Tourism & Development in San Miguel: A Double-edged Sword

San Miguel is facing a point of no return in its development. This can be seen in projects like Capilla de Piedra, that destroyed the cultural landscape and the urban integrity of the city. The challenges faced today by San Miguel --real estate speculation, gentrification and over-tourism--are risks to its tangible and intangible heritage. All of them are negatively impacting the lives of San Miguel citizens, particularly through the current mobility crisis. The main problem in San Miguel has been the lack of planning and a long-term sustainable perspective by the local authorities--recommendations that were made by UNESCO when San Miguel was inscribed in the list of Cultural Heritage sites.

San Miguel needs an analysis of the present circumstances and from there, an exercise in imagination about the San Miguel we want in the future. This should be the basis of a sustainable management policy. The present development is driving us away from sustainability. It's time to take the steering wheel. These challenges are faced by many other cultural sites around the world, and yet because it is such a recent phenomena, there are no written formulas for a solution... community creativity is needed.

Join us for a vital and enlightening presentation and discussion on the current reality and future possibilities of San Miguel de Allende.

Alberto Aveleyra is a mexican anthropologist, president of the Friends of the Historical Museum of San Miguel, former member of the San Miguel Tourism Board, and founder of the Artisans of Time cultural project.