UN Tourism Secretary-General: Greek Candidate Harry Theoharis Promotes Campaign at WTM

Harry Theoharis at WTM London 2024.

Harry Theoharis, Greek Parliament member and former tourism minister, recently attended the World Travel Market (WTM) 2024 exhibition in London to promote his candidacy for the role of Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).

Greece announced Theoharis’s candidacy for the post in late October, positioning him as a key contender for the international role.

During WTM London, held at the Excel center on November 5-6, Theoharis engaged in discussions with tourism ministers from countries including Italy, Portugal, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, and Bulgaria, as well as with leaders from prominent public and private tourism organizations worldwide.

Andreas Fiorentinos, Secretary General of GNTO; Harry Theoharis, Greece’s candidacy for the UN Tourism Secretary-General role; Olga Kefalogianni, Tourism Minister of Greece; and Evtim Miloshev, Tourism Minister of Bulgaria.

Theoharis with Italian Tourism minister Daniela Santanche and Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

Theoharis with San Marino’s Tourism Minister Federico Pedini Amati. Photo source: Segreteria di Stato Turismo

Campaign message: UN Tourism must become more impactful

His campaign message centered on the need for a more “impactful, action-oriented” UN Tourism organization to meet global tourism challenges effectively.

In his discussions, Theoharis emphasized the importance of sustainability, aligning his vision with the United Nations’ goals for a greener, more resilient tourism industry.

“Our goal is to make the organization more effective and impactful in its actions and influence, so we can achieve what we all strive for: sustainability in tourism and the fulfillment of the UN’s sustainability goals for this vital economic sector,” he said.

Enhancing tourism through AI

Harry Theoharis at the Tourism Ministers summit at the WTM London. Photo source: WTM London

Theoharis also participated in the WTM 2024 Ministers’ Summit, where discussions focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its potential in tourism, along with the importance of ethical guidelines to prevent misuse.

Sharing his vision for AI-driven innovation, Theoharis underscored the technology’s potential to optimize the traveler experience by optimizing processes such as queue management.

“Tourism is, above all, about experience. This is the human element – and it will never change,” he noted, adding that AI could help manage airport queues and improve maintenance, ultimately reducing frustrations in the travel experience.

Meetings at WTM London

Theoharis with GNTO Secretary General Andreas Fiorentinos and TUI Group CEO Sebastian Ebel and TUI Care Foundation Chairman Thomas Ellerbeck.

Theoharis with Janice Mather, Head of Airports and Tourism Organisations, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays.

Theoharis with Grigoris Tasios, president of the Halkidiki Hotel Association and chairman of the Halkidiki Tourism Organization.

With an agenda to “transform” UN Tourism

Reflecting on his time at WTM, Theoharis described the exhibition as a meaningful step forward in his campaign, with an agenda aimed at “transforming” the UN Tourism organization.

“I held a series of intensive discussions with tourism ministers and key industry figures. Many of them, after years of close collaboration, I now consider personal friends,” he said.

According to Theoharis, WTM marked the start of a campaign “bringing hope for transformation”, beginning with the UN Tourism organization itself.

Theoharis with Maria Theofanopoulou, CEO of Greek Travel Pages (GTP) and Board Member of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) was an official media partner of WTM London.

For more news from the WTM London 2024 expo, see our WTM London 2024 Special.