UNWTO Executive Council elects Dr Taleb Rifai as next Secretary General

According to news reports, Dr Taleb Rifai, former Tourism Minister of Jordan, has been elected as new Secretary General of United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at the executive council meeting of the organisation concluded at African state of Mali yesterday. He has been elected by majority vote in the 31-member council, defeating Dr Jee-chul Oh, President and CEO, Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO). Dr Rifai, formerly the UNWTO’s deputy secretary general, will become Secretary General of the world body once his election is ratified by the general assembly of the 155-member inter-governmental body which meets in October 2009. Rifai will take over the reins from Francesco Frangialli and will remain the Secretary General of UNWTO till 2013