General Secretary of the UN World Tourism Organization Mr. Taleb D. Rifai visited Georgia on 15-18 June. He visited the country in frameworks of the invitation of the Minister of Economic Development of Georgia. His trip was organized by the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Georgia. 
      The main aim of the visit was to deepen collaboration between Georgia and the UNWTO. With this purpose Mr. Taleb D. Rifai and the Minister of Economic Development of Georgia signed the memorandum of mutual understanding. The memorandum was signed to the South Caucasus initiative, which implies the strengthening of Georgia’s leading role in terms of tourism in the region and its effective positioning on the foreign markets.
      During his stay in Georgia General Secretary of the UN World Tourism Organization met the President, the Prime-Minister and other officials, also representatives of Georgian tourism industry.
Department of Tourism and Resorts of Georgia organized fem trip for Mr. Taleb G. Rifai. He visited Tbilisi, Svaneti and Adjara. Taleb D. Rifai noted that Georgia has serious perspectives to develop tourism and the country has all necessary potential to become the centre of tourism in the region.