Manfredi Lefebvre, Chairman of Heritage Group and Co-Chair of luxury travel company Abercrombie and Kent Travel Group (AKTG), has been appointed as Chair-Elect of the World Travel and Tourism Council(WTTC).
A member of WTTC for more than 20 years, Lefebvre will assume the position in September, during the global tourism body’s 25th Global Summit in Rome, Italy.
Lefebvre brings to the role more than four decades of experience in the cruise and leisure industries. Having transformed Silversea Cruises into a global leader, he now leads diversified investments through Heritage Group, the Monaco-based company that acquired a majority stake of Abercrombie & Kent in 2019.
“As the longest-serving member of the World Travel & Tourism Council, I am filled with elation to be appointed to this esteemed position,” Lefebvre said.
He takes the reins from current Chairman, Greg O’Hara, Founder and Senior Managing Director of Certares, who has held the position since November 2023.
O’Hara highlighted Lefebvre’s experience and dedication to the sector as great attributes for a future chairman. “Serving WTTC and our Members has been a privilege, and I am delighted to be handing the baton to Manfredi, a renowned force in the global Travel & Tourism sector,” he said.
Meanwhile, WTTC President and CEO Julia Simpson paid tribute to O’Hara’s achievements in the position as she congratulated Lefebvre,
“A powerhouse in our sector, he brings with him decades of experience, and under his stewardship, I am sure we will achieve unprecedented success in a sector that has been outpacing the global economy for many years,” she said.
