Laura Maudlin, a writer for Tourism Review, said that Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, the United Arab Emirates’ candidate to lead UN Tourism, “brings a robust business background” to her candidacy.
“She graduated from Zayed University in Dubai with a degree in Business Administration and currently works as Vice President of Corporate Relationship Management for the Rotana Group,” said Laura Mauldin. “Rotana is a prominent hotel management company that operates across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. As part of the group’s family, she has very close ties to the hospitality industry, Before Rotana, Al Nowais spent around three years at KPMG in Abu Dhabi, getting experience in auditing.”
The United Nations Tourism Department is undergoing a significant leadership transition following the conclusion of Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili’s bid for a third term. This development occurred after Georgia withdrew its support, aligning with a 2005 UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) resolution that limits the role to two terms. According to Travel Daily News, former leaders have called for the appointment of an interim head and an independent audit to safeguard the organization’s credibility. The 123rd Executive Council meeting, scheduled for May 29–30, 2025, in Spain, will determine the department’s future direction amid calls for greater transparency and accountability.
The race for the next Secretary-General of UN Tourism has attracted six candidates from various regions, emphasizing a global push for inclusivity and regional representation in tourism leadership. Among these contenders is Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais from the United Arab Emirates. If elected, she would become the first woman from the Middle East to lead the organization. Key themes in her campaign include sustainable development, gender equity, and balanced regional voices in global tourism governance.
Mauldin is an associate professor at the University of Connecticut with joint appointments in Human Development and Family Sciences and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. According to her faculty bio on the University of Connecticut website, Mauldin is a sociologist and disability studies scholar whose research explores the intersection of care, disability, and medical technology. She is the author of “Made to Hear: Cochlear Implants and Raising Deaf Children” and a 2024 National Fellow at New America. Her forthcoming book, “In Sickness and In Health,” will address the caregiving crisis in the U.S. through a blend of memoir and sociological research.
