The latest candidate wanting to take over the post of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is Mrs. Dho Young-shim. She is also the Chairperson of the UN World Tourism Organization’s Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) Foundation (Republic of Korea)

South Korea held already the lead in the United Nations. The current Secretary-General is Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, who took office on 1 January 2007. His first term expired on 31 December 2011. He was re-elected, unopposed, to a second term on 21 June 2011.

Since January 1, 2017   Portuguese Antonio Guterres is the first Secretary-General from Western Europe since Kurt Waldheim (1972–1981), the first former head of government to become Secretary-General and the first Secretary-General born after the establishment of the United Nations.

With Dho Young-shim another integrated agency of the United Nations would be in Korean hands.

Dho Young-shim had offered Mr. Carlos Vogeler to work with her as a second in charge if she was elected.

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.

From 1982 to 1992, she was a Member of the Korean Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union; between 1985 and 1988, she served as Chief of Staff of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee; from 1988 to 1992, she was a Member of the National Assembly; and from 1988 to 1992, she served as Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Unification.

Between 1999 and 2003, she was Vice Chair and Chair of the Organizing Committee for Visit Korea Year; from 2003 to 2004, she served as Ambassador of Cultural Cooperation; and from 2005 to 2006, she was Ambassador of Tourism and Sports.

Ambassador Dho holds a BSc in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma. In 2008, she was awarded the title if High Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

Mr. Carlos Vogeler is currently Executive Director for Member Relations at the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) based in Madrid, Spain. Between January 2009 and December 2013 he held the position of Regional Director for the Americas at UNWTO, which he currently also retains.

Between January 2009 and December 2013 he held the position of Regional Director for the Americas at UNWTO, which he currently also retains.

He is a tenured professor at University “Rey Juan Carlos”, Madrid, at the Dpt. of Business Economics, regular lecturer at Spanish and International Universities and author of various university text books, as well as numerous articles on international tourism structure.

Mr. Vogeler started his career in the private sector at Pullmantur, one of the largest Spanish Tour Operators. During his sixteen years of service from 1974 to 1990, he became Deputy Managing Director and introduced many innovations, namely expanding the number of destinations and products and opening new offices and new markets. He also played an active role in the board of directors of the Spanish Travel Agencies Association of Travel Agencies and in UFTAA (United Federation of Travel Agent’s Associations), where he chaired the committee on road transportation.

From 1991 to 2008 he served in various senior management positions at Group RCI, part of Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality groups, quoted in the New York Stock Exchange, where he was Managing Director for South-Western Europe, covering Spain, France, Portugal and Benelux and later Vice president of Global Account Strategy & Industry Relations.

He was elected Chairman of the Affiliate Members of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) from 2005 to 2008, representing Group RCI. Since 1997 he had been serving as Vice President of the board of the Affiliate Members and Chairman of the Business Council and member of the UNWTO Strategic Group.

He is also a founding member of the Spanish Association of Experts in Tourism (AECIT) and was a member of the International Association of Experts in Tourism (AIEST).

Carried out his studies in Canada and in Spain, graduating in Tourism Business Administration by “Escuela Oficial de Turismo de Madrid” (now University Rey Juan Carlos) and post-graduate by the IESE Business School, of the University of Navarra – Spain.

Mr. Vogeler was born in Venezuela of Spanish mother and Venezuelan-German father and is a national of Spain and Venezuela.

Mr. Vogeler would be competing with Mr. Marcio Favilla from Brazil, who is serving as the Executive Director for Operational Programmes and Institutional Relations for UNWTO. Both are considered insiders and integrated into the old system at UNWTO.