Universitas Andalas Supports Smart Tourism Village Development in Nagari Minangkabau in Support of SDG 8 and SDG 9

Universitas Andalas carried out a community assistance program in Nagari Minangkabau, Sungayang District, Tanah Datar Regency, to strengthen digitally based tourism governance at the village level. This initiative is closely linked to SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, as it aims to expand local tourism potential through the use of village information systems and technology-based management.

The activity took place on Friday, July 18, 2025, as part of Universitas Andalas’ PKM-TKM Batch II program. The team involved Gusminarti, S.H., M.H. from the Faculty of Law, Dr. Eng. Budi Rahmadya from the Faculty of Information Technology, and Dr. Yulihasri, S.E., MBA from the Faculty of Economics and Business, working together with Universitas Andalas KKN students. The program was designed to improve the capacity of nagari officials and the community in using village information technology, especially for promoting and managing local tourism potential in support of a smart village model.

One of the main focuses of the program was the development of an integrated and easily accessible village information system to support transparency, efficiency, and the promotion of tourism destinations in Nagari Minangkabau, an area described as rich in cultural and historical value. Through this approach, the initiative sought to connect tourism development with better digital governance so that local potential could be managed more effectively and introduced to a wider audience.

Wali Nagari Minangkabau, Akbar, welcomed the initiative and expressed hope that the village information system being developed could become the foundation for building a digitally empowered nagari with economic independence through the tourism sector. He described the program as a concrete form of synergy between a university and the nagari government in creating governance that is both technology-based and sustainable.

The participants, who included nagari officials, members of the Nagari Consultative Body, BUMNag representatives, and MSME actors, responded enthusiastically to the program. They said the activity was highly beneficial, especially as Nagari Minangkabau is currently in the process of developing its tourism sector, both by improving existing attractions and by exploring new tourism potential. The program was also seen as a way to help introduce and revitalize the history and culture of Minangkabau from its place of origin, where historical heritage is still preserved.

Universitas Andalas KKN students played an active role throughout the assistance process, from collecting data and training local officials to simulating the implementation of the tourism information system. They also gathered community aspirations regarding tourism development and local information technology needs. Overall, the initiative reflects how collaboration between lecturers, students, and local communities can help build a more innovative and technology-driven tourism ecosystem at the nagari level.