Paloma Zapata is a Tourism Economics consultant for the World Bank. She is also the CEO of Sustainable Travel International and leads the organization's global efforts to maximize tourism's contribution to conservation and development in order to protect destinations, preserve natural environments, and improve community well-being. With over 15 years of experience in sustainable tourism and economic development, Paloma has designed and implemented impactful initiatives and projects in 25 nations across the globe. Her work has ranged from addressing the shortcomings of the current tourism supply to deriving sustainable development strategies and formulating policies. Paloma has a postgraduate degree in Tourism Management and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain. She holds an undergraduate degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Florida in the United States.