Elected unanimously by the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (WTO), Taleb Rifai, at age 63, is the Secretary General of the WTO, based in Madrid, since 2010. Former Minister of Tourism and Antiquity for the government of Jordan, he already presided over the Executive Committee of the WTO at the beginning of the 2000s.
Trained as an architect and urbanist, he rapidly switched between senior positions in commerce and strategic investments, minister and corporate manager. He developped a perfect knowledge of the secrets of politics and the business world and has long developed an awareness of the economic dimension of tourism on a planet-wide scale.In December 2012, Taleb Rifai symbolically celebrated the benchmark of one billion international tourism trips by welcoming a British family at the Prado Museum. From its international travel observatory, the WTO deciphers the rise in power of new clientele, the new division of the worldwide tourism landscape and the implications that must be foreseen for national economies. The Secretary General defends the power of the tourism and travel industry with conviction in order to drive economic growth and promote sustainable development. While calling upon governments to provide this sector with the means to fulfill its economic, social and sociological role, through the WTO’s actions he also invites travelers to participate in this mutual enrichment while respecting local cultures.For participants at the 17e Global Lodging Forum, he will offer a prospective analysis of the flow of international visitors in the years to come and grow awareness of the challenges that lie on the horizon for welcoming new and old tourists under the best conditions.
