The Organization of American States (OAS) will host the Twenty-Sixth Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism on April 3–4, 2025, at OAS headquarters in Washington, D.C. The event will bring together over 22 ministers and high-level national tourism authorities from OAS Member States , as well as experts from across the Americas, to discuss the theme "Harnessing the Power of Heritage Tourism for Development in the Americas."
This year's Congress will explore how cultural heritage, community-based initiatives, and inclusive tourism can drive sustainable economic development and environmental stewardship across the region. It will also provide a platform to advance cooperation among member states, and it is expected to adopt the Draft Declaration and Plan of Action of Ecuador and elect new authorities of the Inter-American Committee on Tourism (CITUR).
Key topics on the agenda include:
• Building an Inter-American Plan for Heritage Tourism
• Promoting tourism in Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities
• Empowering micro, small, and medium-sized tourism enterprises (MSMEs)
• Strengthening community-based tourism models
The opening ceremony (April 3 at 9:00 EDT, 13:00 GMT) will include:
• Ambassador Lou-Anne Gilchrist, Chair of the Inter-American Council on Integral Development (CIDI) and Permanent Representative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the OAS
• Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS)
• Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism Jamaica, Chair of CITUR
