Showing posts with label Zurab Pololikashvili. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zurab Pololikashvili. Show all posts

Tuesday, 2 June 2020

United Nations World Tourism Organisation Issues New Tourism Guidelines

United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has released a set of guidelines designed to help the sector emerge stronger and more sustainably from Covid-19.

The guidelines highlight the need to act decisively, to restore confidence and, as UNWTO strengthens its partnership with Google, to embrace innovation and the digital transformation of global tourism.

The guidelines were produced in consultation with the Global Tourism Crisis Committee and aim to support governments and private sector platers as they to recover from an unparalleled crisis.

Depending on when travel restrictions are lifted, the United Nations specialised agency warns that international tourist arrivals could fall by between 60 and 80 per cent.

This puts 100-120 million jobs at risk and could lead to US$910 billion to US$1.2 trillion lost in exports.

UNWTO secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili, said: These guidelines provide both governments and businesses with a comprehensive set of measures designed to help them open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner.

They are the product of the enhanced cooperation that has characterized tourism’s response to this shared challenge, building on knowledge and inputs from across the public and private sectors and from several UN agencies as part of the UN’s wider response.

The new guide, a follow up of the recommendations for action already endorsed by the Committee, is focused on seven priorities for tourism recovery based on the pillars of mitigating the economic impact, developing safety protocols and coordinated responds and fostering innovation.

These guidelines provide both governments and businesses with a comprehensive set of measures designed to help them open tourism up again in a safe, seamless and responsible manner

They highlight the importance of restoring the confidence of the travellers through safety and security protocols designed to reduce risks in each step of the tourism value chain.

These protocols include the implementation of check procedures where appropriate, including temperature scans, testing, physical distancing, enhanced frequency of cleaning and the provision of hygiene kits for safe air travel, hospitality services or safe events.

Wednesday, 11 April 2018

UNITED NATIONS: Lionel Messi Is Ambassador To Promote Responsible Tourism

The UN World Tourism Organization said Monday it has appointed FC Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi as an ambassador to promote responsible tourism.

During my travels I have had the opportunity to know other cultures and societies as well as other ways to see the world and this is very enriching, Messi said in a statement released by the Madrid-based United Nations body announcing his nomination.

I am happy I can join this mission of promoting responsible tourism, the five-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year award added as the body steps up its campaign to minimise harm tourism can cause to the environment and historical sites.

The UN body defines responsible tourism as tourism that helps maximise the sector’s benefits while minimising its potentially negative impact on the environment, cultural heritage and societies across the globe.

World Tourism Organization chief Zurab Pololikashvili said it was a great honour to have Messi promote the positive values and benefits that tourism represents.

Messi is a unique sportsman and an example of how willpower and constant work yield good results, he added.

The 30-year-old is the leading scorer in La Liga this season with 29 goals and is also the all-time top marksman in Spain’s top flight.

He is also the top scorer in the history of Barcelona and Argentina.


Tourism Observer

Tuesday, 16 May 2017

UNTWO: Zurab Pololikashvili Recommended As Secretary General

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation executive council has recommended Zurab Pololikashvili for the role of secretary general.

If confirmed later this year, he will take up the role in January 2018, serving until 2021.

The decision was revealed during the 105th session of the UNWTO executive council, meeting in Madrid, Spain, earlier.

Pololikashvili is currently ambassador of Georgia to Spain.

The candidature was presented by Georgia in accordance with the UNWTO statutes.

The recommendation will be submitted to the upcoming 22nd UNWTO general assembly for ratification.

The event takes place from September 11th-16th in Chengdu, China.

Pololikashvili has broad experience of working in both private and public sectors at high-profile positions.

He has extensive diplomatic experience, having represented Georgia to the World Tourism Organisation.

He also held a position of the deputy minister of foreign affairs in his native Georgia from 2005-06.

In the elections held in Madrid, Spain, Mzembi polled 15 votes against 18 votes garnered by the Georgian in the second round of voting after the first round failed to secure a clear winner. The minister was battling it with Márcio Favilla (Brazil), Jaime Alberto Cabal Sanclemente (Colombia), Pololikashvili (Georgia) and Young-shim Dho (South Korea) for the right to lead the UN tourism agency from 2018 to 2021. In the first round, Mzembi came first with 11 votes followed by the Georgian with 8 votes, Dho 7 votes, Favilla 4 votes and Sanclemente with 3 votes.

Mzembi had the backing of the African Union, one of the largest blocs with 10 of the 33 members of the UNWTO executive council.

The Georgian came first in the last round with the backing of South Asia and Colombia.

Pololikashvili will succeed Jordanian Taleb Rifai, who is leaving at the end of the year after two terms at the helm.

Competing for this move with the outspoken Hon Walter Mzembi, Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Zimbabwe, the country of Georgia on named Zurab Pololikashvili, ambassador to Spain and permanent representative to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), for the position of the organization’s secretary general.

Mr. Pololikashvili speaks English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Japanese
In 1998 he graduated from the Technical University of Georgia with an degree in International banking.
In 1993 he studies French at the International Language School in Paris.
As of April 15, 2012 Mr. Pololikashvil is Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia in the Kingdom of Spain
Prior:
March 2011-March 2012 General Manager of FC Dinamo de Tbilisi
July 2010 – February 2011 Vice President of Grupo TBC
August 2009 – June 2010 Minister of Economic Development of Georgia
June 2006 – August 2009 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia in the Kingdom of Spain
July 2005 – January 2006 Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia
February 2005 – July 2005 Head of Central branch of TBC Bank
February 2001 – February 2005 Director of the Mtatsminda branch of TBC Bank
March 1999 – February 2001 Assistant Credit Manager TBC Bank
March 1998 March 1998 Accounting Correspondence Manager, TBC Bank
November 1997 – December 1998 manager of international operations, TBC Bank

Courses completed
· 2008-2009 – Business Executive Course, Instituto de Empresa de Madrid
· January 2004 – JICA International Economics Program (Tokyo, Japan)
· October 2001 – KPMG Barents Group. Seminar of Management of branches (Varna, Bulgaria)
· December 200 – Banking Financial Academy. The New Accounting Standards (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· November 2000 – Financial Academy Banking. Marketing Banking (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· March 1999 – Credit Commercial de France (CCF, Paris) Internship in Commercial Management
· April 1999 – Program for small and medium-sized enterprises (Yerevan, Armenia)
· January 1998 – Banking Financial Academy, Business English Course
· April 1998 – Credit Commercial de France (CCF, Paris) Documentary Operations Seminar (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· March 1998 – USAID in Cooperation with the Barents Group LLC. Seminar on Documentary Operations (Tbilisi, Georgia)
· April 1997 – USAID in Cooperation with KPMG Peat Marwick. Credit Analysis Seminar (Tbilisi,Georgia)

The competition to become the new Secretary General of UNWTO is on. In the ring is the Hon. Walter Mzembi from Zimbabwe and the Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili from Georgia.

The outspoken Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzembi has been on a global campaign traveling the world back and forth. He has been doing this for many months seeking support for his candidacy. He got the endorsement of the African Union and was promised support from countries in many different regions of the globe.

Mzembi has been promoting a fresh new and global vision for UNWTO talking to heads of state, to ambassadors and ministers wherever he finds an opportunity.

The Georgian candidate shows a more local vision putting economic opportunities for his country in the foreground.Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media everywhere and has his PR team working hard on his case.

Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media and has his PR team working hard to get press coverage as a global leader.

The new and latest candidate to compete for the highest global post in travel and tourism is the Georgian Ambassador to Madrid, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. An event was held in Madrid this week. The event was attended by Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the current Secretary General of the UNWTO Taleb Rifai.

It was the first public lobbying by the Georgian candidate, and he put up a more national and regional approach compared to Mzembi who has been lobbying tireless for many months on a truly global platform to become Secretary Genera for UNWTO.

The competition to become the new Secretary General of UNWTO is on. In the ring is the Hon. Walter Mzembi from Zimbabwe and the Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili from Georgia.

The outspoken Zimbabwe Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Walter Mzembi has been on a global campaign traveling the world back and forth. He has been doing this for many months seeking support for his candidacy.

He got the endorsement of the African Union and was promised support from countries in many different regions of the globe.

Mzembi has been promoting a fresh new and global vision for UNWTO talking to heads of state, to ambassadors and ministers wherever he finds an opportunity.

The Georgian candidate shows a more local vision putting economic opportunities for his country in the foreground. Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media everywhere and has his PR team working hard on his case.

Mzembi leaves no opportunity out to talk to media and has his PR team working hard to get press coverage as a global leader.

The new and latest candidate to compete for the highest global post in travel and tourism is the Georgian Ambassador to Madrid, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. An event was held in Madrid. The event was attended by Georgian Foreign Minister Mikheil Janelidze and the current Secretary General of the UNWTO Taleb Rifai.

It was the first public lobbying by the Georgian candidate, and he put up a more national and regional approach compared to Mzembi who has been lobbying tireless for many months on a truly global platform to become Secretary Genera for UNWTO.

At the Georgian event in Madrid, the current UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai addresses the audience. The audience included high-level members of the diplomatic corps representing their countries in the Spanish capital.

UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai said:

“I think it’s very important, because this is the first of the events to open the opportunity for people to present themselves for candidature, and I think the presence of the Foreign Minister from Georgia who is here with us today and also the number of people who are here today, the variety of ambassadors that are represented in this room, it is very significant, and it is a very important sign.

Today’s event also is excellent in the sense that it gave an opportunity for Georgia’s Ambassador Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili to present some of his thoughts and some of his ideas.

I have been Secretary-General of this organization for the last 7 or 8 years, and it’s coming to an end. My only hope is that this position would be continued by a good candidate and a candidate that can take this organization to an even higher level than it is now. That’s why I’m very particularly happy to be here tonight witnessing the introduction of a new candidate.”

Mikhail Janelidze – The Minister of foreign Affairs of Georgia said:

Georgia is given the chance to bit for this high position in the UN and in UNWTO, a specialized agency.

We see the tourism sector as a very important industry and an opportunity for Georgia. Our country has been actively involved in UNWTO organized projects in Georgia.

For Georgia to be able to nominate a candidate to lead the UNWTO shows our commitment and priority we put on tourism in our country.

With UNWTO based in Madrid, Madrid is considered the capital of tourism. Therefore today we invited high – ranking guests representing UNWTO member countries in Spain to our event here.

Exactly this is the kind of vision Zurab Pololikashvili has as a candidate for this important position.”

Giorgi Chogovadze – the Head of Georgian National Tourism Administration added: “Let me remind you that tourism is not only important in Georgia but is important also all over the world is an important economic sector. If our Georgian candidate will win, he will not only support the Georgian tourism sector but all other sectors of our country, and the world.

The candidate Hon. Zurab Pololikashvili – Ambassador of Georgia to Spain finally added in promoting his candidacy: “Today was a very important day for me. Today is the official launch event for my candidacy to become the next Secretary General of UNWO.

I invited the diplomatic corp in the Spanish capital and key members of the diplomatic circle tonight. I am very grateful to our Foreign minister. I feel his huge support every day.

I also feel the support of our entire government. We had a similar event several weeks ago in Tbilisi, Georgia. It was attended by our Prime Minister, and we showed the audience what we are planning and what our vision is for the future. I think this is a step forward. My victory would not only be a big achievement for me but also for the entire region.

It would be a victory for our neighbors, as well as for Eastern Europe. To think even further we believe that I’ll be a good European candidate. For me, it is a great honor, an honor for our region and the entire European continent.”

The competition could get interesting. While Mzembi leaves out no opportunity to lay out his vision to the global media, Pololikashvili has been more reserved to talk to the press.

At the Georgian event in Madrid, the current UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai addresses the audience. The audience included high-level members of the diplomatic corps representing their countries in the Spanish capital.