The Permanent Executive Committee of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CEPCIDI) of the Organization of American States (OAS) met today with the Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, Jose Napoleon Duarte, who stressed the importance of tourism in fighting poverty, will be the subject of XIX Inter-American Travel Congress will be held 29 and 30 September 2011 en San Salvador.

CEPCIDI President and Permanent Representative of Colombia to the OAS, Ambassador Luis Alfonso Hoyos Aristizabal, highlighted the important role it will play the Central American country this year at Inter, not only to host the Tourism Congress, also host the XLI OAS General Assembly, to be held in San Salvador 5 to the 7 June. "This is a year of great action and very intense in the relations of El Salvador with this multilateral", said.

Ambassador Hoyos reiterated, also, that the relevance of the next meeting of San Salvador "not only is the economic significance of tourism, but also its social meaning ", and stressed the need to find "a more inclusive society where development can reach more people who have been excluded from development".

The XIX Inter-American Travel Congress, as proposed by the Minister Duarte, be held under the title "Tourism, a challenge against poverty: business competitiveness as a tourism development tool ". According to the representative of the Government of El Salvador, the goal is "strategically raise a broad view of economic and institutional social inclusion policy in the global tourism industry". At the meeting the Ministers are called bouquet across the continent.

In his presentation, Salvadoran Minister highlighted the importance of the tourism industry in the development of economic and social benefits. "I am convinced that tourism is a sector that is part of a country's economy by encouraging the expansion of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs who work in poor rural areas of the continent and have been excited incorporating hope in the sector ", said. Therefore, added, "To reach a level of competitiveness in tourism need to develop an agenda, associative work and integrate with all countries in the hemisphere ".

He noted that although in some countries tourism has recovered after the recent global economic crisis, "Statistics show that is expected to grow less rapidly for 2011, recovery at a slower pace this year ". Because local economies still have not replaced the loss of jobs caused by the crisis, stressed, More importantly "bearings in this theme suggested by El Salvador proposing actions that provide better growth opportunities for our people living in tourism".

Finally, Duarte Minister referred to four sub-themes contained within the main theme of the Congress and mentioned: public-private partnerships to encourage especially investment and development; cultural and heritage tourism; CSR; and sustainable quality tourism.

The representative of El Salvador said that work on a draft declaration for submission to Congress in March approved within the OAS, an organism that, said, "Plays a fundamental role in the Americas, understand the relevance of the tourism industry to the development of many of its Member States and perceives tourism as a significant indicator of a country's democratic characteristics ".

The Executive Secretary for Integral Development of the OAS, Ambassador Mauricio Cortes Costa, Salvadoran thin congratulated for his presentation and his Government for taking this important initiative. Also took the floor during the meeting, held at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, delegations of Venezuela, Belize, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Bahamas, Antigua y Barbuda, Peru, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, U.S., Ecuador and El Salvador.

Source: News Center Organization of American States (OAS).

Office of Communications and Public Relations MITUR- CORSATUR.

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