Messi Appointed as Tourism Ambassador by Georgian UNWTO Head

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General from Georgia, Zurab Pololikashvili, has appointed football player of F.C. Barcelona, Lionel Messi, as the Ambassador for Responsible Tourism at Camp Nou in Barcelona, after the match F.C. Barcelona – Leganés.   

Messi is the first football player in history to win five Ballons d’Or – the first four won consecutively – and four European Golden Shoes.

The role of Messi has the objective of boosting and promoting the value of responsible holidays.

“Messi is a unique sportsman and an example of how willpower and constant work yield good results. It is a great honor to have Messi joining the UNWTO alongside other well-known personalities in promoting the positive values and benefits that tourism represents,” said Pololikashvili.

Messi joins Fernando Hierro and Vicente del Bosque as public figures chosen to reflect the unity between sports and tourism, and the transforming power of responsible tourism in society.

“During my travels, I have had the opportunity to learn about other cultures and societies as well as new ways to see the world, and this is very enriching," Messi said. "The World Tourism Organization as a specialized Agency of the United Nations works to make tourism a source of development and I am happy I can join this mission of promoting responsible tourism."

By Thea Morrison

Photo source: UNWTO