ABSTRACT SZABO, ADRIANA MARIANA. Community Development and Tourism in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala
ABSTRACT SZABO, ADRIANA MARIANA. Community Development and Tourism in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala. (Under the direction of Dr. Tim Wallace, Dr. Alicia McGill, and Dr. John Millhauser). Tourism in Guatemala has been a part of the economy for decades, but the development of tourism has been uneven. A good example of this is among the communities surrounding Lake Atitlán. The gateway community of Panajachel has been a part of tourism since the 1930’s, but directly across the lake, tourism development in San Pedro La Laguna has been rapid and uncoordinated, especially over the last two decades. For eight weeks during the summer of 2014, I collected ethnographic data to study how local people understand their role and the role of local and national authorities in the process of redesigning the local touristic model. My overarching aim was to understand the connections between community development and tourism. My methods included in-depth interviews with thirty local residents, a questionnaire survey with thirty tourists, and participant observation. I found that the residents of San Pedro La Laguna, unsatisfied with local government efforts, believe that tourism should and can play a greater, more comprehensive role in the development of their town. These residents aim to leverage the power of tourism to improve local livelihoods, alleviate poverty, and empower under resourced micro- entrepreneurs who are often cast out of the main stream tourism business. They anticipate future growth and a sustainable tourist industry that will allow them to In this thesis, I discuss the future and sustainability of the desires of San Pedranos to invest tourism revenues in education, health services, and infrastructure that will result in local benefits for the citizens as well as a more attractive destination for upscale tourists.
[Show full text]