The highly-experienced former Kenyan Tourism Minister, the Hon. Najib Balala, has been appointed to the Leadership Team at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the global voice of the private sector within the industry.

Based at WTTC’s global office in Madrid, Mr. Balala has started in a new role as Executive Vice-President for Advocacy, Government Affairs and Research. He will lead WTTC’s global advocacy agenda, government engagement and policy research.

Mr. Balala has substantial public and private sector experience on the global stage. As a former Tourism and Wildlife Minister for Kenya, for over 12 years, he shaped national and international tourism policy and helped to strengthen the operating environment around the world for the sector’s growth.

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Balala’s highly-successful career includes his time as Cabinet Minister for Tourism and Wildlife for Kenya, in which he led an highly-resilient department during times of crisis and political upheaval. His open-door policy with the private sector was heralded by many in the industry across Kenya.

During the Covid pandemic, he spearheaded the tourism industry through policy and strategic change, leading Kenya to become the first country in the world to be awarded the “Safer Tourism Seal” in recognition of the health and safety measures put in place. 

His leadership drove the transformation of Kenya’s tourism sector through progressive policy frameworks and impactful destination branding, while his strong record in strategic diplomacy enabled him to effectively bridge government priorities with private sector ambitions across international platforms.

In his new role, Najib Balala will report to WTTC President & CEO Gloria Guevara.

Commenting on his appointment, Najib Balala said: “It is an honour and a privilege to be selected by WTTC for this role and I am looking forward to working with the visionary WTTC Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre and President & CEO Gloria Guevara. I’ll be bringing my experience bridging the private and public sectors to WTTC’s overall strategic roadmap and ensuring it has strong relations with all the stakeholders in governments and beyond.”

WTTC President and CEO, Gloria Guevara, added: “Najib Balala’s substantial experience as a Cabinet Minister on the world stage will help WTTC grow our sector even further. We are seeing many new members join us, and old members return, as we continue to build one of the finest Travel & Tourism teams globally, offering world-class advocacy and support to the sector.”