WTTC honours former UNWTO chief Frangialli with Icon Award

VALLETTA, Malta, Oct. 8, 2026 — The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has honoured former World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Professor Francesco Frangialli, with its prestigious WTTC Icon Award for his lifetime contribution to global tourism governance.
The award was presented at a VIP dinner during the WTTC’s 26th Global Summit in Malta, attended by more than 1,000 delegates, including over 200 leading Travel & Tourism chief executives and government ministers.
Frangialli, who served as UNWTO Secretary-General from 1997 to 2009, was recognised for his pivotal role in strengthening tourism’s position within the United Nations system and elevating the sector as a global policy priority.
During his tenure, he led the transformation of the World Tourism Organization into a specialised UN agency, giving tourism a stronger voice within the international organisation and reinforcing its importance to economic development, international cooperation and global prosperity.
He also contributed to the development of internationally recognised frameworks for measuring the economic impact of tourism, foundations that continue to guide policymaking, research and investment decisions worldwide.
WTTC President and CEO, Gloria Guevara, described Frangialli as a transformative figure whose contribution had fundamentally changed the way tourism was recognised globally.
She said his legacy extended beyond his tenure, noting that the institutional and economic frameworks he helped establish continued to shape how governments, destinations and businesses understood the value of Travel & Tourism.
The WTTC Icon Award honours individuals whose lifetime contributions have significantly shaped destinations, institutions or the wider Travel & Tourism industry, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.