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THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
HAVING SEEN resolutions CIDI/RES. 126 (VII-O/02), AG/RES. 1860
(XXXII-O/02) " XVII Inter-American Travel Congress ,” CEPCIDI/RES. 83
(LXXXVIII-O/03) “Change in the date of the XVIII Inter-American Travel
Congress,” and resolution CIDI/RES. 152 (IX-O/04) “XVIII Inter-American
Travel Congress,”
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT:
That the sustainable development of tourism can contribute to more
equitable distribution of, and greater participation by the community in,
economic growth;
That the 2002-2005 Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development
includes the sustainable development of tourism as one of its priorities
and identifies as one of its strategic objectives the improvement of
mechanisms for political dialogue;
CONSIDERING:
That the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress was held in Guatemala
City, Guatemala from June 18 to 20, 2003, with the technical support of
the Intersectoral Unit for Tourism and the Executive Secretariat for
Integral Development;
The final report of the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress and the
decisions adopted, contained in document TURISMO/doc.15/03,
RESOLVES:
1. To congratulate and thank the Government of Guatemala for its work
to organize and hold the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress.
2. To endorse the “Guatemala Declaration” and the “Plan of Action for
the Sustainable Development of Tourism in Cooperation with the Private
Sector,” which were adopted by the authorities of the sectoral area of
tourism at the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress, and are attached to
this resolution.
3. To instruct the General Secretariat, through the Intersectoral Unit
for Tourism and the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, to
continue supporting the efforts of member states to achieve sustainable
tourism in the Americas, by implementing the activities outlined in the
attached Plan of Action.
4. To instruct the General Secretariat, through the Intersectoral
Tourism Unit and the Executive Secretariat for Integral Development, to
continue supporting the process for preparation and follow-up of meetings
in the tourism sector.
5. To request CIDI to report to the General Assembly at its
thirty-fifth regular session on the implementation of this resolution.
DECLARATION OF GUATEMALA CITY
We, the participants in the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress,
gathered in Guatemala City from June 18 to 20, 2003,
RECOGNIZING,
1. That tourism is an important economic and social force for
improving quality of life in the Hemisphere;
2. That tourism is a key element for the economic and social growth
and sustainable development of our countries, and should constitute state
policy;
3. That the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress provided a valuable
opportunity for dialogue on the "New Challenges of the Tourism Sector and
Hemispheric Responses to Sustain Recovery and Growth";
4. The vital role of cooperation in confronting the new challenges
being faced by the tourism sector;
5. The importance of the OAS Strategic Plan for Partnership for
Development 2002-2005 which is based on the mandates of the Summits of
the Americas, and has as one of its priority areas the Sustainable
Development of Tourism;
6. The advisability of promoting the adoption of measures to increase
the confidence and security of travelers that are compatible with the
development and strengthening of the tourism sector;
7. The role of greater and more equitable participation by local
communities in contributing to sustainable tourism and development;
8. The importance of tourism programs, projects and activities
integrating, to the extent possible, in their formulation and
implementation, the following elements: civil society participation;
environmental considerations; development of human resources; and gender
equality and equity;
9. The on-going efforts of regional and sub-regional organizations in
the tourism sector to foster collaboration between the public and private
sector; and
10. That the trafficking and exploitation of adolescents, women and
children for sex tourism is a serious scourge on our societies which
negatively impacts the structure of families and the image of our
countries as tourism destinations.
DECLARE
1. That a secure and safe environment is important for the
sustainability of the tourism sector.
2. That measures aimed at protecting the health, safety and security
of travelers and visitors, and greater cooperation in the exchange of
information on these matters, inter alia, facilitate the recovery and
strengthening of the tourism sector.
3. That measures that facilitate safe land, air, sea, and river
transportation contribute to the sustainability of the tourism industry
and thus to the development of our countries.
4. That promoting closer collaboration with multilateral financing
agencies in order to find innovative ways to develop financially,
environmentally, and socially self-supporting tourism programs will
contribute to economic growth and reduction of poverty.
5. That strengthening and promoting horizontal and multilateral
cooperation among tourism authorities, regional and sub-regional
organizations, and the private sector, is key for the development and
implementation of sustainable tourism projects, programs and activities.
6. That it is important to take appropriate actions to enhance the
competitiveness of our tourism products and services, by supporting
product up-date and improvement, and greater use of information and
communication technologies as well as greater cooperation in the area of
training, particularly in collaboration with the private sector.
7. That strengthening of the tourism sector through the development of
its human resources is of foremost importance, especially at the level of
small and medium-sized businesses, and particularly through the use of
innovative training methods, such as “distance learning”.
8. That the participation of local communities is necessary in the
process of diversifying tourism supply and contributes to the equitable
distribution of the benefits of sustainable tourism.
9. That ecotourism can contribute to the overall sustainability of
tourism by increasing benefits for the host communities and the awareness
of these communities and of the travelers of the need for the
conservation and sustained use of natural and cultural heritage.
10. That it is necessary to promote an active and inclusive dialogue
among government authorities and representatives of the private sector of
the origin, transit and destination countries for the orderly and
sustainable development of the tourism sector.
11. That actions must be implemented to prevent and combat the
trafficking and exploitation of adolescents, women and children for sex
tourism, as well as increase the efforts to seek and obtain financial
resources to that end.
PLAN OF ACTION FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR
We, the participants in the XVIII Inter-American Travel Congress,
gathered in Guatemala City, Guatemala, from June 18 to 20, 2003,
determined to work toward the achievement of sustainable tourism in the
Americas, reaffirm our support for the following Plan of Action:
Initiatives to be implemented by authorities and relevant entities of
the tourism sector
Promote tourism as an integral part of our development programs by:
· Contributing to the creation of an environment conducive to travel
by establishing and promoting confidence-building measures for travelers,
improving airport, seaport, and border security;
· Working with international, regional and sub-regional tourism
organizations in the coordination of activities and the exchange of
information for the purpose of developing a climate conducive to tourism
development in the Hemisphere;
· Supporting efforts to develop tourism based on sustainable
environmental, cultural, and economic considerations and with the
application of methodologies and systems that facilitate monitoring of
the sector;
· Pursuing the development of new tourism products and services,
especially to take advantage of niche markets; and
· Working to incorporate the tourist industry as a priority in the
national development strategies of our countries and in regional
initiatives.
Strengthen collaboration among authorities and relevant entities of
the tourism sector, international, regional and sub-regional
organizations, and representatives of the private sector and civil
society in promoting and developing sustainable tourism by:
· Specially facilitating participation by the local community in the
preparation and implementation of tourism policies and plans;
· Urging a dialogue with all sectors involved in the various modes of
transport to facilitate the expansion and improvement of air services in
support of tourism, studying, when appropriate, the operating and
regulatory framework.
· Designing a regional plan of action, in coordination with the
Inter-American Commission of Women and the Inter-American Children’s
Institute, which would include standards of conduct for the tourism
sector, aimed at preventing the trafficking and exploitation of
adolescents, women and children for sex tourism;
· Implementing a sustainable development of tourism policy throughout
the region by harmonizing tourism certification processes;
· Bolstering efforts to improve air and maritime security, focusing
especially on developing actions aimed at facilitating tourist travel by
improving immigration and customs policies and air, sea, and overland
transportation;
· Strengthening supplier linkages to the cruise sector for services,
provisions, and ground activities is necessary in order to capitalize on
the untapped opportunities of this important tourism product. We also
recommend in-depth research and analysis with the goal of providing clear
recommendations and sharing of best practices to maximize benefits to
local communities from the cruise ship sector; and
· Urging the competent authorities in our countries to develop health
and safety standards for cruise ships operating within the Hemisphere.
Promote horizontal and multilateral cooperation with the support of
international, regional and sub-regional organizations and in particular
the OAS by:
· Exchanging information on best practices for dealing with crisis
situations for the benefit of visitors;
· Providing and sharing information on best practices applicable to
the development of quality tourism programs, projects, and policies
especially those aiming at satisfying the sector’s requirements and
standards;
· Providing and sharing information on best practices in community
tourism and supporting member states in their efforts to develop
community tourism strategies;
· Supporting the development and diversification of high quality
tourism products and services, especially in areas related to cultural,
community and ecological tourism; and
· Developing and promoting integrated tourism circuits in order to
encourage intra-regional and multiple destination tourism.
Develop and execute technical cooperation projects to strengthen the
sustainable development of the tourism sector by means of dialogue with
the private sector and other institutions:
· Providing input into the formulation of procedures and measures to
improve environmental health and safety standards as they relate to the
tourism industry for the protection of travelers;
· Supporting the establishment, as necessary, of appropriate
frameworks, policies, and mechanisms to support the development of
community tourism projects;
· Promoting awareness of the local communities on the importance of
tourism and the public participation in the development of the sector;
and
· Working closely with multilateral financing agencies to find
innovative ways to develop financially, environmentally, and socially
sustainable tourism programs, especially effective mechanisms to promote
investment in the development of tourist projects in the Hemisphere, with
private sector participation and emphasizing small and medium-sized
tourism enterprises.
Support training and human resource development in the tourism
industry in order to enhance the competitiveness, quality, and excellence
of the tourism sector by:
· Supporting joint public and private sector consultation in the
development of a tourism training plan and the creation of a regional
center for tourism training that will make it possible for graduates to
be absorbed in the labor market;
· Considering alternative and innovative training and education
methods through the use of technology, such as “distance learning,” which
can lower the per capita cost and increase opportunities of access to
high-quality programs;
· Facilitating training in the use of new technologies and encouraging
the use of the Internet as a tool for improving communication, management
and marketing in the tourism sector, and especially in the hotel sector;
· Establishing policies and appropriate programs to support and
promote continuous tourism product and service improvement and the
training of personnel in order to prepare and implement financially,
environmentally and socially sustainable projects; and
· Achieving meaningful participation by local communities through the
development of education and awareness programs that underscore the
benefits to be derived from tourism and foster national pride, and the
preservation of culture, languages, and cultural art forms.
Actions relating to the Inter-American Travel Congress
To strengthen our meeting of Ministers and High Authorities of
Tourism, so that it becomes a more dynamic and relevant hemispheric
forum, and identify mechanisms to promote an active and coordinated
participation by the private sector.
· Instructing the pertinent OAS offices to take those measures
necessary for its implementation, taking into account the comments raised
during the consideration of this topic by the Congress.
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