OVER THE SECRETARY-GENERAL WHO DECIDES NOT TO TAKE OTHER DIRECTORS TO OFFICIAL MISSIONS AND UNWTO GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL TAKE PLACE WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORS ACCORDING TO THE LIST SENT TO STAFF RECENTLY

SECRETARY-GENERAL’S CHIEF OF CABINET SEND THE LIST WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION TO STAFF

TO BE NOW THE ULTIMATE POWER AT UNWTO AFTER THE SECRETARY-GENERAL , MS TAYEN BEYOND CHIEF OF CABINET MANIPULATED THE SECRETARY-GENERAL TO REMOVE ONCE STRONG MAN IN POWER AND HIS RIGHT HAND IN CHARGE OF FINANCE WHO IS BELIEVED TO DEPART THE ORGANIZATION DUE TO MAJOR DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AFTER HIS REQUALIFICATION MBA DEGREE AT ONE OF TOP UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD. 

HUMAN RESOURCES AND ETHICS OFFICER ARE SILENT TO MISCONDUCT AND PROMOTIONS OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT IN EXCHANGE OF PROMOTIONS.

LEGAL COUNSEL AFTER RECEIVING HER ILLEGAL PROMOTION LAST YEAR IS SILENT TO MISCONDUCT.

MYTH REFORMS AND FINANCIAL DEFICIT

REFORMS DONE BY ONCE STRONG MAN AT UNWTO ARE NOT MORE THAN A MYTH TO FRAME EVERYTHING TO ATTRACT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ANNOUNCED they are REJOINING IN BAKU AND TO DESTROY LEGACY OF DR RIFAI AND DR FRANGIALLI.

USA

UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL DID NOT INFORM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON THE NATURE OF SUCH DECISION TO BE TAKEN BY SENATE NOT ADMINISTRATION.

WE HOPE UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION AND SENATE WILL HAVE A CLOSE LOOK BEFORE MAKING A WRONG DECISION TO JOIN THE TEAM OF CORRUPT AND DISHONEST SECRETARY-GENERAL.

UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL POLALIKASHVILI STARTED BREACHING ALL ETHICAL AND LEGAL CONDUCTS AND GIVES CONTRACTS TO THE CHILDREN OF TOP GEORGIAN OFFICIALS AND HIS PERSONAL FRIENDS IN GEORGIA, SPAIN, URUGUAY (HE SPENT HIS VACATION BASED ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA) AND MANY OTHER PLACES.

UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL HANDED OUT EXPERT CONTRACTS FOR REMUNERATION TO HIS PERSONAL FRIENDS IN RETURN TO PERSONAL FAVORS FOR HIS OWN BUSINESS NETWORK IN SPAIN.

UNWTO SECRETARY-GENERAL GIVES ALL UNWTO TENDERS AND CONTRACTS TO PERSONAL NETWORK AND ATTRACTS INVESTORS TO UNWTO PROJECTS FROM HIS FRIENDS. SEE UNWTO SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE LAST INVESTOR ONLINE ACADEMY

your comments please: [email protected]

Whatever our business in life may be, let us always remember that our core business is, and will always be, to make this world a better place. These are the words so many of us heard Dr. Taleb Rifai say so many times.

Dr. Taleb Rifai was the UNWTO Secretary-General from 2010 to 2017. Many remember his moving speech and heartfelt welcome he gave for Zurab Pololikashvili, when the Georgian candidate was elected in 2018 at the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu, China. Many say without Dr. Rifai’s support the election could have gone differently.

Dr. Taleb Rifai announced the venue for the 2019 General Assembly to be: St. Petersburg, Russia. Little did he know, he would not be attending.

What hasn’t changed in 2019? The top advisor for the Secretary-General still is Anita Mendiratta, the director of communications still is Marcelo Risi, but many in UNWTO had been replaced.

What changed is: Dr. Taleb Rifai was not invited to attend the UNWTO General Assembly in St. Petersburg. He will be unable to catch up with so many good friends or address the assembly.

His absence will certainly raise the eyebrows of many.

Since Taleb will not be seen in St. Petersburg next week here is his final address as UNWTO Secretary-General again as a reminder to delegates reading this article:

Dear Friends,

We have come to the end of a very special year for UNWTO and for the global tourism community.

In late 2015, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2017 as the ‘International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development’. This was, without doubt, a global recognition of tourism as an important contributor to the development agenda through economic growth, social inclusion, as well as cultural and environmental enrichment and preservation.

UNWTO was designated by the UN General Assembly to coordinate the activities and the celebrations of the International Year. With your support and the great support of our partners, we have promoted the value and contribution of sustainable tourism to development, to inclusive economic growth, social empowerment cultural and environmental enrichment and protection as well as mutual understanding, peace and justice. This was in many ways a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to come together and work closer in making travel and tourism a catalyst for positive change.

The launch of the Measuring Sustainable Tourism last June in the Philippines, the adoption by Members States during the Chengdu General Assembly of the ‘Tourism and Sustainable Development Goals’ Declaration, the Montego Bay Declaration and the Lusaka Declaration, our 14 official events held in all regions of the world, our first consumer campaign – ‘Travel.Enjoy.Respect’ and our online space for sharing stories, knowledge and actions which gathered over 1000 initiatives, were just some of the initiatives of this Year. All my thanks go to each and every one of the 65 partners who joined us in making this possible as well as the 12 Special Ambassadors for the International Year.

Dear Friends,

This International Year will not end in December 2017. All the work we have done together during this year needs to be sustained and expanded if we are to ensure tourism’s effective contribution to the 17 SDGs. We were, therefore, very pleased to have been able to launch the findings of the ‘Tourism and SDGs’ report at the Closing Ceremony of the Year in Geneva on 19 December. The Report, which was developed in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), looks into the links between tourism and the SDGs in national policies, in private sector strategies and sets recommendations for our common journey towards 2030.

2017 was also a momentous year for me personally, as it was the last year of my mandate as UNWTO Secretary-General. Over 12 years at UNWTO I have seen tourism become one of the world’s most important and impactful socio-economic transformative forces of our times. I have seen its growing relevance to the lives of millions of people around the world, to the preservation of our common values and to the greater understanding among people of all walks of life.
I have been touched by every person I have met throughout my humbling, rewarding yet challenging journey and deeply moved by many of the tourism stories I have come across around the world.

I want to thank all those who make our work meaningful every day. I also wish to thank all our Member States, Affiliate Members, sister UN Organizations, industry leaders and their teams, associations and global bodies for their support to me and to the mandate of UNWTO throughout these years. It has been a truly humbling experience.
I wish to say a very special thanks to the UNWTO staff that made possible every success that the Organization has enjoyed over the past years. I am extremely grateful to everyone I have worked with. It has been a privilege to serve as Secretary-General, not the least because of the diverse breadth of exceptional colleagues I have had the pleasure of working with.

I wish Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, the incoming Secretary-General, every success in continuing to drive our sector forward to a better future.

Dear Friends,

Whatever our business in life may be, let us always remember that our core business is, and will always be, to make this world a better place.

Thank you!
Taleb Rifai

Enjoy the photos by Christian del Rosario of Attreo Studio and long-time partner photographer for eTurboNews. eTN writers were not invited in 2019, but Christian will be taking all official photos for UNWTO – and he will do an excellent job.

Are you attending the UNWTO General Assembly in beautiful St. Petersburg, Russia next week? The United States is expected to join the UN specialized agency. Would you want to become an expert informer for eTurboNews. (named or anonymous)?

Marcelo Risi, Chief of UNWTO Communications did not respond to eTurboNews many requests to provide an authorization for our publisher and Russian speaking eTN reporter to attend.

No responses by UNWTO seems to be the routine since Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili took office on January 1, 2018

How to share news, updates, and comments , please email [email protected]

You can also send your information by VIBER or WHAT’sAPP to +1-808-953-4705 or SKYPE: thomassteinmetz
Facebook friends can also use messenger.

If you prefer not to be named – no problem.

eTN attended all General assemblies since 1999. We will miss St. Petersburg.

Previous General Assemblies of the UNWTO:

I	Madrid, Spain	May 1975 ‎
II	Torremolinos, Spain	May/June 1977 ‎
III	Torremolinos, Spain	September 1979 ‎
IV	Rome, Italy	September 1981 ‎
V	New Delhi, India	October 1983 ‎
VI	Sofia, Bulgaria	September 1985‎
VII	Madrid, Spain	September/October 1987 ‎
VII	Paris, France	August/September 1989 ‎
IX	Buenos Aires, Argentina	September/October 1991 ‎
X	Bali, Indonesia	October 1993 ‎
XI	Cairo, Egypt	October 1995‎
XII	Istanbul, Turkey	October 1997 ‎
XIII	Santiago, Chile	September/October 1999 ‎
XIV	Seoul, Republic of Korea/Osaka, Japan	September 2001‎
XV	Beijing, China	October 2003‎
XVI	Dakar, Senegal ‎	November/December 2005‎
XVII	Cartagena de Indias, Colombia ‎	November 2007
XVIII	Astana, Kazakhstan	October 2009
XIX	Gyeongju, Republic of Korea	October 2011
XX	Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe	August 2013
XXI	Medellín, Colombia	September 2015
XXII	Chengdu, China	September 2017

Pretoria, South Africa – African Tourism Board Chairman Cuthbert Ncube today officially declared the African Tourism Board open and operational after less than 2 years in the making and more than 400 members included in 36 African and 25 non-African countries.

Download the ATB charter as a PDF https://africantourismboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ATBCharter2019.pdf

It is a New Dawn for the Continent as we usher in the voice of Africa by Africa in Africa, Chairman Mr. Cuthbert Ncube announced.

It’s the birth of the African Tourism Board (ATB)  whose mandate is to drive the vision and the aspirations of more than 1,323,568,478 people in Africa.

ATB is ready to represent our Nations whose pride is vested on its untapped resources. Africa arises and synergies your efforts.

ATB is officially at your disposal as the only tool and voice that will unify our efforts and bring hope and change to the masses through sustainable tourism projects.

As we embark on this journey I am honored to be working with a team who have vested their energy and expertise with a wealth of experience in the Travel and Tourism sector in fulfilling the objectives of ATB.

May I take this time to invite our strategic partners, Affiliate Members, and all Tourism Bodies across the continent to join hands with us as we fulfill the mandate of people.

Leading ATB as the Chairperson my mandate is to serve with humility and uncompromising the integrity of our diverse societies, my conviction is ATB in Africa for Africans by Africans together we can go a long way yet segmented we might go faster and limit our destinations.”

African Tourism Board started as an initiative by the International Coalition or Tourism Partners (ICTP)under chairman Juergen T Steinmetz.

Steinmetz said: “Many of you know me as the Publisher of eTurboNews. African Tourism Board started with an idea. The idea developed into a project and grew way beyond this in a very short time frame.

I am so proud to witness and be part of the amazing progress of this new organization and hear the excitement among our motivated team and members. This excitement is echoed across the African continent and beyond.

I am also so grateful to my all African colleagues on the Executive Board allowing me to stay on as your CMCO.

We are inviting members to present projects and ideas to us and will be introducing communication groups.

I am also excited to announce the creation of African Tourism and Convention Marketing (ATCM).

The African Tourism and Convention Marketing (ATCM) is an independent corporate entity based in the United States and other countries.
Services are exclusively available to benefit members of the African Tourism Board. ATCM is working with members for members.
ATCM may sometimes reach out to third-party contractors if no members are available to provide needed services. 

Get ready for the ride!”

COO Simba Mandinyenya said:

The new kid, African Tourism Board (ATB) is up and running. Based on the plans being crafted by the Board, Africa’s tourism space will soon be enjoying some fantastic hospitality events and projects that will have an immediate impact on the continent’s tourism development trajectory.

ATB will soon be sharing with Stakeholders ( private and public, big and small) these plans. We invite you to keep watching this space.

ATB is established in response to the right move by the continent’s political leadership to move the emancipation agenda from the political to the economic front.

ATB is all about wholesome sustainable development of tourism on the beloved continent.

Engagement with key Africa tourism development partners is at an advanced stage.

If this is exciting to you, please come join us and be part of a revolution that will forever change tourism in Africa, One Destination of Choice in the World.

CEO Doris Wörfel said:

It is a great pleasure for me to announce the launch of the African Tourism Board and its marketing company, African Tourism and Convention. Africa has long been waiting for an institution that connects the public sector with the private sector to facilitate, advance and promote tourism growth and development on a Continental level.

African Tourism Board was soft-launched in April 2019 at WTM Africa in Cape Town, and since then has been restructured by a new strategic framework:

ATB is an Africa-based company to benefit Africa and its people and is perfectly positioned to provide the strategic platform for any topics of common interest relating to the tourism sector.

The aim of the African Tourism Board is not only to further grow and sell well-known and established tourism destinations, but also to benefit the many underdeveloped regions with the highest tourism potential.

Strategic partnerships between private sectors are the key for ATB to sustainable growth and development in the African tourism sector to improve the livelihood of African people by job creation.

A unique tool adds more value to ATB: To productively promote Africa to the Global Source Markets, the African Tourism Board is affiliated with the marketing orientated company, “African Tourism and Convention Marketing” to implement events, programs and projects related to promoting tourism on the Continent.

Join us on the journey to become this unique, extraordinary, and fascinating Continent ONE Tourism Destination of Choice in the World! I am looking forward to welcoming you on Board!

About African Tourism Board:

• Philosophy:
  Tourism as a Catalyst for Unity, Peace, Growth, Prosperity, Job Creation for the People of Africa
• Vision:
  Where Africa becomes ONE tourism destination in the WORLD
• Code of Ethics:
  ATB supports the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism which highlights the “decisive and central” role of UNWTO, as recognized by the General Assembly of the United Nations, in promoting and developing tourism with a view to contributing to economic development, international understanding, peace, prosperity, and universal respect for, and observance of human rights, and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction and without any form of discriminations.
• The  Board provides leadership and counsel on an individual and collective basis to its member organizations.
• The African Tourism Board provides an effective platform for both the public and private sector to engage and reach out.

More information on African Tourism Board is available on https://africantourismboard.com/association/

More information on African Tourism and Convention marketing is available on: https://africantourismboard.com/association/

Download a PDF brochure: https://africantourismboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ATBFLYER.pdf

Download the ATB charter as a PDF : https://africantourismboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ATBCharter2019.pdf

Contact ATB at https://africantourismboard.com/contact/

Join African Tourism Board at https://africantourismboard.com/join/

 Former UNWTO Secretary-General Dr. Taleb Rifai today issued this statement when joining the African Tourism Board as their Patron.

Travel & Tourism Today is a powerful economic sector affecting and changing the lives of Billions of people around the world , but , beyond the numbers and the economic benefits of Generating $ 3.4 billion of global spending every DAY , Creating 1/10 jobs all over the world , and Representing 10.4 % of world GDP , Travell and Tourism, is today a major contributor to much more significant change and transformation that slowly and gradually is bringing us together, as humans, like never before. We and Africa are ONE in today’s world. Travel has connected us back to where it all started.

WE ALL CAME OUT OF AFRICA .

In today’s world, I would like to believe that, the transformative power of Travel and Tourism, When well managed and utilized, is a cornerstone in establishing world peace and in turn a better world, for people and planet,
Protecting our cultural and natural heritage, Empowering local communities. Breaking down stereotypes enabling us to experience, enjoy and celebrate the beauty of our rich cultural diversity,

These are indeed some of tourism’s contributions to MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

Just imagine what that means to Africa.
Mark Twain summed it up pretty well when he said
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Travel, my friends, opens minds, open eyes, and open hearts. We became better people when we travel

That is why it’s a great honor for me to have joined ATB . It’s my, our opportunity to pay back to Africa, our motherland, the birthplace of mankind, a long-standing debt that we all owe 

Come join us let us make Africa ONE again and, be ONE with Africa.
Dr. Taleb Rifai

About African Tourism Board:

• Philosophy:
  Tourism as a Catalyst for Unity, Peace, Growth, Prosperity, Job Creation for the People of Africa
• Vision:
  Where Africa becomes ONE tourism destination in the WORLD
• Code of Ethics:
  ATB supports the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism which highlights the “decisive and central” role of UNWTO, as recognized by the General Assembly of the United Nations, in promoting and developing tourism with a view to contributing to economic development, international understanding, peace, prosperity, and universal respect for, and observance of human rights, and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction and without any form of discriminations.
• The  Board provides leadership and counsel on an individual and collective basis to its member organizations.
• The African Tourism Board provides an effective platform for both the public and private sector to engage and reach out.

More information on African Tourism Board is available on www.africantourismboard.com

“Whatever our business in life may be, let us always remember that our core business is, and will always be, to make this world a better place.” The person who said these words – and is a mentor for many in the travel and tourism industry – is now also part of the African Tourism Board (ATB).

Dr. Taleb Rifai, the former UNWTO Secretary-General is now officially a board member and honorary patron of the African Tourism Board leadership team. Where Africa becomes ONE tourism destination of choice in the world was the dream behind this initiative when it was started by ICTP Chairman Juergen Steinmetz at World Travel Market in London in November of 2018.

Click to read the full article on eTurboNews