The hidden face of the Patagonia Argentina

Abstract

The Patagonia is well-known in the world mainly through the tourist promo- tion. This promotion emphasizes its natu- ral beauty and foments/promotes the idea that it is a place sheltered from the pre- datory action of (the) man where “nature undresses its secrets and shows its mag- nificence in their entire splendor” (www. patagoniaturistica.org.ar/). In relation to this concept of the Patagonia, the tourism agencies offer to the visitors activities of adventure,  eco-tourism,  rural  tourism, etc. and some cultural attractiveness such as those related to the paleontological fin- dings, with their extinct native population or with the Welsh colonization and its craft productions (Forte, 2007). The main geo- graphical locations visited are some coas- tal areas such as Port Madryn and Punta Tombo, where it is possible to know the rich fauna of the area, and the Mountain range of los Andes, where it is feasible to enjoy beautiful landscapes and to practice some activities as skiing and fishing, mainly. For its part, the cultural attractions are in museums, tea houses and places in the cities or close to them that have been adap- ted for the tourist visits, as well as in some natural sites with cave paintings near the main routes.