Profile

Ibrahim Osta

Global Tourism Lead and Senior Economic Growth Advisor
Chemonics International

Ibrahim Osta is a recognized leader in international tourism, renowned for strategically transforming emerging markets into globally recognized destinations. With over 25 years of experience, he has managed projects exceeding $350 million, generating over $6 billion in GDP growth and hundreds of millions in tourism revenue. He is a Global Travel Hall of Fame inductee alongside industry leaders such as Sir Richard Branson and Jerry Inzerillo. He advises governments on tourism policy reforms to build resilience, attract investment, and promote culturally and environmentally sustainable tourism in MENA, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, and Caribbean. At the 7,000+ employee Chemonics International, he specializes in emerging destinations, including challenging environments such as Ukraine. He led large-scale human capital development initiatives, vocational training reforms, and improvements in university hospitality education. He designed multi-million-dollar transformative tourism projects, including cultural heritage tourism in Jordan; adventure and nature tourism in Bosnia & Herzegovina; rural tourism in Moldova, Georgia, and Lebanon; and marine and adventure tourism in Egypt and Timor-Leste. Ibrahim designed tourism-driven economic initiatives in Uzbekistan, Nepal, Tunisia, UAE, Lebanon, and US Virgin Islands. He launched INJAZ, a youth entrepreneurship organization, laying foundations for its expansion, now reaching over 7 million Arab youth in 12 countries; was advisor to Jordan’s ministers of Tourism & Antiquities and Water & Irrigation; led inscription of Wadi Rum into UNESCO; Bosnia & Herzegovina to European Cultural Routes; and launched Most Beautiful Villages network. A Professor at George Washington University’s School of Business, he received Jordan’s King Abdullah II Award for Advancing Entrepreneurship; UNESCO Petra World Heritage Site Master Plan Award; and served on the governing body of the UN Foundation World Heritage Alliance.