Professor Marina Novelli has been confirmed as the new Chair of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, following approval by Member States at the UN Tourism General Assembly. Her appointment marks the start of a four-year term leading the organisation’s top advisory body on ethical conduct within the global tourism sector.
Professor Novelli is widely recognised for her expertise in tourism and international development. She currently serves as Director of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Advanced Research Centre at Nottingham University Business School. With a career spanning sustainable tourism policy, planning, and development, she brings a strong grounding in ethical practice to her new leadership role.
As Chair, she will guide the Committee’s work in promoting responsible, sustainable, and accessible tourism worldwide. This includes oversight of the UN Tourism Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, supporting its implementation, and advising on ethical challenges affecting the sector. “It is a great honor to be entrusted with this role,” said Professor Novelli. “Together with the Committee members, I look forward to advancing ethical principles that ensure tourism continues to be a force for good—benefiting people, communities, and the planet.”
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili welcomed her appointment, stating: “With her deep and diverse expertise and strong commitment to ethical and sustainable tourism, Professor Novelli will guide the Committee’s efforts to ensure the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism remains a living instrument shaping the future of our sector.”
The General Assembly also approved several new members who will support the Committee’s mandate. Newly confirmed full members include Ms. Nancy Mejía Bonifazi, Ms. Eliana Janineh, Mr. Mokganedi Ntana, Ms. Michaela Reitterer, and Mr. Amol Bobby Titus. Their backgrounds span private-sector leadership, environmental management, hospitality, and organisational governance across Guatemala, Jordan, Botswana, Austria, and Indonesia.
Alternate members confirmed at the same session are Mr. Mekhak Apresyan, Ms. Almudena González Gutiérrez de León, and Ms. Maria Nchama Nzoho, representing Armenia, the Netherlands, and Equatorial Guinea respectively.
The World Committee on Tourism Ethics acts as an independent body within UN Tourism, responsible for interpreting, applying, and assessing compliance with the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics once it comes into force. Its work aims to ensure that tourism development adheres to principles of fairness, inclusion, respect for human rights, environmental stewardship, and cultural preservation.
