Las bellezas panorámicas argentinas: una revisión histórica de las políticas públicas y el desarrollo del turismo en el Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi durante el peronismo (1943-1955)

Abstract

In the context of the Peronist presidencies (1945-1955), the so-called “Lakes Region” and “Argentine Switzerland”, promoted by the Directorate of National Parks under the leadership of Exequiel Bustillo (1934-1944), saw the creation of new modes of tourism promotion. The Peronist discourse promoted the idea of putting “The beauties of the homeland within the reach of the people”. We seek to discuss the impact of these narratives in southern Argentina, specifically in the National Parks. On the basis of a close examination of media documents and film footage, institutional memories and statistics, advertisements, tourist guides released by the national government, we discuss the scope and impact of social tourism in the region and dispute the notion that it was a mass activity. To this end, we analyze, among other aspects, the actors and practices involved, the symbolic representations and the infrastructure built during those years.