World Tourism Organization General Assembly re-elects Francesco Frangialli as Secretary-General

The World Tourism Organization's General Assembly has re-elected Francesco Frangialli to the post of WTO Secretary-General from 1 January 2006 until the end of 2009. Mr. Frangialli was re-elected by 85 votes to 14.

"I am very honoured to have been endorsed once more," he said after the results were announced. "The 85 votes in favour show there is broad support for the guidelines and management of the Organization. It would be worrisome if we were all in agreement," he stressed.

His re-election came after he received overwhelming support from the WTO Executive Council when it met in Nessebar, Bulgaria in June. As has happened in the past, the General Assembly decided to follow the recommendation of the Executive Council.

Mr. Frangialli joined the WTO as Deputy Secretary-General in 1990 and succeeded Antonio Enríquez Savignac ad interim from September 1996 before being elected Secretary-General in 1997. He was re-elected in 2001 for the years 2002-2005.

Before moving to Madrid he was Director of the Tourism Industry in France, the most senior officer in the national tourism administration.

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