The History of Tourism

The History of Tourism

Early Tourism  Tourism is derived from the Hebrew word torah

which means studying, learning, searching.  Early tourism has two forms:  Travel for business  Religious travel  The invention of money, writing and wheel by the

Sumerians facilitated travel and exchange of goods.

 The early Phoenicians toured the Mediterranean as

traders.  Both the Greeks and the Romans were well-known

traders and as their respective empires increased, travel became necessary. At this time, there was also travel for private purposes.  Travel for religious reason took the form of

pilgrimages to places of worship .

 Pilgrimages were made to fulfill a vow as in case of

illness or of great danger or as penance for sins.  Beside Rome and Jerusalem, St. James of Galicia

was the foremost destination of English pilgrims in the 14th century.  Beginning in 1388, English pilgrims were required to

obtain and carry permits, the forerunner of the modern passport.

Tourism in the Medieval Period  During the medieval period, travel declined.  Travel, derived from the word travail, became

burdensome, dangerous and demanding during this time.  After the decline of the Roman Empire in the 5th

century, roads were not maintained and they became unsafe.

 Thieves infected harm on those who dared to travel.  No one during this time travelled for pleasure.  Crusaders and pilgrims were the only ones who

traveled.

Tourism During the Renaissance and Elizabethan Eras  Because few renowned universities developed, traveling for

education was introduced by the British in the 16th century.  Under Elizabeth I, young men seeking positions in court

were encouraged to travel to the Continent to widen their education.  This practice was gradually adopted by others in the lower

social scale. In time it became recognized that the education of a gentleman should be completed by a “Grand Tour” of the cultural centers of the Continent which lasted for three years.

Typical Grand Tourist

Map of Grand Tour

 Grand Tour was used as early as 1670. While

apparently educational, the appeal became social.  Pleasure-seeking young men of leisure travelled

predominantly through France and Italy .  By the end of the 18th century, the practice had

become institutionalized for the upper class of society.

 As young men sought intellectual improvement in

the Continent, the sick sought a remedy for their illnesses in “spas” or medicinal baths.  The term “spa” is derived from the word Waloon

word “espa” meaning fountain.  Travelers immersed themselves in healing waters,

soon, entertainment was added, and dozens of watering places became resort hotels.

Tourism during the Industrial Revolution  The Industrial Revolution brought about major

changes in the scale and type of tourism development.  It brought about not only technological changes but

also essential social changes that made travel desirable as a recreational activity.  The increase in productivity, regular employment,

and growing urbanization gave more people the motivation and opportunity to go on holiday .

 The emerging middle class combined higher incomes

and growing education into annual holidays.  To escape from their responsibilities and the

crowded city environment, they traveled to the countryside or seashore for their holidays.  This led to the creation of working class resorts near

major industrial centers.

Tourism in the 19th Century  Two technological developments in the early part of

the 19th century had a great effect on the growth of tourism.  

Introduction of the railway Development of steam power

 The railways created not only more business by

proving reliable and cheap transportation, but also more competition as various private companies invested heavily in hotels, resorts and entertainment facilities.

 Thus, tourism was transformed from a small business

catering to the elite into the start of a mass market, that is, travel by a large number of individuals.  The use of steam power provided the increased mobility

needed by the tourism business.  Steamers on the major rivers provided reliable and

inexpensive transportation that led to the popular day-trip cruises and the growth of coastal resorts near large industrial towns.

 As tourism became organized in the later years of the

19th century, the organization of travel became an established institution.  Travel organizers emerged. The first and most

famous of these was Thomas Cook.  His first excursion train trip was between Leicester

and Loughborough in 1841 with 570 passengers at a round-trip fare of one shilling.

 The success of this venture encouraged him to

arrange similar excursions using chartered trains.  In 1866 he organized his first American tour.  In 1874, he introduced “circular notes” which were

accepted by banks, hotels, shops, and restaurants. These in effect the first traveler’s checks.

 Other tour companies in Britain:  Dean and Dawson in 1871  Polytechnic Touring Association in 1872  Frames in 1881  In the United States, American Express was founded

by Henry Wells and William Fargo  As the 19th century drew to a close, photography and

guide-books became popular.

 A huge variety of guide-books which dealt with both

local and overseas travel were sold to tourists.  The most popular of these was Baedecker, first

published in 1839, which became the leading guide for European countries at the end of the century.