Storytelling Strategies for Development of Railroad Tourism in Latin America

Summary The interplay of tourism, history and railroads in Latin America has a series of convergences regarding the narratives related to territorial appropriations (from export of farm commodities to trains linked directly or indirectly to present-day tourism). Furthermore, storytelling strategies have proved to be a differential in the positioning of products, services and destinations in the global tourism market. Thus, the objective of this case study is to demonstrate how train trips are key elements of historical narratives, through multiple temporalities, in Latin America. It starts with Mexico and ends with the “End of the World Train” in Argentina. This description helps to prepare students, planners and managers, from an interdisciplinary standpoint, to deal with railroad tourism in Latin America, demonstrating the force that the historical narrative has for this market segment.