Etihad Airways Chief appointed WTTC Vice Chair for Middle East and Africa

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, James Hogan, has been named World Tourism and Travel Council’s (WTTC) Vice Chairman for the Middle East and Africa.

The announcement was made at the 12th WTTC Global Summit being held at the Pamir Convention Centre in Tokyo, Japan, this week.

Speaking from Tokyo, Mr. Hogan said he was delighted to accept the position of WTTC Vice Chairman for the Middle East and Africa and looked forward to playing a major role in planning the 13th WTTC Global Summit to be held in Abu Dhabi in April/May 2013.

“The WTTC annual Global Summit is the pre-eminent event in the global travel and tourism calendar.

“It brings together more than 1,000 industry and government leaders from around the world to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing travel and tourism and to set the agenda for the future health of the industry.”

Mr. Hogan said it was an honor for Abu Dhabi to host the 13th WTTC Global Summit in 2013. He said: “The travel and tourism industries are a major contributor to the meteoric rise of Abu Dhabi and its emerging role on the global stage.

“The WTTC Global Summit in Abu Dhabi next year will not only build on this momentum but also showcase the Emirate’s abundance of world-class tourism infrastructure and attractions, which are the product of millions of dollars of investment by the Abu Dhabi government.

“I’m confident that next year’s Global Summit will provide further stimulus for travel and tourism growth to the UAE capital.”
James Hogan is a member of the Executive Committee for the 2012 WTTC Global Summit event.