Rika Jean Francois
Rika Jean-Francois holds a Master's degree in Ethnology and Iranian Studies with a focus on ethnic identities, sustainable development and diversity from the Free University of Berlin. While studying Cultural Studies at the University of Crete/Greece, she started working as a tour guide specialising in history and then worked as an incoming tour operator in Athens. In Germany, she then worked as a consultant in the university's international academic exchange office and travelled to Iran, Malawi and Haiti for research purposes. Rika Jean-François acquired additional qualifications in quality management and evaluated development worker training programmes for the German Development Service. From 2004 to 2023, she worked for Messe Berlin and played a key role in the development of ITB's global CSR department. As ITB's CSR Officer, she was a passionate speaker at international events on sustainable and socially responsible tourism. She also took the lead in introducing the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) travel segment at ITB and was appointed to the board of the IGLTA (International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association) and the IGLTA Foundation. Rika was also responsible for the introduction of the Medical Health Travel segment at ITB, all co-operations with the Indian subcontinent and was the main person responsible for the fair's guest country concept. She is a jury member of international competitions for responsible tourism and is involved in various international committees on sustainable tourism and human rights. She was a member of the PATA Board and the Code (the international code on child protection) and is currently on the Board of the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) and the Human Rights Roundtable.
Since April this year, she has been self-employed with her own company MissionRespo and is also head of International Business Relations at Queer Destinations S.L..
She speaks five languages, including English, French, Persian and Greek, and is the mother of three adult daughters. She has been a member of the TO DO jury since 2009.