Advisory Board

Integral to the programme is the WSTHA Advisory Board, composed of leading authorities, academics and dignitaries in sustainable tourism. These experts steer and govern the WSTHA programme to reflect the travel and hospitality ecosystem, including guiding on best practice, standards, criteria and the award category list.

Members of the Advisory Board include:

As Director of Sustainability, Christopher Imbsen is responsible for ensuring that the WTTC and its members work with destinations to promote sustainable and inclusive growth that contributes to the communities, natural ecosystems and cultural heritage. From 2012-2019, he was Deputy Regional Director for Europe at the UN World Tourism Organization, handling relations with the organisation's European Member States.

Prior to joining UNWTO, Chris worked as a consultant for international, public and private sector clients on tourism master plans, strategies, marketing and business operations. Chris has extensive experience of engagement of government and industry leaders on tourism policy and strategy issues, as well as on-the-ground project management experience from initial planning, development and funding stages through implementation and monitoring.

Glenn Mandziuk is CEO of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the leading global network in responsible hospitality. He has over 25 years of leadership experience in advancing sustainable practices in tourism, hospitality and economic development, and establishing strategies and programmes that inspire responsible growth.

Glenn has led the development of the SHA’s Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality, which enables all hotels to work towards having a net positive impact, no matter their starting point.

He is also Co-chair of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Hospitality and Tourism Task Force, which focuses on creating new business models, reducing emissions, and investing in people to support sustainable hospitality. He has also been appointed as member of the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Professional (ITHP) Advisory Council, and the International CHRIE Industry Advisory Council (IAC).

Previously he was President and CEO of Canada’s Thompson Okanagan Tourism Region (TOTA), recognised as a global champion of excellence and innovation in sustainable destination management and responsible development practices. The team received recognition from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), World Travel Awards, and Responsible Tourism Institute’s Biosphere Gold Certification – a first in the Americas.

He holds a Masters of Environmental Design majoring in sustainable tourism planning. He is also a director on the Board of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and the Responsible Tourism Institute.

Patricio has been responsible for the management of the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI) for the last 10 years, expand its presence in globally, including new branches in the USA, Canada and Portugal. Activities include co-founding sustainable development networks such as the Ibero-American Network of Sustainable Destinations, the Biosphere Destinations Community and the GSTC Destinations Community.

He oversees the creation of sustainability assessments and strategies for DMOs and destinations, such as Turismo de Tenerife, Catalan Tourism Agency, Barcelona Provincial Council, Aldeias Históricas de Portugal – Association of Tourism Development, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Lleida Provincial Council, the Biosphere Reserve Meseta Ibérica and ZASNET (European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation), Kootenay Rockies, Northern British Columbia, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast and Vancouver Island Tourism Association.

Patricio holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, an MBA from MBA Business School and a master’s in Biotechnology from Aliter Escuela de Negocios.

Susan is Chair of Tangle Teezer and sits on the Boards of Moonpig, EUROWAG and Uber UK. She is Chair Designate of Inter.Earth, and Co-Founding Director of Chapter Zero, an organisation dedicated to providing education, insight and support on climate change to Non-Executive Board Directors and Chairs. She is involved in several start-ups in carbon capture and sustainability and is also an Ambassador for the World Travel & Tourism Council.

Prior to her plural career, Susan was Managing Director of British Gas Residential Services, a £1.8bn revenue division. She joined from the Acromas Group where she was Chief Executive of the travel division, responsible for Saga Holidays, Hotels and Cruises, the AA Travel division, and Titan Travel. Previously, she held senior roles at Royal Caribbean International, Avis Europe, PepsiCo, McKinsey & Co, and Saatchi & Saatchi.

She was previously Chair of Carbon Gap and of Caresourcer.com in Edinburgh and has held several non-executive directorships including Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU), Wizz Air, Courtaulds, Royal & Sun Alliance, Transcom, First Choice, S.C Johnson, Whitbread, Affinity Water and The Rank Group. Susan was also a member of the Advisory Board of the LUISS Business School in Rome.

Susan has a BA from the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (S.A.I.S.) in Washington DC. She is fluent in German and Italian.

Susan lives near London with her husband. She loves being outdoors and enjoys sailing, travel and photography.

Dr. Willy Legrand is Professor at the IU International University of Applied Sciences in Germany with a specialization in sustainable management. Over the past two decades, he has established over two dozen undergraduate and graduate courses on sustainable development in business and hospitality management in Europe, South and North America, the Middle East and Asia. He is the lead author of Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry: Principles of Sustainable Operations and Critical Questions in Sustainability and Hospitality. Prof Legrand chairs the Hospitality Net World Panel on Sustainability in Hospitality where 100+ industry experts regularly interact with the aim is to get sustainability anchored more than ever into the business conversation and decision-making. He sits on multiple journal and professional boards and is the co-editor of the Journal of Global Responsibility.

Xenia zu Hohenlohe is a Founding Partner & CSO with the Considerate Group, a change-making organisation that helps hospitality businesses operate sustainably. She has been an active advocate for environmental conservation since her teens. Motivated by delivering sustainable solutions, she entered the hospitality sector, working for international hotel groups across the globe, living in countries such as Spain, Mexico, Singapore and Morocco.

In 2012 she created Considerate Group with the mission to offer the hospitality sector a platform for sustainable business solutions using hands-on services and innovative technologies.

In 2022 HM King Charles III tasked her with creating the Hospitality & Tourism Task Force, which she co-chairs with Glenn Manzukic, CEO of World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. Her involvement with the Sustainable Markets Initiative through this task force has encouraged her to ‘step-up’ her engagement with the initiative and hence her move to become a full-time member of the team, where she is now the Chief Engagement & Strategy Officer.

Jonathan Worsley began his career at Forte and Holiday Inns before moving into hotel advisory roles at PKF and CBRE. In 1997, he co-founded IHIF Berlin, followed by The Bench, which has evolved into a leading organiser of premier hospitality investment conferences, bringing the hospitality investment community together in various parts of the world through AHIC – now Future Hospitality Summit (FHS), FHS Saudi, FHS Africa and SAHIC in Latin America. Later, he expanded into aviation and F&B with AviaDev and GRIF.

In 2020, Jonathan led The Bench's pivot to virtual events, launching Hospitality Tomorrow and FHS for the G20 Saudi Secretariat. He continues to drive industry innovation through initiatives like the Startup Den and Lead the Change while serving on the boards of Fresh on Table, Envi Lodges, and other startups shaping the future of hospitality.

He is also a trustee of the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, Future Talent – a musical charity, a member of Women in Hospitality (WiH) and recently completed a board term with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority.

Chief Frank Antoine is the Founder of Moccasin Trails and Board Chair of the World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA). Drawing on his education in tourism and travel operations from the University of Victoria, he collaborates with global partners to elevate Indigenous tourism on the world stage.

His role at Moccasin Trails has developed his expertise in hospitality, resorts and cultural diversity. As a leader of the Bonaparte First Nations, he seamlessly blends traditional knowledge with contemporary tourism strategies to create immersive, culturally authentic travel experiences.

Chief Frank has a unique Indigenous perspective, a strong commitment to cultural sustainability, and a deep understanding of community-led tourism development. His experience in cross-cultural collaboration, storytelling, and regenerative travel make him a valuable voice in shaping a more inclusive and responsible future for global tourism.

Debbie Flynn is a leading figure in global travel communications. After beginning her career at British Airways, she founded travel PR and marketing agency Brighter Group, building it over 23 years into one of the UK’s foremost tourism communications consultancies.

In January 2018, Debbie sold Brighter Group to FINN Partners. As Managing Partner and Global Travel Practice Leader, she now leads the agency’s international travel teams and remains at the forefront of travel communications. She has also been recognised by PRWeek’s Power Book as one of the UK’s top 10 influencers in travel PR.

Her industry leadership includes advisory roles with Queer Destinations and IMM, alongside her position as a founding-circle member of the World Experience Organization.

Debbie is equally committed to supporting the wider travel community. She is a trustee of travel industry water-aid charity Just a Drop, Chair of the Anglo-Jordanian Society, and a Founding Partner of WTTC’s Together in Travel initiative.

The Hon. Edmund Bartlett is a transformative leader who is recognised globally for his extensive expertise and accomplishments in both tourism and politics.

Hands-on leadership, innovative thinking and a passion for positive change have been hallmarks of more than forty years of service to Jamaica. Mr. Bartlett was first appointed Minister of Tourism in 2007, serving until December 2011. He served as Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting & Culture in the Office of the Prime Minister and as Minister of Youth, Sports & Community Development from 1980 to 1989. He served as Senator and Opposition Spokesman on various portfolios, including Tourism, from 1989 to 2007.

As Minister of Tourism, Mr. Bartlett has forged alliances with strategic partners worldwide to advance global tourism initiatives. He returned to the helm of the Ministry of Tourism following the 2016 general election and was reappointed after the 2025 general election.

Under Minister Bartlett’s leadership, tourism has been positioned as a catalyst for sustainable and inclusive growth through job creation, Public Private Partnerships, wealth creation and community transformation. He is an internationally regarded spokesperson and tireless advocate for global tourism resilience.

Beyond his ministerial duties, Mr. Bartlett has continually championed the advancement of education, skills training and job creation as ways of improving the lives of his constituents in East Central St. James.

Minister Bartlett has been married for over 50 years and has one child and two grandchildren. His passions include cricket, dominoes and dancing.