Candidate for Secretary-General of UN Tourism Harry Theoharis, delivered a strong message during an in-depth interview with CNN’s Richard Quest: The time for change in UN Tourism is now.
Speaking on CNN International, Theoharis outlined his vision for an organization that puts Member States back at the center of decision-making. “We need to return UN Tourism to its rightful owners — the Member States,” he stated. “The structure must be ethical, transparent, and accountable.”
In the interview, Theoharis addressed the controversial pursuit of a third term by the incumbent Secretary-General, declaring, “This is not about personalities, it is about principles. No other UN body allows for a third term. The rules were altered to allow it — and that must never happen again.”
Highlighting the organization’s lack of global impact, Theoharis pointed to the tourism sector’s negligible progress on emissions, saying, “A 1% reduction is simply not enough. UN Tourism must do more — and it must lead from the front.”
As part of his reform platform, Theoharis reiterated his commitment to:
✅ Restore trust and leadership by ending third terms permanently
✅ Build transparent, ethical governance structures
✅ Serve all nations — not personal ambitions
He also proposed a Tourism Resilience Fund and a Global Data Center for Risk and Resilience, unveiled recently at the Global Tourism Resilience Conference in Jamaica.
“UN Tourism must become a force for growth, fairness, and unity — not a tool of manipulation and control,” Theoharis concluded.
🔗 Watch the full interview here: 👉 CNN Interview
