Dirk Glaeßer is the Director of the Sustainable Development of Tourism Department at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Under his supervision, the programme addresses the challenges and opportunities of sustainable tourism development, including climate change, sustainable consumption and production, health emergencies, biodiversity and travel facilitation. He played a crucial role in ending in 2015 by the World Health Organization (WHO) the practice of naming new human infectious diseases after places or countries, which had been causing long-term consequences for the travel and tourism sectors. He has also been an advisor in WHO’s Emergency Committees for Ebola, Zika and COVID-19.

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Dr. Glaeßer joined the UNWTO in 1997 and has held various positions, including Chief of the Risk and Crisis Management Department and supervisor of UNWTO's Consulting Unit on Biodiversity and Tourism.

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Dr. Glaeßer is a banker by profession and a Colonel of the Reserve of the German Armed Forces. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Lüneburg (Germany) and was awarded the ITB scientific award for his work on Crisis Management. He has authored several publications, which have been widely translated.

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Dr. Glaeßer is married and has two children, and we are delighted that he is able to share his insights at our conference.