HUMAS USU – The Center of Excellence in Science and Technology (PUI) Sustainable Tourism at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) held the International Seminar on Sustainable Tourism 2026 titled “Sustainability and Place Identity in Developing Impactful Tourism for Communities” on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) at the Academic Senate Meeting Room, Board of Professors Building USU.

The international seminar was conducted in a hybrid format and attended by academics, students, government representatives, and tourism practitioners. The event featured speakers from both Indonesia and abroad to discuss the development of sustainable tourism.

The event was attended by the Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Collaboration of USU, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T.; Associate Professor in Management, School of Business, International University, Vietnam National University in HCMC, Assoc. Prof. Nhat Tan Pham, PhD; and the Director of PUI Sustainable Tourism USU, Prof. Ar. Ir. Nurlisa Ginting, M.Sc., Ph.D., IAI.

Prof. Himsar Ambarita stated that sustainable tourism is an important issue in the development of tourism destinations across countries. According to him, tourism development must consider environmental aspects and community sustainability.

“Tourism does not only generate profit, but must also be responsible for environmental changes and sustainability,” he said.

Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Nhat Tan Pham explained that cross-country collaboration is essential in supporting the development of sustainable tourism. He emphasized that all parties must work together to create a sustainable future for tourism.

“All aspects must collaborate to develop sustainable tourism, not only for today but also for the future,” he said.

In addition, Prof. Nurlisa Ginting stated that the concept of sustainable tourism has become a global issue in tourism development. She emphasized that tourism development cannot be carried out by a single party alone.

“The development of a tourism destination cannot be done by only one actor; all stakeholders must be involved,” she explained.

Through this event, PUI Sustainable Tourism USU is expected to strengthen international collaboration and encourage the development of sustainable and community-empowering tourism destinations in Indonesia.