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They helped build international tourism cooperation long before Zurab Pololikashvili took control of UNWTO in 2018. Some became global tourism celebrities, others worked quietly behind the scenes. At the 2026 WTTC Global Summit in Malta, their contributions were remembered, while the current UN Tourism Secretary-General was notably absent.
They were once among the most influential personalities in the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), helping governments, destinations and private businesses work together when cooperation between UNWTO and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) was a central feature of international tourism diplomacy.
They helped shape tourism policies, built bridges between governments and industry, opened doors that few others could open, and understood that international tourism leadership was about relationships, trust and getting things done.
Many of these personalities established their influence long before Zurab Pololikashvili became UNWTO Secretary-General in January 2018.
Some later moved away from the institutional spotlight. Others continued working quietly through diplomatic networks, advisory roles and international tourism initiatives.
But at the 26th WTTC Global Summit in Malta, they were not forgotten.
Among the most prominent figures recognized were former UNWTO Secretaries-General Professor Francesco Frangialli and Dr. Taleb Rifai, South Korean Ambassador Dho Young-shim, and the Honorable Abulfas Garayev, Azerbaijan’s long-serving former Minister of Culture and Tourism.
Their recognition was more than a ceremonial celebration of distinguished careers. It reminded everyone of an earlier era of international tourism cooperation, when some of the industry’s most influential personalities worked across institutional boundaries and helped build relationships between WTTC, UNWTO, national governments, and destinations.
And there was an unmistakable irony. While these former UNWTO personalities were being celebrated in Malta, the current UN Tourism Secretary-General, Shaikha Al Nuwais, was not there.
Francesco Frangialli:
The architect who brought tourism into the United NationsProfessor Francesco Frangialli received the prestigious WTTC Icon Award during a VIP dinner at the summit on October 8.
For anyone familiar with the history of international tourism governance, Frangialli’s recognition was particularly significant.
As Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization from 1997 to 2009, he oversaw its transformation into a specialized agency of the United Nations in 2003.
That achievement gave tourism a stronger voice in international policymaking and helped establish the sector as an important contributor to economic development.
Frangialli also played a leading role in advancing the international statistical frameworks used to measure tourism’s economic impact.
Those foundations remain essential to tourism policy, investment decisions and the way governments assess the sector’s contribution to national economies.
\WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara praised Frangialli for fundamentally changing tourism’s international recognition and helping secure its place within the UN system.
But the symbolism went further.
Frangialli helped build the institution that eventually became UN Tourism. Decades later, it was WTTC, the leading private-sector tourism organization, that was celebrating his achievements.
He belongs to a generation that understood the importance of strong international institutions while recognizing that governments and private industry must work together.
His Icon Award was therefore not simply a lifetime achievement recognition. It was a tribute to the institutional foundations of global tourism cooperation.
Taleb Rifai: The celebrity of world tourism who never forgot the human connection
Dr. Taleb Rifai, who succeeded Frangialli and served as UNWTO Secretary-General from 2010 to 2017, also received the WTTC Icon Award.
If Frangialli was the institutional architect, Rifai became the human face of international tourism diplomacy.
His leadership strengthened cooperation between WTTC and UNWTO, including the Tourism Open Letter and Golden Book initiative, which brought tourism’s economic importance directly to more than 80 heads of state and government.
Rifai understood that international tourism could not succeed through bureaucracy alone.
It required personal relationships, mutual respect and a willingness to bring people together even when governments and organizations disagreed.
At the Malta summit, Rifai appeared genuinely delighted by the recognition.
He had a smile on his face as he was celebrated with the enthusiasm usually reserved for an international celebrity.
And perhaps, within the world of tourism, that is exactly what he has become.
eTurboNews received numerous press releases and congratulatory messages from tourism organizations, ministries and industry personalities applauding the recognition and award Rifai received in Malta.
The response reflected something that institutional titles cannot guarantee: lasting personal respect.
Nearly nine years after leaving UNWTO, Rifai remains an influential and recognizable figure in international tourism.
His recognition also carried a political and institutional message.
Rifai represented a period when the relationship between UNWTO and WTTC was particularly visible, with the two organizations working together to persuade governments to treat tourism as a national economic priority.
The Malta award recognized that contribution.
Ambassador Dho Young-shim: The Korean diplomat who preferred results over publicity
Another important personality recognized in Malta was South Korean Ambassador Dho Young-shim.
Dho belongs to a different category of international tourism leader.
She is not known for constantly seeking television interviews, dominating conference stages or promoting her personal achievements.
Her reputation has been built through diplomacy, long-standing relationships and the ability to move international initiatives forward, often away from public attention.
A former member of South Korea’s National Assembly, she subsequently served in diplomatic and international tourism roles, becoming deeply involved in the World Tourism Organization’s development agenda.
One of her most significant contributions was leading the UNWTO Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty initiative, known as ST-EP.
As chair of the ST-EP Foundation, Dho promoted projects connecting tourism with education, poverty reduction, and opportunities for communities in developing countries.
The Thank You Small Library initiative, associated with her work, helped establish libraries in developing countries.
But her contribution extended beyond development projects. Dho became an important diplomatic intermediary between South Korea, UNWTO and international tourism leaders.
A South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs account of negotiations surrounding the proposed International ST-EP Organization acknowledged her instrumental role in advancing the initiative.
The diplomatic history was especially interesting because South Korea had supported a rival candidate during the 2009 UNWTO Secretary-General election.
Yet Dho subsequently helped sustain cooperation with Taleb Rifai’s leadership. That kind of relationship-building requires patience, trust and diplomatic skill.
Dho also served in UNWTO’s Strategic Group, undertook special envoy responsibilities and participated in institutional transition work.
Such positions placed her close to important discussions affecting international tourism governance.
Not every contribution made in those settings becomes public knowledge. Her documented roles nevertheless demonstrate why her influence should not be judged by the number of press releases issued in her name.
At Malta, Dho was recognized among WTTC’s global ambassadors, whose experience and relationships help connect the organization with governments and industry leaders.
For a diplomat who has often preferred getting things done to talking about herself, the recognition was particularly fitting.
Hon. Abulfas Garayev: Azerbaijan’s veteran tourism statesman
The recognition of the Honorable Dr. Abulfas Garayev added another dimension to the celebration of experienced international tourism leadership.
Garayev served for many years in Azerbaijan’s government, including as Minister of Culture and Tourism from 2006 until the ministry’s restructuring in 2018, and subsequently as Minister of Culture until 2020.
During his tenure, Azerbaijan expanded its international cultural and tourism engagement, positioning itself as a destination connecting Europe, Asia and the wider Caucasus region.
Garayev was also closely associated with the World Tourism Organization, serving on its Executive Council and participating in international discussions about tourism policy, cultural heritage and cooperation between destinations.
His contribution illustrates the importance of government ministers who do more than represent their countries at international conferences.
They build relationships that can survive changes in administrations, institutional leadership and political priorities.
Garayev’s experience also demonstrates how tourism and culture can reinforce one another.
For Azerbaijan, cultural heritage, international events and tourism development became important components of its international engagement.
His career continued to connect him with international tourism discussions after leaving government.
At Malta, Garayev was among the distinguished former officials recognized through WTTC’s global ambassador network.
Like Dho, his recognition was not the same as the individual WTTC Icon Awards presented to Frangialli and Rifai. Nevertheless, it acknowledged the continuing contribution of an experienced tourism statesman whose relationships extend well beyond his years in public office.
The pre-Zurab generation that never really left tourism
A common thread connects Frangialli, Rifai, Dho and Garayev.
All four established their international tourism reputations before Zurab Pololikashvili became UNWTO Secretary-General in 2018.
They represent a generation that helped shape the organization’s relationships with governments, international institutions and private industry.
Pololikashvili’s arrival marked a change in leadership and institutional direction.
The organization’s subsequent rebranding from UNWTO to UN Tourism also reflected an effort to establish a new public identity.
But the personalities who built much of its earlier international network did not simply disappear.
Some continued through advisory roles. Others remained active in development projects, international forums, diplomatic initiatives and private-sector partnerships.
WTTC’s decision to honor several of these figures in Malta demonstrated that their relationships and contributions still matter.
The awards also highlighted the continuity of international tourism leadership beyond any single administration.
Organizations may change names, leadership and priorities. Relationships built over decades can continue to influence cooperation long after officials leave their posts.
Where was the current UN Tourism leadership
There was one striking absence from this celebration of international tourism history.vUN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais was not in Malta.
For an event bringing together more than 1,000 delegates, over 200 leading tourism executives and government ministers, that absence was surprising.
It was particularly noticeable because WTTC and UN Tourism have a history of cooperation agreements and shared initiatives.
And it became even more striking as former UNWTO leaders received some of the summit’s most prominent awards. Frangialli was honored for bringing tourism into the United Nations.
Rifai was honored for strengthening cooperation between governments and private industry.
Dho and Garayev were recognized among WTTC ambassadors for the experience and international relationships they continue to bring to the sector.
These were all personalities with significant connections to the institution now known as UN Tourism.
Yet the current Secretary-General was absent.
The reasons have not been established, and it would be premature to interpret her nonattendance as evidence of an institutional disagreement. Whether another official represented UN Tourism also requires confirmation. Nevertheless, the optics raised legitimate questions.
Why was the current head of UN Tourism not present when WTTC was celebrating some of the most influential figures in the organization’s history?
And what does that say about the evolving relationship between the two institutions?
Has WTTC become the gathering place for global tourism’s old and new leadership?
The Malta summit demonstrated WTTC’s ability to convene an unusually broad range of international tourism stakeholders.
The organization, historically identified primarily with major private-sector corporations, brought together government ministers, destinations, investors, international tourism veterans and business leaders.
Its recognition of former UNWTO personalities reinforced the impression that WTTC’s influence now extends beyond its traditional corporate membership. That does not mean WTTC is replacing UN Tourism.
UN Tourism retains its formal role as a specialized agency of the United Nations, with responsibilities that cannot simply be transferred to a private-sector organization.
But international influence is not determined by institutional status alone. It also depends on relationships, credibility, participation and the ability to bring decision-makers together.
In Malta, WTTC demonstrated all of these qualities.
The recognition of Frangialli, Rifai, Dho and Garayev was therefore more than a nostalgic tribute to former tourism officials.
It was an acknowledgment that the experience, relationships and institutional knowledge of earlier generations remain valuable to the future of global tourism.
They were not forgotten
Perhaps the most revealing message from Malta was that international tourism leadership does not end when someone leaves office. Frangialli helped create the institutional foundations of UN tourism governance.
Rifai strengthened the personal and political relationships that brought public and private tourism leaders together.
Dho demonstrated the value of quiet diplomacy and persistent development work.
Garayev contributed decades of ministerial experience, cultural diplomacy and international tourism cooperation.
Their careers followed different paths, but all helped shape the sector long before its current institutional leadership took office.
Some became celebrities. Others preferred to work behind the scenes.
All remained connected to an international tourism community that remembered their contributions. And at the WTTC Global Summit in Malta, they were not forgotten.
There was a certain irony in seeing WTTC celebrate the architects, diplomats and statesmen of the former UNWTO era while the current Secretary-General of UN Tourism was absent.
Perhaps the larger question is not who was missing from Malta.
It is who continues to bring the international tourism family together — and whether WTTC is increasingly becoming that meeting place.
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