The future of UN Tourism may be played out by 33 women and men attending the upcoming 122nd session of the UN Tourism Executive Council in Cartagena de India in Colombia, starting tomorrow, November 13- 15, 2024. It’s not clear that all full members of the UN-Tourism Executive Committee understand the manipulation they may be tricked into voting for this week in Colombia.

The 33 UN Tourism members are:

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Daniel Scioli Secretario De Turismo, Ambiente Y Deportes Secretaria de Turismo, Ambiente y Deportes Argentina
Sos Avetisyan Embajador De Armenia En España Embajada de Armenia en España Armenia
Jalil Malikov Deputy Head Of Administration – Head Of International Relations State Tourism Agency Azerbaijan
Fatema Alsairafi Minister Of Tourism, Kingdom Of Bahrain Ministry of Tourism Bahrain
Mr. Celso Sabino de Oliveira, Minister Of Tourism In Brazil Ministry of Tourism Brazil
Evtim Miloshev Minister Of Tourism Ministry of Tourism Bulgaria
Xu Zhao Director Ministry of Culture and Tourism China
Juan Oswaldo Manrique Camargo Viceministro De Turismo De Colombia Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo Colombia
Višnja Letica Advisor To The Minister Ministry of Tourism and Sport Croatia
Vladimír Eisenbruk Ambassador Of The Czech Republic Embassy of the Czech Republic in Bogotá Czechia
Didier M’pambia Musanga Ministre Gouvernement Democratic Republic of the Congo
Carlos Peguero Vice Minister Ministry of Tourism I Dominican Republic
Ms. Maia Omiadze, Head of Georgian National Tourism Administration, Georgia
Mr. Muhammad Adam, Ambassador Ghana Ghana
Ms. Despoina Damianidou, Officer Ministry of Tourism Greece
Mr. Suman Billa, Additional Secretary Ministry of Tourism India
Mr. Muhammad Najib, Indonesian Ambassador In Madrid Embassy of Indonesia in Madrid, Indonesia
Ali Asghar Shalbafian Hosseinabadi Vice-Minister For Tourism Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Giancarlo Maria Curcio Embajador De Italia Embajada de Italia en Colombia Italy
Cristina Edwards Director Ministry of Tourism Jamaica
Takuro Furui Director Japan Tourism Agency Japan
Lidija Bajaruniene Tourism Policy Ministry of Economy and Innovation Lithuania
Zohra Tazi Directrice Par Intérim De La Stratégie Et De La Coopération Ministère du Tourisme, de l’Artisanat et de l’Economie Sociale et Solidaire Morocco
Eldevina Carla Jose Materula Minister Of Culture And Tourism Of Republic Of Mozambique Ministry of Culture and Tourism Mozambique
Albertus Aochamub Ambassador Embassy of Namibia to Spain Namibia
Dorothy Duruaku, Director of Federal Ministry of Tourism Nigeria
Bokeun Choi Deputy Minister Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Republic of Korea
Irene Murerwa Chief Tourism Officer Rwanda Development Board Rwanda
HE Mr. Ahmed Alkhateeb, Minister Of Tourism Ministry of Tourism Saudi Arabia
Patricia De Lille Minister Of Tourism Ministry of Tourism South Africa
Rosario Sánchez Grau Secretaria De Estado De Turismo SETUR Spain
Badreya Almheiri Assistant Undersecretary Ministry of Economy United Arab Emirates
Rodney M. Sikumba Minister Ministry of Tourism Zambia

The current secretary general for UN Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili, has it all planned: His questionable 3rd term to maintain his post leading the political part of the travel and tourism industry in uncertain times of wars, government changes in the U.S. and other stumbling blocks for tourism to continue to be a pillow of peace and cooperation.

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Mr. Zurab campaigned for his own benefit throughout his time leading the organization and manipulated the system to be allowed to run for a third term, making it more difficult for other candidates to come forward and compete against him.

Strangely, it’s unclear if his country, Georgia, will support his ambition and issue the necessary paperwork to open this path.

Here is what the 33 delegates need to watch out for. Clarity and transparency—not confusion and manipulation—should win this week at this upcoming executive session.

It should not be forgotten that Zurab is already bribing Brazil and the Dominican Republic to allow them to host a satellite office for UN Tourism, along with promises of awards and positions. At the same time, other potential candidates have not even had a chance to come forward and campaign.

Brazil should not be allowed, as the Executive Chair, together with Alecia Gomez of the UN-Tourism legal department and Zhanna Iakovleva, chief of the cabinet (all loyal Zurab followers), to open the envelopes with the secret votes at the Executive Council and General Assembly for the election of the UN-Tourism Secretary General. An independent UN observer should be invited to participate.

This is the timeline the 33 delegates of the executive council should approve for the upcoming election.

Manipulation 1

18 November 2024: The vacancy announcement will be posted on the UN Tourism website, and a note will be sent to all members indicating the procedure and deadline for submitting candidatures.

This has always been in September but was shortened only due to COVID-19. COVID-19 is finished, and there was no reason to maintain November.

Manipulation 2

31 January 2025: Deadline for the receipt of candidatures at the Secretariat.

There is no reason to maintain this short deadline. It was moved in 2020 in another manipulation at the UNWTO Executive Council in Georgia in the middle of COVID, with hardly anyone having a clear mind on what was happening, resulting in Zurab winning a second term with no chance of another candidate competing.

February 2025: Opening and verification of the candidatures received.

This window covering the Holiday Season is too short for potential candidates to evaluate.

Manipulation 3

Mid-March/April 2025: A note verbale will be sent to all Members announcing the eligible candidatures. The deadline for communicating eligible candidatures will be two months before the opening of the 123rd session of the Executive Council.

In mid-May 2025, the 123rd session of the Executive Council will consider and vote for (recommend) a nominee recommendation.

The two month period a new candidate has to campaign and convince 160 countries is too short, mainly if Zurab stays in the game as a candidate. It would disadvantage everyone but give Zurab a considerable advantage in this competition.

Manipulation 4

7-11 November 2025, 26th session of the General Assembly in Saudi Arabia: Consideration of the nominee recommended by the Executive Council for appointment.

The rules are changing. “All elections as well as the appointment of the Secretary-General shall be made by secret ballot.” Rule 53 “1. On the recommendation of the Council, the Secretary-General shall be appointed for four years by the Assembly by a two-thirds majority of the Full Members present and voting.”

In the past, the General Assembly was appointed by acclamation unless one country objected to it. New candidates cannot campaign in 160 countries in just 2-3 months, giving Zurab a vast advantage in eliminating the acclamation process.

Manipulation 5

2. The term of office of the Secretary-General shall be renewable.”

UN Tourism will be the only UN agency or department allowed to vote for its secretary-general without term limits. Specifically, a UN agency should maintain its integrity with changing leadership, not the danger of one person running this organization forever.