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The XXIII Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism, to be held in Lima, Peru, on September 3-4, 2015 will focus on the topic: “Community-based  Rural Tourism: Agenda for more competitive and sustainable development”. During the Congress, discussions will center on experiences of community-based rural tourism in the Americas, including the factors of competitiveness for this type of tourism, the importance of measuring its impact, and an agenda for future development.

The Congress will also elect new authorities for the Inter American Committee on Tourism (CITUR). The CITUR is a committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) of the Organization of American States whose purpose is:

a.  To coordinate the implementation of inter-American ministerial dialogue on tourism and follow-up on the mandates of the Summits of the Americas and the agreements entered into at the Inter-American congresses of Ministers and High-level Authorities of Tourism by CIDI and the General Assembly;

b.  To identify multilateral initiatives; and

c.  To contribute to the execution of OAS policies in the area of partnership for sustainable tourism development.

The Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism was established in 1939 and is the principal hemispheric forum for dialogue and policy development in this sector. It predates the creation of the Organization of American States, which occurred in 1948, and the entry into force of the Charter of the OAS, in December 1951. The Congress was designed to promote sustainable development of tourism in the Americas, through the organization of a series of meetings to address relevant technical hemispheric issues and to develop inter-American cooperation in tourism.

The Congress serves as an important platform for the exchange of experiences and best practices, and provides a mechanism to support 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 Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism promotes the adoption of formal agreements among governments in relation 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.