History of Travel and Tourism Notes

Chronological Stages of Travel and Tourism

The history of travel and tourism is categorized into six distinct evolutionary stages:

• The Roman Empire Period: $-27$ BC to $476$ AD.

• The Medieval Period (Middle Ages): $476$ AD to $1492$.

• Renaissance Period: $1300$ to $1600$.

• The Industrial Revolution: $1760$ to $1820$ or $1840$.

• The $19^{\text{th}}$ and $20^{\text{th}}$ centuries.

• The $21^{\text{th}}$ century.

Early Beginnings of Travel: The Babylonians and Egyptians

The Babylonians (Sumerians)

• The Babylonians are credited as the founders of specialized business travel.

• Trade was developed around $400$ BC.

• Their major contributions include the creation of money and the standardization of trade.

• The Babylonian Empire ($606$ to $536$ BC) spanned regions including modern-day Iraq (Babylon), Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Jerusalem.

• The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was located in this empire.

The Egyptians

• Egyptians organized and conducted the first recorded cruises.

• The first known journey for the purpose of tourism was made by Queen Hatshepsut (pronounced Hat..shep…sut) to the Land of Punt in $1480$.

• Historians remain in disagreement regarding the exact location of the Land of Punt.

• Early Egyptians initiated the practice of purchasing souvenirs from visited locations.

The Roman Empire Period ($-27$ BC to $476$ AD)

Motivations for Travel

• Military Expansion: Building and maintaining the empire.

• Government Administration: Specifically for the collection of taxes.

• Trade and Commerce: Facilitated by merchants using coin currency.

• Arts and Infrastructure: Artisans and architects were "imported" to design and construct tombs and great palaces.

• Biblical references mention the introduction of currency and taxes, which necessitated travel.

The Olympic Games

• Started in $776$ BC.

• City-states gathered every $4$ years for competition.

• These games birthed the first festivals and attractions.

• Lodging became a essential commodity to house participants and spectators during festivals.

Infrastructure and Lodging

• The Romans developed elaborate road networks around $150$ BC, primarily for military use.

• Construction featured durable cobblestones; some of these roads remain in use today.

• The lodging industry dates back to antiquity; biblical records mention that at the birth of Christ, people were traveling long distances and inns were frequently overbooked.

• Travel was also undertaken for health and pleasure, including spa visits, sightseeing, and festivals.

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Early Tourist Attractions

These sites represent the earliest major tourist attractions:

1. Great Pyramid of Giza: Located in Egypt.

2. Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Located in the ancient city of Babylon, Iraq.

3. The Colossus of Rhodes: A statue of the Greek sun-god Helios, erected on the Greek island of Rhodes.

4. Statue of Zeus at Olympia: Zeus is identified in Greek mythology as the father of gods and men who controls lightning and thunder.

5. Temple of Artemis at Ephesus: Located in modern-day Turkey, this was the first monumental structure built entirely of marble. Artemis was the twin sister of Apollo. Ephesus also played a significant role in the spread of Christianity (notably involving the apostle Paul).

6. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus: The tomb of Mausolus; the term "mausoleum" is now used generally for above-ground tombs.

7. The Lighthouse of Alexandria: Located in Egypt, this structure stood over $100\,\text{meters}$ in height.

The Medieval Period / Middle Ages ($500$ AD to $1400$ AD)

Decline and Shift in Travel

• Following the Fall of the Roman Empire, travel became dangerous, uncomfortable, and unsafe because roads were no longer maintained.

• Travel for pleasure virtually ceased.

Religious and Merchant Travel

• Crusaders and pilgrims were the primary travelers during this era.

• Religious pilgrimages to the "Holy Land" were common, including Muslims traveling to Mecca and Christians traveling to Jerusalem and Rome.

• Monasteries became the providers of hospitality, offering lodging, food, and beverages (F&B).

• Marco Polo, the famous Venetian merchant and explorer, traveled the Silk Road from Venice to Beijing, connecting East and West through trade routes.

African Exploration: Mansa Musa ($1280$ – $1337$)

• Mansa Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa from $1312$ to $1337$.

• He is regarded as the richest man who ever lived.

• He performed a massive pilgrimage to Mecca between $1324$ and $1325$.

• Historical depictions show his entourage on this pilgrimage was of immense scale.

The Renaissance Era ($14^{\text{th}}$ – $16^{\text{th}}$ Centuries)

The Age of Discovery

• Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan organized the Spanish expedition to the East Indies.

• English seafarer Captain James Cook toured the Pacific Ocean, visiting Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and Tahiti.

• Christopher Columbus explored the Americas.

The Grand Tour ($1613$ to $1785$ AD)

• This period marked the rise of travel as a means to broaden knowledge and experience.

• The Grand Tour was an educational journey undertaken by young men to enhance their knowledge of arts and cultures, often to make them more eligible for marriage.

• Trips could last from $3$ months to $6$ years.

• Primary destinations included Florence, Naples, Paris, Rome, and Venice.

• This era gave rise to professional Tour Guides.

Health and Transport

• Spas and Baths: The use of spas, originally established by Romans, became highly fashionable in the $18^{\text{th}}$ century.

• Seaside Resorts: Sea bathing became popular due to the perceived medicinal effects of saltwater.

• Bathing Machines: These gained popularity later in the Victorian era.

• Stagecoach Travel: Invented in Hungary during the $15^{\text{th}}$ century, stagecoaches provided regular service on prescribed routes. Its popularity led to the development of the famous English Tavern.

The Industrial Revolution ($1750$ to $1850$)

• Created the foundation for mass tourism.

• Urbanization: Rapid growth of wealth and education for the middle class.

• Escapist Tourism: Increase in leisure time led to a demand for holiday tourism.

• Travel for Health: Popularity of spa towns like Bath (England), Baden (Germany), and Vichy (France), and seaside resorts like Scarborough, Margate, and Brighton.

The $19^{\text{th}}$ and $20^{\text{th}}$ Centuries: Modern Mobility

Technological Developments

• Railways: Established in the $1820\text{s}$ in England and the USA; facilitated family holidays and worker excursions to the seaside.

• Cruising: Before $1830$, ship travel was primitive and used for discovery or migration. Steamships eventually replaced sailing ships, offering cruises between Britain, Spain, and Portugal.

• Photography: The first photograph was taken circa $1827$, aiding tourism documentation.

• Automobile: Emerged from steam engines with the development of the internal combustion engine. Henry Ford’s assembly line for the Model-T Ford revolutionized leisure travel.

• Mass Communication: Cinema, radio, and television influenced travel trends.

Thomas Cook: The Father of Tourism

• $1841$: Organized his first trip from Leicester (pronounced Lester) to Loughborough (pronounced Luf Bruh)—a distance of $22\,\text{km}$ for $570$ persons.

• $1855$: Organized the first "inclusive tour" to the Paris Exhibition.

• $1872$: Conducted the first "Round the world tour" for $12$ people, lasting $220$ days, at a cost equivalent to an average annual salary.

• Contributions: Invented the Hotel Voucher and the Circular Note.

• Thomas Cook remained a major industry player for $178$ years until the company collapsed in September $2019$.

Additional Innovations

• Guidebooks and Travelers Cheques (American Express).

• Post-WWI Developments: Growth in immigration and the introduction of passports.

• Holiday Entertainment: Butlin’s holiday camps in the UK evolved from amusement parks to resorts.

• Note: There is a critical link between the growth of tourism and the advancement of the transportation industry (Leisure time + Discretionary income).