Rika Jean-François

Rika holds a Master Degree in Social Anthropology and Iranian Studies with an expertise on ethnic identities, sustainable development and diversity issues from the Free University of Berlin, Germany. She started to work in tourism as a tour guide in Greece, while studying at the University of Crete and as an incoming agent in Athens. In Germany she became counselor at the University’s International Academic Exchange Office and travelled as a researcher to Iran, Malawi and Haiti. Ms. Jean-François obtained an additional qualification in Quality Management, working on the evaluation of development aid workers' education for the German Development Service. Since 2004 she has been with Messe Berlin and vitally developed ITB’s Corporate Social Responsibility. As ITB’s commissioner for CSR she is a passionate speaker at sustainable tourism events internationally. Putting an emphasis on human rights and diversity, she has spearheaded ITB’s implementation of the LGBT travel segment and was member of the board of directors of the IGLTA (International Gay&Lesbian Travel Association) as well as of The Code International for the protection of children. Currently she serves on the board of the IGLTA Foundation, of the Pacific Asian Travel Association (PATA) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), supports many international sustainability committees and is a jury member at several global tourism contests. At ITB, she is also responsible for the Indian subcontinent, the newly established Medical Tourism segment and ITB’s official Partner Country program.
She speaks five languages and is mother of 3 girls.