Franco’s Spain, Tourism and Propaganda | A Tourist In History
"Spain is Different! was adopted as the primary slogan of Spanish tourism in the 1960s by the Ministry for Information and Tourism. The seemingly unmemorable phrase was used throughout the subsequent decades. Ultimately it signifies the nature of Spain as a tourist destination to potential foreign visitors, it is a place detached from the troubles of the contemporary world where one could enjoy a more relaxed pace of life. On the other hand, it explains the political situation of Spain in contrast to other Western European democratic states, such a system would be incompatible with the unique nature (difference) of Spain and its population.
The Ministry for Information and Tourism (MIT) was created in 1951. As its name suggests, it was responsible for both propaganda and the provision of tourism services within the Franco Dictatorship. Spain is Different was the central slogan of a campaign of tourist promotion which was launched in 1964 by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, who led the ministry throughout Spain’s 1960s tourism boom. The slogan was made highly visible within Spain, targeting the local population as well as the tourists it ostensibly sought to attract.
Justin Crumbaugh referred to the slogan as ‘propaganda fused with tourism promotion’. 1960s Spain had obvious political differences from the rest of Europe. A state produced 1964 tourist brochure explained this by asserting that Spain had tried liberal democracy, but the nature of the country and its people rendered it unsuitable. The slogan reinforces a notion of Spanish exceptionalism which legitimised the regime in the minds of both foreign visitors and the population. ‘Difference’ was commodified by the Franco regime to make it more attractive to foreigners. Additionally, the omnipresence of tourist media to the population highlights the new role of the state in the lives of Spaniards, as a potential vehicle for their enrichment and economic advancement through the tourism industry."
Franco’s Spain, Tourism and Propaganda | A Tourist In History
Boat Launch
Looking out at Hillabrandt Vly
Beautiful spring day looking out at the lake.
I Love Oil
You know, I really love oil. Not in it’s crudest form, or even gasoline — that nasty stuff you put in your truck, or even in it’s form of energy — that powers my truck. I love it because oil is such a beautiful thing — it takes one to beautiful places, it gives one the most wonderful experiences.
It’s oil that takes me up to the woods. It’s oil that takes me down rough state truck trails and smooth superhighways, the fly high above beautiful valleys. It’s oil that take me to the mountains, it’s oil that takes me out on the town to meet interesting people. It’s oil that goes in the bus that takes me to work. It’s oil (and it’s cousin natural gas) that keeps lights on, the beer cold, and good times rolling on.
