Today, the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) has honored Harry Theoharis, seen by the organization as a front runner for the post of Secretary General of UN Tourism, with a prestigious award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the global tourism industry. The award was won at the 25th and 2025 edition of the PATWA World Tourism & Aviation Leaders’ Summit and the PATWA International Travel Awards at ITB, Berlin, attended by key figures from the global travel and tourism sector.
A veteran in Greece’s political and tourism landscape, Harry Theoharis has played a pivotal role in shaping and promoting Greece as a premier travel destination. As Greece’s Minister of Tourism from 2019 to 2021, he spearheaded initiatives that strengthened the country’s tourism infrastructure, enhanced international collaborations, and implemented policies fostering sustainable travel. His leadership was instrumental in successfully navigating the Greek tourism industry through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring a resilient and robust recovery.
His global influence extends beyond Greece, having actively engaged with international tourism bodies and stakeholders to promote best practices, sustainable tourism growth, and policy innovation. Given his deep expertise and commitment to the sector, Theoharis is widely considered a strong candidate for the role of Secretary General of UN Tourism, where he could further drive transformative policies for the industry worldwide.
The award was handed over by Secretary General of PATWA, Mr. Yatan Ahluwalia. He says: “It is an honor for us at PATWA to recognize the invaluable contribution of Harry Theoharis to the travel and tourism sector, not just in Greece but the EU region as well.”
The PATWA International Travel Awards 2025 are a benchmark of excellence, celebrating individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to the advancement of tourism and travel on a regional and global scale. The selection of Theoharis for this award underscores his strategic vision for the UN tourism organization and enduring impact on the industry.
With the slogan “reform to transform, unite to grow”, Harry Theoharis presents himself as a bridge-builder determined to return the governance of UN Tourism to its members. His first priority as Secretary-General will be to reform the organization to ensure greater transparency and accountability. This will be achieved through a series of initiatives to set clear, measurable governance standards and metrics, publish regular reports, conduct independent audits, and launch a centralized, publicly accessible platform that provides real-time data on project outcomes, financial performance, and progress against goals.
Mr Theoharis’ program and key initiatives such as the creation of a UN Tourism Resilience Data Centre and a Global Resilience Fund, positioning UN Tourism as a catalyst for meaningful change have already received enthusiastic support from member states and multilateral tourism organizations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
