TOURISM AND TERRITORY ON THE BANKS OF LAKE ATITLÁN, GUATEMALA

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explain the territorial syntax of tourism in one of the most emblematic places in Guatemala: Lake Atitlan. Located on the banks of this body of water and set against a spectacular natural background are ten small settlements, all of Mayan origin with a predominately kaqchikel- or tz’utujil-speaking population and a diverse living culture. These communities are trying to gain access to a niche segment of a highly competitive tourism market. In order to achieve our research objective, we frst examine the geographical setting of tourism at both the national and local levels and also pinpoint some of the relevant features of protected areas in Guatemala, given Lake Atitlan’s location in the Lake Atitlan Watershed Multiple-Use Reserve, connecting it all back to tourism. Finally, we reveal the major tourist centers at the lake and end with a remark on the apparent non-existent relationship between tourism and the natural protected area in question