Dissertation Information for Aida Mostkoff NAME: - Aida Mostkoff
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- History
SCHOOL:
- University of California, Los Angeles (USA) (1999)
ADVISORS: - James W. Wilkie
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - James Lockhart - David Lopez
MPACT Status: Fully Complete
Title: Foreign visions and images of Mexico: One hundred years of international tourism, 1821-1921
Abstract: This dissertation examines one hundred years of travel and tourism in Mexico. The period considered here, is one in which basic travel infrastructure develops, and international travel to Mexico increases. The year 1821 marks the end of the Colonial period, an end to Spain's protectionist economic policies, and the relaxing of travel restrictions, to what had previously been the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The year 1921 marks the end of the violent phase of Mexico's Revolution that had begun in 1910.
Nineteenth and early twentieth century Mexico allured foreigners in much the same way it does today: a promise of "exotic" places, dramatic landscapes, as well as cultural enrichment, and adventure. The majority of tourists were, and continue to be, American citizens crossing the border that separates two countries and two worlds. This is a study of the first waves of visitors and travelers whose indelible impressions of Mexico linger; it is also a study of the relationship between Mexico and the United States, and the role that tourism played in this alliance. We will examine how dramatic political and social events formed the backdrop of tourist activities, ranging from diplomatic visits from Europe or the United States in the early years of the Mexican Republic, and leisurely trips to Teotihuacan in the Porfiriato six decades after, to crowds of onlookers watching the bloodiest battles of the Mexican Revolution from their hotels' rooftops.
This is not to say that foreigners, alone created Mexico's early basis for tourism. We will examine the nation's institutional involvement in this process; the opening of roads, the development of the transportation and hospitality sectors, the creation of public works, the construction of museums, the promotion of archaeology, and the renewed interest in the nation's pre-Columbian Indian past--all public policy mandates--stimulated the emergent tourist industry. Throughout the text, we will explore the relationship between tourism, infrastructure, national politics, and foreign policy.
Although most analysts view Mexico's tourism emerging in the late 1940s, I trace the development of Mexico's tourism 120 years further back in time. Beginning in 1821, tourism, travel economic opportunity, and the promise of adventure lured thousands of visitors and curiosity seekers to Mexico, including renowned writers, painters, photographers, political analysts, and scholars. These individuals would leave behind lasting impressions of their travels, establishing a rich body of data that forms the basis of this research. The period addressed herein, marks a discrete era in the history of Mexican tourism, the era that laid the basis for post-revolutionary (1921-1974) and modern tourism (since 1974).
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calculated 2008-09-22 11:30:39
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