While the trenches of the First World War were still filled with soldiers, French government officials were already dreaming of a different kind of guest: wealthy American tourists. It was a first sign that tourism would become a dominant political and economic issue in the 20th century. But when did tourism become a major priority of nation states? And who were the driving forces in its emergence?

The guest of this episode is historian Anna Breidenbach, who studies the politics of tourism from 1909 till 1938. This era is marked by war, pandemics, rising passport controls, refugees, forced migration and extreme inflation - but it is also a period in which tourism starts to institutionalise and thrive. Vincent and Anna discuss the birth of international tourism organisations, the lobby from hoteliers in London, and the nomadic travel spirit that might be within all of us!

Recommendation of the week 


Anna recommends the book Grand Hotel Europa, written by the Dutch writer Ilja Leonard Pfeiffer. She actually has not read it yet herself! However, as the book was a staggering success in the Netherlands, it so happened that I read it a while ago - and I absolutely loved it. It is available in almost any European language. 

---
In each episode of Radio Vinternational, host Vincent Hoffmans dives into one fascinating and hopefully informative international topic with a passionate expert. The mission is to showcase original and interesting perspectives on actual and historic international affairs, and to have fun!