The SHTM bestowed an Honorary Professorship on Mr Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), on 13 January 2009 in recognition of his significant contribution to the development of the world's tourism industry.
Immediately after the presentation of certificate, Mr Frangialli shared his insights with 200 industry practitioners, academics and students in a public lecture entitled the "Current Status of World Tourism and Future Prospects". Talking about the present economic turmoil, he expressed his belief that tourism is resilient and will help to mitigate any negative impacts on the current crisis.
Mr Frangialli also enlightened participants on the fact that climate change is an important challenge that conditions the long-term future of the industry. He used the correlation between the global financial difficulties and climate change to illustrate that businesses should not sacrifice their long-term commitment in the face of short-term concerns.
The School is looking forward to benefiting from Mr Frangialli's expert advice and guidance in the areas of tourism development and management.
