MADRID, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) on Friday nominated Zurab Pololikashvili, the Georgian Ambassador to Spain, as the organization's next secretary-general.
Pololikashvili's nomination will be submitted to the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly for ratification when they meet in the Chinese city of Chengdu on Sept. 11-16.
The announcement came at the end of the 105th meeting of the UNWTO Executive Council here. The two-day meeting focused on the current trends and challenges facing the tourism sector.
Taleb Rifai, the current UNWTO secretary-general, said the meeting had come at an "important moment in the history of the organization, with a change of leadership, a change of personnel and a new future."
"I can attest to his capabilities both technically and as a person. This job requires a lot of diplomacy and technical know-how, which I am certain he has," he added.
The UNWTO recognized three main challenges for the sector, which are safe, secure and seamless travel, ease of crossing international frontiers with guarantees of safety for travelers, as well as the impact of technology on travel and sustainability.
