David Beirman, Eastern Mediterranean Tourism Association founder and secretary, has claimed that the decision to put the organisation into mothballs for a year is due to the lack of candidates willing to take on leadership roles.
Beirman said EMTA "faces the sort of dilemma which many industry associations have faced before.
"Iain Ferguson (chairman), Tom Tescher (treasurer) and I filled the three key positions of EMTA since it was founded in January 2001, and finding people ready, willing and able to take our places after over a decade has been tough."
Beirman said that EMTA enjoyed "a great track record of achieving its primary role of effectively promoting tourism to 15 Eastern Mediterranean countries to the trade, the media and to consumers".
"I believe that this a worthy aim but for any association to be effective people have to get off their butts and drive it."
He said that EMTA had completed its 2012 events programmes, and "rather than just giving up and dissolving the association, it (a hiatus year) gives EMTA members and others committed to the region the opportunity to consider their position and hopefully advance EMTA into the future".
