The UFTAA Opened A Global Tourism Office In Istanbul
Çetin Gürcün, secretary-general of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB), has been elected vice president of the United Federation of Travel Agents’ Association (UFTAA) at the organization’s general assembly meeting.
Founded 50 years ago, the UFTAA is the longest established negotiating partner with leading travel and tourism organizations in the world with members from 65 countries.
In the 1960s at the dawn of mass tourism, a few tourism professionals with great foresight saw the need of a global umbrella organisation for the travel agency industry. By merger of Fédération internationale des agences de voyages (FIAV) and Universal Organization of Travel Agents’ Associations (UOTAA), the Universal Federation of Travel Agents ‘Associations (UFTAA) was formed on November 22nd 1966 in Rome. Its first President was an Italian, Giuliano Magnoni, later followed by 24 leading personalities from all parts of the world. The federation was later renamed United Federation of Travel Agents´ Associations, still known under the same well-established acronym UFTAA.
