Arqueología y Turismo: dos formas de viaje para una misma mirada

Although archeology and tourism are based in diverse paradigms, both share the same cultural value. This essay review rests on the thesis that archeologists are mystery tourists. Particularly, there are substantial differences in how archeology portrays the other, but at the bottom, much in common has archeology with tourism. The axis of discussion should be turned to think tourism and archeology as inextricably intertwined. The paradox is that “modern” tourism and archeology share the same need of visual expropriation that leads to the discovery of the truth. These founding values were conferred by scientific thought. The term “modern” tourism refers to capitalized tourism and not other forms of leisure and old tourism. That suggests a re-signification to the prejudice to point out tourism is a naive activity aimed at recreating lay people while archeology keeps an objective gaze.