The Catalan exotic excursionist movement: Northern Africa (1876-1936)

Abstract

Although the Catalan excursionist movement focused its activities mainly in Catalonia, the excursionist groups have also paid attention to travels abroad, particularly to those involving Northern Africa. From its beginnings, these associations tried to attire their members’ interest for such kind of travels. Following the change in the Catalan walking movement since 1900 towards more sportive and tourist orientated activities, tourism was also the main motivation for Catalan excursionist for visiting Northern Africa. The image of Northern Africa pictured by most of these traveler’s reports would clearly reflect the typical orientalists common places of that period and would even support European colonial domination over Northern Africa countries.