In 1997, during the XVII Inter-American Travel Congress, the Government of Peru offered being the venue for the XIX Inter-American Travel Congress - TURISMO/RES. (XVII-16/97).
During the XVIII Congress in Guatemala, Peru confirmed the offer. The offer was again ratified through an official communication sent by the Permanent Representation of Peru to the Organization of American States on the 12^th of March of 2004 (Nota N. 7-5-M/105).
During the plenary meeting held by the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), on April 28, 2005, Resolution CIDI/RES. 169 (X-O/05) was approved.  Through this document CIDI resolves:

1.  To take note of the progress made in the implementation of the “Plan of Action for Sustainable Tourism Development in collaboration with the private Sector.”

2.  To take note of the offer made by the Government of Peru to host the XIX Inter-American Travel Congress, as well as of the offer made by the Government of The Bahamas as an alternative venue for said Congress.

3.  To instruct the General Secretariat to continue supporting the efforts of the member states to achieve sustainable tourism in the Americas particularly as they relate to the development of the small tourism enterprise and to their utilization of services in Internet and electronic tools to strengthen their competitiveness in the global economy.

4.  To request the General Secretariat to facilitate the coordination of activities and exchange of information among member states for the organization of the XIX Inter-American Travel Congress as a high level hemispheric meeting involving the tourism authorities of the Member States of the Organization and representatives of the private sector.

5.  To recommend that the agenda for the event addresses the issues related to the strengthening of tourism as a hemispheric development tool and in particular the role of the small tourism enterprise in the generation of employment and overall sector competitiveness and growth.

Functions of the IATC

Among the purposes and functions of the Inter-American Travel Congresses are:

	To aid and promote, by all means at their disposal, the development and progress of tourist travel in the Americas.
	To organize and encourage regular meetings of technicians and experts for the study of special problems related to tourist travel.
	To encourage the preparation of studies to make Possible the development of tourist travel, which studies shall take into consideration overall organic plans on a municipal, state, provincial or departmental, regional, national and inter-American scale.
	To maintain close contacts with the various intergovernmental and private organizations having to do with tourist travel, and strive to coordinate their activities.
	To foster the harmonization of laws and regulations concerning tourist travel.
	To take advantage of the cooperation offered by private enterprise through world and regional organizations concerned with tourist travel which hold consultative status with the United Nations or maintain relations of cooperation with the Organization of American States.
	To consider projects for technical assistance and cooperation.
	To disseminate among all American- countries information regarding the achievement of their aims.
	To study, suggest and sponsor, through the Organization of American States,, the adoption of official agreements among the American governments relating to tourist travel.
	To work toward improvement and uniformity of administrative and financial procedures relating to tourist travel services in the various American countries.
	To promote cooperative relations with similar world or regional organizations, either governmental or private, and to invite them to participate as observers at the meetings of the Congresses.
	To serve as advisory body of the organization and its organs in all matters related to tourism in the hemisphere.
	To carry out other activities in the field of tourism entrusted to them by the General Assembly of the organization, the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, CIDI or any of the other Councils or organs of the organization.

Permanent Executive Committee

Functions and Duties of the Permanent Executive Committee

The Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Travel Congresses is composed of specialists representing the governments of seven countries. The current members of the Committee are: Guatemala, Peru, Bahamas, Ecuador, Grenada, Mexico and Nicaragua.

The Permanent Executive Committee, assisted by the technical committees and the Permanent Secretariat, has the specific function of promoting Implementation of the resolutions of each Congress. The Committee acts within the resolutions of the Congresses, its specific authority and functions being as follows:

	To adopt such measures as it deems advisable to promote compliance with the resolutions of the Congresses and for the best attainment of the purposes indicated herein.
	To prepare the preliminary draft agenda of each Congress, and to collaborate with the host member state in organizing the Congress.
	To suggest the modifications in the regulations of the Congresses that it may deem necessary.
	To consult with the Secretary General of the OAS as to the form and scope of the Secretariat services.
	To decide on the holding of meetings of experts., and to study and comment upon their studies and reports with a view to relating them, when deemed necessary, to the overall objectives and programs approved by the congresses and by other competent OAS organs.
	To represent the Inter-American Travel Congresses at other national or international meetings related to tourist or related activities.
	To promote intergovernmental discussions on the coordination of measures related to tourism.

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