Press Releases

(Port of Spain, October 11th 2011) The Secretary General of the ACS attended the 19th Inter-American Travel Congress hosted by the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the 1st Forum on Sustainable Tourism Development in Central America, organised by the Central American Tourism Integration Secretariat (SITCA) which took place in San Salvador, El Salvador, on September 29th to October 1st, 2011.

Also in attendance were Ministers of Tourism, National and Regional Tourism Authorities, Hotel and Tourism Associations, Private Sector Organizations, Tourism Schools, Cooperation Agencies, organized groups of the civil society and other industry stakeholders, from across the Americas.

The meeting comprised of two days of high-level key-note presentations and panel discussions with contributions from Tourism Ministers, Regional and International Industry leaders, Academics, Technical experts and Donor Agencies. Thematic topics included the following: (i) public-private partnerships to strengthen sustainable tourism development; (ii) cultural and heritage tourism as a means for incorporating tourist activities into community life; (iii) business competitiveness and corporate social responsibility (CSR) as mainstays of sustainable tourism development; and (iv) challenges confronting sustainable tourism in the Americas.

Secretary General Andrade Falla held a conference with high authorities from ACS Member States as the Minister of Antigua & Barbuda Honourable John Maginley and the Minister of T&T Honourable Rupert Griffith and representatives of countries such as Dominica, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Bahamas, Belize, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as well as OAS delegates and other key Regional and International Partners. This meeting was presided by the ACS Secretary General and the Chair of the Special Committee on Sustainable Tourism, Honourable Mario Salinas, Minister of Tourism of Nicaragua, who presented on the process and progress towards the Establishment of the Association of Caribbean Cruise Ship Destinations (ACCD) and advancements with the Caribbean Sea Initiative, including the activities of the Caribbean Sea Commission (CSC).

The Secretary General also held a special meeting with the Minister and the Vice-Minister of Tourism of El Salvador, Lic. José Napoleón Duarte Durán and Walter Alemán Castro respectively, as an expression of support and solidarity for said country as host of the events, and also to express an interest in strengthening ties and engagement concerning the work of the Association.