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2015
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2012
The XX Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism will be held in Quito, Ecuador September 12-13, 2012 and will focus on the topic "Conscious Tourism.” Other significant issues including sustainable tourism (sustainable tourism criteria and sustainability certification), corporate social responsibility in the tourism sector, and the guidelines to operationalize the Hemispheric Tourism Fund will be discussed at the plenary sessions.

The Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism (IATC) was established in 1939 and is the principal forum for hemispheric dialogue and the formulation of tourism policies. It pre-dates the official formation of the Organization of American States in 1948 and the entering into force of the OAS Charter in December 1951. The Congress was conceived to promote the sustainable development of tourism in the Americas through the organization of a series of hemispheric congresses dealing with relevant technical matters and developing Inter-American cooperation in the tourism sector.

The IATC serves as an important platform for the exchange of experiences and best practices and provides a mechanism to sponsor technical studies, strengthen communication between government agencies and the private sector, consider technical cooperation proposals, and support member states in their efforts to develop the tourism sector. The IATC fosters the adoption of official agreements among governments relating to the tourism industry; encourages comparative studies and technical projects focusing on responsible tourism development; and coordinates activities of intergovernmental and private organizations in the area of tourism development.

Participants at the XX Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism will include Ministers of Tourism, National and Regional Tourism Authorities, Hotel and Tourism Associations, Private Sector Organizations, Tourism Schools, Cooperation Agencies, organized groups of the civil society and other industry stakeholders.

http://www.oas.org/en/sedi/dedtt/itc/doc.asp [|XX Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism] » Documents

Ecoguide EN/ES

At the XIX Inter-American Travel Congress held in San Salvador, El Salvador, in September 29-30, 2011, the central theme was "Tourism, a Challenge to Poverty." Other significant issues discussed by the Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism included the importance of public-private partnerships to promote investment and tourism development, cultural and heritage tourism, corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the tourism sector, and challenges to sustainable tourism. They recognized the significant contribution of the tourism sector to national efforts to reduce poverty and social inequality; to the enhancement of the quality of life of host communities; to sustainable economic development of our countries, particularly in job creation, relaxation, recreation, business opportunities; and to the development of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, particularly for women and vulnerable groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, and indigenous peoples, as well as its multiplier effect and excellent potential for long-term growth. The Tourism Authorities in the Declaration of San Salvador, also mandated that the necessary steps be taken to create a financing and cooperation mechanism among the national Ministries and Authorities of Tourism, through a hemispheric tourism fund composed of voluntary contributions, in order to support communities that live in extreme poverty and have tourism potential in their environment but cannot fully achieve development.

For more information on the XIX Inter-American Tourism Congress, click here

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