Tourism potential and heritage value in Santa Cruz province, Argentina: The Río Turbio industrial rail line (RFIRT)
Abstract
The Río Turbio Industrial Rail Line (RFIRT) is an infrastructure that connects the city of Río Gallegos with the Coal Basin of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, comprising the towns of 28 de Noviembre and Río Turbio. Along its approximately 300 km route, it offers a unique visual experience, with landscapes that change throughout the year due to Santa Cruz's diverse climate.
The emerging tourism development in the Coal Basin presents an opportunity to enhance both the region and the railway, making use of the existing infrastructure along the studied route. Being the southernmost railway line in the Americas, its location arouses interest for visits and transportation, despite currently being mainly used for transporting coal and occasionally passengers.
This project aims to identify the most significant events related to the railway development in the region and its potential as a tourist attraction, through the creation of a timeline and proposing an itinerary that combines historical and natural elements, allowing visitors to enjoy an active industrial rail line in the Argentine Southern Patagonia.
The historical significance of the RFIRT and its impact on the region calls for sustainable tourism development in the towns of the Coal Basin, preserving and keeping alive the memory of the railway, promoting it as a unique tourist attraction in the Patagonian region.
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