On the 105th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), His Excellency, Ambassador of the Republic Georgia R. Spain, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili was proposed as a candidate for Secretary General of the UNWTO in the period 2018-2022 year. His election will be ratified at the 22nd session of the General Assembly of the UNWTO in Cheng, R. China.

The session, was held on 11 and 12 May in Madrid, which was also attended by a delegation from UTMS, led by the Rector, Prof. Ace Milenkovski PhD focus was on the current trend’s and challenges facing the tourism sector. Over 250 representatives from 59 countries have set priorities and work program of the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations for the period 2018 - 2019 year and agenda of the "International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development."

"We anticipate that by 2030, there will be over 1.8 billion international tourists. We must ensure this growth to go along with sustainability, to see the possibilities of innovation and new technologies. We must continue efforts to create conditions, travel to be safe, and the tourism sector to serve the people and the Earth, he said, among other things, the outgoing secretary general of UNWTO, Mr. Taleb Rifai.

Rector Prof. Ace Milenkovski PhD who led the delegation from UTMS on the sidelines of the meeting in Madrid, held a series of meetings with the senior officials of UNWTO, including with Mr. Taleb Rifai, who with UTMS has established friendly relations.

UTMS delegation had the opportunity to personally congratulate the election of Mr. Zurab Polikashvili candidate for a new secretary general of UNWTO.