Malaga hosted the 103th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) from 09th till 11the of May 2016. The session was attended by about 300 representatives from 50 countries, including 17 ministers and state secretaries in charge of tourism. The opening ceremony was presided over by the Secretary General of UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, the Secretary of State forTourism of Spain, Isabel Borrego, the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, president of the Provincial Council of Malaga, Elias Bendodo and the Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Regional Government Andalusia, Francisco Javier Hernandez Fernandez.

On the 103th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization attended a delegation of the University of Tourism and Management in the capacity of associate member. The delegation included: Rector, Prof. Ace Milenkovski, PhD, Vice -Rector for International Cooperation Prof. Zoran Ivanovski, PhD and the Dean of the Faculty of Tourism Assoc. Sasko Gramatnikovski, PhD

The session took place during a key time for the sector as it continues on its upward growth trend, already accounting for 7 per cent of total world exports. With nearly 1.2 billion international tourist arrivals recorded in 2015, representing a 4% increase over the previous twelve months, the World Tourism Organization confirms that the growth rate will continue to rise in 2016. In fact, the increase in international arrivals in the first months of the year, at 5 per cent, has already outstripped last year's growth figure.

On the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization the challenges and new possibilities were discussed, as well as about the work of the organization and the agenda for the observance of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development

The Executive Council announced the admission of 26 new Affiliate Members to the World Tourism Organization. The Council decided to hold its next session, in the last quarter of this year, in the Egyptian city of Luxor.

Within the 103th Session of the Executive Council of the University of Tourism and Management the TEDQUAL certificate was solemnly and officially assigned. The UNWTO and THEMIS Foundation Certificate that confirms the quality of the curriculum. The University of Tourism and Management is the 76th university in the world to receive this certification, which only indicates the level of quality of this institution. The Certificate was personally handed to the Rector of the University, Prof. Ace Milenkovski, PhD by the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai. He also said he was proud to award such recognition to the University where he himself is a Professor Honoris Causa.

Within the Executive Council of UNWTO, representatives of UTMS had individual meetings with Márcio Favilla and Zoltan Somogyi-CEOs of UNWTO, Isabel Garana-Regional Director for Europe in UNWTO, Yolanda Perdomo-Director of Affiliate Members of UNWTO, Omar Valdez- executive Director of UNWTO THEMIS Foundation, Nahid Bagirov, chairman of the board of the Tourism association of Azerbaijan, Najib Bala State Secretary of Tourism of Kenya, a number of associate members of UNWTO.