UVG Campus Altiplano hosted a forum in San Andrés Semetabaj to mark World Tourism Day 2025, focusing on the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.” The event brought together students, researchers, and community leaders to discuss the role of tourism in promoting sustainable change.
The forum was held at the Municipal Hall of San Andrés Semetabaj. The agenda included presentations on cultural heritage, environmental management, climate change, and territorial tourism planning.
A researcher from CIAA-UVG opened the conference series with a presentation titled “Living Heritage: The Cultural Legacy of San Andrés Semetabaj as a Driver of Sustainable Development.” He highlighted the economic importance of the municipality’s identity and tourism assets.
Marvin Muj, administrator of the local Ecomuseum, delivered a talk called “A Kaqchikel Treasure the World Should Know,” emphasizing both the intangible and natural wealth of the area. Following this, a representative from CEA-UVG discussed how solid waste affects Lake Atitlán’s basin, identifying it as one of the region’s most urgent environmental issues.
An expert in meteorology and climate change from CEAB-UVG gave a presentation on “Climate-Smart Strategies for Guatemala.” He stated that “more than 50% of global warming since 1950 is due to human activities and that the effects of climate change are already visible in the country.” He proposed solutions such as reforestation, electric transportation, sustainable water management, and renewable energy use—measures designed specifically for tourism as a key sector for mitigation and adaptation.
The event concluded with strategies based on land-use planning, community participation, and environmental sustainability.
Local officials participated in discussions. The mayor of San Andrés Semetabaj, a departmental delegate from the Ministry of Economy, and a regional delegate from INGUAT agreed on “the need to join efforts between government, academia, and community to promote tourism that preserves heritage and positively transforms communities.”
For more information about UVG’s work in this field or through its various programs, interested parties are encouraged to visit their official platforms.
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