The Diplomat
The Hotel Business Association Madrid (AEHM) was elected, during the international tourism fair FITUR, to chair the UNWTO Affiliate Members for the next four years at the meeting of its Board of Directors.
In addition to the election of the AEHM, represented by its executive vice-president Mar de Miguel, the 23 members of the Board elected the Argentine Chamber of Tourism for the first vice-presidency, represented by its president, Gustavo Hani; and Chameleon Strategies for the second vice-presidency, represented by Jens Thraenhart, CEO.
Following on from the elections, the new Chair, Mar de Miguel, expressed her gratitude for the trust placed in them by the rest of the Board and expressed her readiness to work to unlock the full potential of the UNWTO Affiliate Members network as a tool to promote a better tourism, enhance public-private cooperation and accelerate the recovery of the sector.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UNWTO, commented: “UNWTO stands ready to work hand-in-hand with the new Board of the Affiliate Members, and I would like to personally congratulate the elected Chair and Vice Chairs for their hard work. I wish them the best in their new roles.”
Affiliate Members Growing
The Board of the Affiliate Members is the representative body of the more than 500 Affiliate Members of UNWTO. Among its functions, it is to provide recommendations and proposals to the Secretary-General for the preparation of the Programme of Work for the Affiliate Members and on any question regarding Affiliate Membership.
Following the approval at the 24th UNWTO General Assembly of the new Legal Framework of the Affiliate Members, which deepened the prerogatives of the Board, it will be called to work towards strengthening the role of the Affiliate Members within the organization and reinforcing the partnership between tourism’s private sector and UNWTO’s Member States.
