WorldTourismWire is standing by its previous articles and will continue to inform readers about relevant issues in regards to the Secretary General election process.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization requested to have this statement published in its full content.WorldTourismWire welcomes any statement, information or clarification by UNWTO or any party with relevant concerns.

The UNWTO Statement reads:
In view of the various articles published by eTN in recent weeks on the process of election of a nominee for the post of Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the period 2018-2021, UNWTO would like to state the following:

1. The process of election of a nominee for the post of Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the period 2018-2021 that took place at the 105^th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council on 12 May 2017 in Madrid, Spain, was conducted in full observance of the Organization’s Statutes and Rules of Procedure, including the Presentation by the Candidates, the Restrictive Private Meeting for discussion of the Candidates and the Normal Private Meeting for vote by secret ballot.

2. The various statements published by eTN are not only inaccurate but highly defamatory.

3. As per the UNWTO Statutes and Rules of Procedure, the 105th Session of the UNWTO Executive Council selected one nominee to the post of UNWTO Secretary-General (Mr Zurab Pololikashvili of Georgia). The recommendation of the Executive Council of the one nominee will be submitted to the 22^nd Session of the UNWTO General Assembly for his appointment to the post of Secretary-General in accordance with Article 22 of the UNWTO Statutes.

In the name of truth and accuracy, UNWTO requests eTN to publish the above statement in its full content.
Madrid, 12 June 2017