Fernando Olivera Rocha, International 'Tourism Star Award'

At the World Tourism Forum in Lucerne, held in the Swiss city on May 4 and 5, Guanajuato's Secretary of Tourism, Fernando Olivera Rocha, has been awarded the International 'Tourism Star Award 2017', which honors the most committed, inspiring, passionate, and enthusiastic individual in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry. Fernando Olivera Rocha has successfully positioned Guanajuato as the sixth most visited destination in Mexico.

This award is a collaboration between the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Tourism Forum in Lucerne, where Fernando Olivera Rocha competed against Ghassan Dalal, General Manager of Erbil Rotana, Iraq, and Sonia Kanobana, Flight Operations Officer and Aviation Management Professional, Rwanda.

After receiving the award, Olivera Rocha expressed gratitude to those who have supported him throughout his career: "Thank you all very much; now more than ever, I am sure that nothing is achieved alone in life. A great team is needed to make things not just good, but excellent and wonderful. This is an award that I will always carry in my heart, thank you," Olivera Rocha emphasized.

Fernando Olivera Rocha graduated in Tourism from Anáhuac University, Mexico, and holds a master's degree in International Marketing and Business Management from the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, Spain. Additionally, he is a PhD candidate with the World Tourism Organization and Antonio de Nebrija University in Madrid, Spain.

From 2010 to 2012, he served in the Federal Government as Undersecretary of Tourism Operations, where he also held positions as General Director of Tourism Product Development and General Director of Tourism Culture Development, finishing as General Director of FONATUR Operadora (National Fund for Tourism Development).

He has held diplomatic roles as Director of Mexico's Tourism in Spain and Portugal on behalf of the Mexican Tourism Promotion Council for a period of four years. He has been a professor and speaker in various countries around the world.

He is a former President of several associations in Mexico and Spain, such as the Association of Foreign Tourism Offices in Spain and the Visit USA Committee dedicated to promoting tourism in the United States in Mexico, and he served as Vice President of AMAV (Mexican Association of Travel Agencies).

In the private sector, he has served as General Director of national and multinational companies such as Howard Johnson Hotels, Days Inn Hotels, Tony Roma's Restaurants, RCI Latin America, and Travelport.

Since September 2012, he has occupied the position of Secretary of Tourism for the State of Guanajuato, where he has managed to position the state as the sixth most visited destination in the country and the tourism sector as the second economic force in Guanajuato.

In 2014, he was honored by the Primera Plana Club for his work promoting National Culture with the recognition "Federico Barrera Fuentes". His career in tourism promotion has also been recognized by the Mexican Association of Hotels and Motels, by the Fine Arts with the "Adolfo Prieto" award, and at FITUR 2015, where he was highlighted as the Tourism Character of the Year.

The Mexican Association of Travel Agencies A.C., AMAV recognized him as a facilitator of tourism in 2015.

In 2017, he facilitated Guanajuato's recognition with the UNWTO (World Tourism Organization) Award for Excellence and Innovation in Tourism in its thirteenth edition, in the category of Public Policies and Governance, making history in Mexico as it was the first time this international award was granted.

In addition to serving as Secretary of Tourism for the State of Guanajuato, Olivera Rocha was appointed as President of the Union of Secretaries of Tourism of Mexico A.C. (ASETUR) for the term 2017-2018 at the 21st Ordinary Assembly.