TEHRAN – Zurab Pololikashvili, the ambassador of Georgia in Spain, has been nominated to direct the United Nations World Tourism Organization for a four-year period starting in January 2018.

The decision was made during the 105th session of the UNWTO Executive Council, which was held in Madrid on May 11 and 12.

Attended by some 250 representatives from 59 countries, the meeting focused on the UNWTO agenda for 2018-2019 and the agenda of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

“We predict that 1.8 billion international tourists will travel across borders by 2030. We must ensure that such growth goes hand-in-hand with sustainability,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai in an address to the meeting.

The recommendation of the UNWTO Executive Council will be submitted to the upcoming 22nd UNWTO General Assembly for ratification, which will be held in Sept. 2017 in Chengdu, China.

AFM/MG