Shaikha Al Nowais Nominated as UN Tourism’s First Woman Secretary-General
Shaikha Al Nowais to lead UN Tourism from January 2026; First UN Africa Innovation Office set for Rabat.
The UN Tourism Executive Council has elected Shaikha Al Nowais as the next Secretary-General of the global tourism body.
Her nomination, announced on May 30, 2025, is now set to be put before the UN Tourism General Assembly for final approval, marking a historic development.
The organisation highlighted the significance of the decision, noting, “The nomination represents a landmark first for the sector, as the first woman leader of UN Tourism in its 50-year history.”
Shaikha Al Nowais is slated to begin her term in January 2026, succeeding current Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.
Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais Profile
According to her official profile released by UN Tourism, Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais is an accomplished Emirati business leader bringing over 16 years of experience in global hospitality to the role.
She currently serves as Corporate Vice President at Rotana Hotels, where she oversees owner relations across a vast region spanning the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.
A finance graduate of Zayed University, she also chairs the Abu Dhabi Chamber’s Tourism Working Group and holds board positions on the Abu Dhabi Businesswomen Council and the esteemed Les Roches Hospitality Academy.
Strengthening Global Presence and New Innovation Office for Africa in Rabat
The Council also welcomed updates on the development of Thematic and Regional offices.
On the eve of the Executive Council, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, alongside Tourism Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco Fatim-Zahra Ammor and UN Tourism, formalised an agreement to create the first UN Tourism Thematic Office on Innovation for Africa in Rabat, Morocco.
The office, according to a statement, will advance UN Tourism’s 2030 Agenda for Africa and aims to position tourism as a key driver of development through innovation across the region.
