From a “harsh and strange” world to a “beautiful and exotic” one. Geographic and tourist imaginaries of argentine Puna

Abstract

The Argentine Puna is a relatively new destination within the national context. Nonetheless, it has been gaining prominence in recent decades. This is due, among other things, to a set of geographical features that present the region as a novel and distinctive destination, drawing on certain geographical imaginaries. The aim of this paper is to analyze the imaginaries involved in the official tourism promotion of the Argentine Puna, considering to account how they are involved in presenting the area as suitable for certain tourist activities. The study examines those attributes of Puna presented as attractions through visual and verbal information in a promotional context paying attention to the geographical imaginaries involved. The results show that the promotion updates long-standing geographical imaginaries associated with deserts and this specific region, some of which have been re-signified by contemporary tourism.