The Hotel Guaraní: The Duke of Edinburgh and Paraguay’s Tourist Industry during the Stroessner Years

This paper consider how during the government of Alfredo Stroessner (1954-1989) the dream of Asunción, Paraguay becoming a tropical destination for the new international jetsetters was imagined. Using the visit of the 1961 visit of the Duke of Edinburgh, this paper consider how his trip represented the hope that international tourism would bring modernity and luxury to one of Latin Americas most isolated capital city. Government officials hoped that Paraguay would become both an "exotic" and "luxurious" destination in that travels could expect to meet with Indigenous peoples (specifically the Ma'cá), go on safari, and fishing expeditions, all while enjoying themselves in air conditions hotels, pools, and delicious food. In the end, the paper considers how the dream of tourism brought a new hope for social, economic, and cultural growth in the city.