The UNWTO forges a new strategy for Lebanon

The UNWTO forges a new strategy for Lebanon

November 09,2018 0 Rita Ghantous
Zurab Pololikashvili

Zurab Pololikashvili

At the beginning of 2018, Jordanian Economist Taleb Rifai, who held the position of Secretary-General to the United Nations World Tourism Organization since 2010, was replaced by Georgian Ambassador Zurab Pololikashvili. Discussing the role tourism plays and the organization’s focus he said, “The UNWTO’s new vision is about making tourism smarter, more competitive and responsible. Our goal is to establish the sector as key for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. To help us get there, our five key priorities will be: innovation and digital transformation; investments and entrepreneurship; education and employment; safe, secure and seamless travel; and social, cultural and environmental sustainability. Lebanon stands to benefit from this new approach, especially in light of the surge in high-tech companies the country is experiencing, which could prove an important avenue for further tourism development. I encourage Lebanon to facilitate investment in technologies that have the potential to bring positive disruption and sustainable, inclusive growth to the country’s tourism sector. To that end, we are establishing a comprehensive development vision for tourism, making it a policy priority, establishing thought leadership in knowledge and policy creation, and strengthening capacity through meaningful partnerships. We want Lebanon to play an influential part in this vision.”

www2.unwto.org

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About author

Rita Ghantous

Publication Executive

Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.

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