In Pursuit of the Westernized Eden. Tourism and Nature in the Press of the Mexican Porfiriato, 1876-1911

Abstract

This article shows that the ideas expressed in the press of the Mexican Porfiriato (1876-1911) regarding the incorporation of natural resources in the incipient tourism in Mexico sought the adaptation of landscapes according to modern and liberal parameters, which were considered, by the national elites, appropriate to attract and receive foreign tourists, mainly Americans and Western Europeans. Based on the review of the content of newspapers from that period, and their contextualization, it is interpreted that they contributed to the dissemination of tourism activities in the country but also to its legitimation and establishment as "tourism territory" and tourist attractions. In this process, their proposals for the adaptation of nature considered more the benefits for some social actors, such as businessmen, tourists with high purchasing power or foreigners, to the detriment of others, such as the peasant and indigenous population, or even implied impacts for other elements of the landscape, such as fauna.