Four seasoned tourism leaders, representing four different corners of the world, reunited in Alicante, Spain, and quickly agreed that their shared experience could once again become a force for collaboration in global tourism.
Earl McPhee of The Bahamas, Abdulfas Garayev of Azerbaijan, Alain St.Ange of Seychelles, and Nico Barito, representing ASEAN, came together at the CLEVENARD Conference in Alicante as invited speakers and panelists.
Though separated by geography, professional journeys and several years, the four share a common history of championing tourism development and promoting an industry whose greatest strength remains its people and the relationships they build.
Their reunion provided an opportunity not only to reconnect but also to commit to supporting one another in their respective roles and to exploring new opportunities for cooperation.
“It was great to catch up after so many years. Tourism remains so much the industry built on friendship, and friendship continues to rally friends to work together and support each other,” St.Ange said in Alicante”.
Each of the four has played a significant role in shaping tourism within their respective regions and beyond.
Abdulfas Garayev, Azerbaijan’s former Minister of Culture and Tourism, previously served as President of the Executive Council of the UNWTO, now known as UN Tourism, during the 2017 election in which Alain St.Ange contested for the position of Secretary-General.
Garayev is an Associate Professor in Baku and a Visiting Professor at Coventry University in the United Kingdom.
Alain St.Ange, former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine of Seychelles, remains active on the international tourism stage and currently serves as Ambassador At Large for the Republic of Seychelles.
Earl McPhee, who previously served as Senior Director of International Relations and Sustainable Economic Development for The Bahamas, has transitioned into the private sector.
He is now the Owner and Manager of Let’s Go Travel Bahamas, continuing his engagement with the travel and tourism industry.
Nico Barito, meanwhile, serves as Special Envoy of the President of Seychelles for ASEAN and is based in Jakarta, Indonesia. His role places him at an important intersection between the Indian Ocean region and Southeast Asia.
The Alicante meeting went beyond photographs, handshakes and memories.
From the corridors of the conference, Garayev and McPhee began reaching out to other personalities within international tourism networks, including former leaders and current industry players, with the aim of supporting a renewed drive for cooperation and bringing experienced tourism professionals together once again.
For the four leaders, the objective is clear: institutional memory should not disappear simply because individuals have moved on from public office.
Their combined experience, international relationships and understanding of the tourism sector remain valuable resources that can be pooled for the benefit of the industry.
The Alicante reunion therefore represented more than a meeting of old friends. It was a reaffirmation that tourism is built not only on destinations, policies and investments, but also on relationships, trust, experience and the willingness of people to work together across borders.
All four remain actively engaged in tourism and have pledged to continue serving as positive forces within an industry they have collectively spent decades helping to shape.
Four nations. One stage. One renewed commitment to global tourism cooperation.
