Profiles

Geoffrey Lipman has played a key role in the development of tourism as a significant socio-economic sector.

• As Executive Director at IATA in the 1970s, he helped drive a new liberalization agenda, responding to airline deregulation.
• As the first President of WTTC throughout the 1990s, he worked to pioneer new systems of measuring performance in the sector, creating CSR Certification and supporting China’s efforts to open tourism markets.
• As Assistant Secretary General of UNWTO, in the first decade of this millennium, he spearheaded new development support systems, including the ST-EP Program, and he led the Davos Climate Summit and launched the G20 Summit recognition program.
• As Director of Brussels-based not for profit GGTI, he is curating SUN^x Strong Universal Network – a legacy project of Maurice Strong. This is a global initiative to support climate resilience, related SDGs and emergency response through “Impact-Travel” – Measured: Green: 2050 proof.

Geoffrey has served on public / private sector boards in Africa, Europe, Middle East and Canada including serving as the Tourism Envoy to the UNDP Administrator; Member of EU Commissions on Airline Liberalization and on Tourism Employment; Environment Advisor to the Governor of Jeju Island, Korea; President of ICTP (International Coalition of Tourism Partners). Geoffrey has worked closely with the World Economic Forum since the early 1990s on its competitiveness and smart travel initiatives.

Geoffrey has written about and lectured widely on tourism strategy, sustainability and liberalization. He has been co-author or editor of two books and numerous journal articles on Green Growth & Travelism as a visiting Professor, Victoria U. Australia and Hasselt U. Belgium. He co-authored two major EIU studies on airline liberalization.

Sustainable Tourism Asia 2019: Speakers