Professor François VELLAS is the President of AIUTA (International Association of Universities of Third Age) and President of the University of Third Age (U3A) of Toulouse (France) and Honorary professor at Toulouse Capitole University.
He is PhD in Economics and UN/EU/WTO Expert in Elderly and Tourism Policy and Strategy and economics of international tourism.
Prof François Vellas is involved on U3As scientific events on medical, wellness and seniors in Europe,Americas, Africa and Asia included International Organisation such as UNWTO, UNESCO and UNCTAD.
Prof François Vellas chaired the International Conference on Senior Tourism at WSTC World Senior Tourism Congress with U3As in Yantai China from 2017 to 2019.
Prof François Vellas got a large experience of analysing international elderly policies, air transport and tourism. He is the author of a dozen books and numerous reports on international elderly and tourism cooperation including « Le transport aérien », and « Echange international et qualification du travail » Economica – Paris), «International tourism: an economic perspective » and «The international marketing of travel and tourism » MacMillan – London with L. Becherel) and on the politics and economy of international tourism «Economie et Politique du Tourisme International » Economica – Paris ».
In 2017/2019, the UNWTO (United Nation World Tourism Organisation) asked Prof François Vellas to advise China on “Tourism Development Policy” and “Senior, wellness and medical tourism strategy” for Shandong Province, as Expert on Senior Tourism and President of the AIUTA (International Association of Universities of Third Age).
Prof François Vellas chaired the workshop on “Climate Change and Small Island States Tourism” at Paris Le Bourget CoP21 and leads the UN/UNCTAD Programme on Tourism and Climate Change (2016-2020) on climate change tourism impacts and will chair the African regional conference on tourism and climate change in Senegal (January 2024, Western Africa) and Djibouti (November 2024 Eastern Africa).
Prof François Vellas has been invited as keynote speaker to several international conferences and seminars in U3As international cooperation, tourism and air transport field such as Ministers of Transport and Civil Aviation for North East Asia annual meetings in Seoul (Rep of Korea), and high level international meeting on Tourism and Air Transport at UNCTAD and IATA in Geneva.
François Vellas got a vast experience of collaboration with United Nations and European Union agencies, particularly: with UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation), “Tourism, micro finance” and “The impact of rising oil prices on international tourism”, and with UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) on Tourism Development Strategies and sustainable development including senior tourism and U3As international cooperation.
François Vellas is founder member and Executive Governing Board Member of UNESCO Chair UNITWIN on “Cultural Tourism and Sustainable Development “
Prof F Vellas has been appointed by G20 secretariat to prepare and present the “G20 Tourism Report” to the meeting T20 of the Ministers of Tourism in Paris.
Prof François Vellas teach at ISTHIA (Institute of Tourism) University Toulouse Jean Jaures and he is visiting professor at SUAD Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (UAE), University UDC, Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) and AUT American University of Technology (Lebanon)
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授是國際老年大學協會(AIUTA)主席,法國圖盧茲老年大學(U3A)主席和圖盧茲卡皮托爾大學名譽教授。
他擁有經濟學博士學位,並且是聯合國、歐盟和世界貿易組織在老年人和旅遊政策及戰略以及國際旅遊經濟方面的專家。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授參與了歐洲、美洲、非洲和亞洲的U3A科學活動,涉及醫療、健康和老年人領域,並包括與聯合國世界旅遊組織(UNWTO)、聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO)和聯合國貿易和發展會議(UNCTAD)等國際組織的合作。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授曾在2017年至2019年期間主持了在中國煙臺舉行的世界老年旅遊大會(WSTC)上的老年旅遊國際會議。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授在分析國際老年政策、航空運輸和旅遊方面有著豐富的經驗。他是十幾本書籍和眾多關於國際老年人和旅遊合作的報告的作者,包括《航空運輸》和《國際交流與勞動資格》(Economica – 巴黎)、《國際旅遊:經濟視角》和《旅行和旅遊的國際行銷》(MacMillan – 倫敦,與L. Becherel合著)以及關於國際旅遊的政治和經濟的《國際旅遊經濟與政治》(Economica – 巴黎)。
在2017/2019年,聯合國世界旅遊組織(UNWTO)邀請弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授作為老年旅遊專家和AIUTA主席,為中國山東省提供“旅遊發展政策”和“老年、健康和醫療旅遊戰略”的建議。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授主持了在巴黎布林歇舉行的COP21氣候變化大會上的“小島嶼國家旅遊與氣候變化”研討會,並領導了聯合國/聯合國貿易和發展會議(UNCTAD)關於旅遊和氣候變化的項目(2016-2020),研究氣候變化對旅遊的影響,並將主持在塞內加爾(2024年1月,西非)和吉布地(2024年11月,東非)舉行的非洲區域旅遊和氣候變化會議。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授作為主旨發言人被邀請參加了多次國際會議和研討會,涉及U3A國際合作、旅遊和航空運輸領域,如在首爾(韓國)舉行的東北亞交通和民航部長年度會議,以及在日內瓦舉行的聯合國貿易和發展會議(UNCTAD)和國際航空運輸協會(IATA)關於旅遊和航空運輸的高級別國際會議。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授與聯合國和歐盟機構有著廣泛的合作經驗,特別是與聯合國世界旅遊組織(UNWTO)在“旅遊、微型金融”和“油價上漲對國際旅遊的影響”方面的合作,以及與聯合國貿易和發展會議(UNCTAD)在旅遊發展戰略和可持續發展,包括老年旅遊和U3A國際合作方面的合作。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授是聯合國教科文組織UNITWIN“文化旅遊與可持續發展”教席的創始成員和執行理事會成員。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授被G20秘書處任命準備並向在巴黎舉行的G20旅遊部長會議(T20)提交“G20旅遊報告”。
弗朗索瓦·維拉斯教授在圖盧茲讓·饒勒大學(University Toulouse Jean Jaures)的旅遊學院(ISTHIA)任教,並且是阿布達比索邦大學(SUAD,阿聯酋)、福斯杜伊瓜蘇大學(UDC,巴西)和美國技術大學(AUT,黎巴嫩)的客座教授。