Dubai
Dubai Holding, the global investment holding company, said on Tuesday Gerald Lawless, Head of Tourism and Hospitality at Dubai Holding, has been elected Chairman of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) at the Council’s Annual General Meeting in Dallas, US.
Lawless has been a Member of the WTTC since 2005, sitting on the Executive Committee since 2008, and as Vice-Chairman since 2012, and he will take over from Dr Michael Frenzel, Chairman Emeritus TUI Deutschland GmbH and TUIfly GmbH. The WTTC Chairman is elected for a term of two years.
“It’s a privilege to have been a member of the WTTC for the past 11 years. The organisation has been a strong force in promoting tourism and opening up different cultures to so many people across the world, widely benefitting the global economy. I would like to thank Dubai Holding for their support of my involvement with the WTTC,” Lawless said in a statement.
WTTC’s latest data shows that the sector accounts for 9.8 per cent of the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), contributing over $7.2 trillion (Dh26.4 trillion). Last year travel and tourism added 7.2 million jobs to the global economy, supporting a total of 284 million jobs around the world.
