UNIT 2
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM
HISTORY OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM
While the concept of travel and tourism is as old as civilization itself, history reveals that
travel was not always a pleasurable experience. A brief review of tourism’s historical
development in order to fully appreciate today’s modern tourism environment and to
understand tourism’s challenge in the world is crucial.
Travel in Ancient Times
Travel in Prehistoric Times (Old Stone Age):
Early humans led hard lives. The main task of man during Paleolithic age (30,000 to
10,000 BC) was to find food, water, and shelter and in order to do this; one had to
constantly be on the move. People travelled all the time-did not have a fixed place to stay
since they were hunters and gatherers in search of food. Their first foot-trails later
became roads. Movement across the land was a dangerous adventure, which required
caution and skill-prehistoric humans had to be on the lookout for dangerous predators
and other competitive tribes. The discovery and control of fire, the use of tools and the
ability to build shelters broadened the travel possibilities. Fire and shelter provided
warmth and safety in different environments and the use of tools made hunting easier.
Although travelling was rigorous and unsafe, it did not prevent man to migrate all over
the world.
Travel in Neolithic Times (New Stone Age):
Around 10,000 BC, primitive people started to settle in areas that are more permanent
and formed agricultural communities. People developed ways to store food and
therefore migration was no longer necessary.
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On this period, several innovations in the field of transport changed the very nature of
travel. Around 4000 BC, sailing ships were built in ancient Egypt and animals (e.g.
donkeys, camels) were domesticated and trained to carry suppliers. Primarily ships have
been used to carry freight, but would also have been capable of carrying a limited
number of passengers. One of the earliest recorded journeys for the purposes of tourism
was that of Queen Hatshepsut, from Egypt to the land of Punt (now Somalia) in around
1490 BC
Around 3500 BC, the invention of wheel and money by the Sumerians (Babylonia) was a
major development. At first, oxen were used to pull the two and four-wheeled carts, but
later stronger and quicker horses did the job. These various developments made it
possible to move and transport materials, people, and military forces and made travel
possibilities much larger. One could now travel hundreds of miles.
Travel in this period was associated with trade and exchange of goods. Communities
were able to maintain reliable sources of food and water and this security made the
exchange of surplus foods, artifacts, tools and weapon among neighboring cultures an
interesting option. This was also the period that means of payment were developed like
jewelry, knives, and eventually coins. These first coins (680 BC were round in shape and
had official imprints on them, stamped by the issuing government just like today.
One travelled mostly for trade, but also travel for religious and spiritual purposes came
to see the light. While earlier hunters and gatherers travelled to survive, the people of
primitive agricultural communities were able to attend spiritual events and festivals.
Members of the community travelled to shrines, burial grounds, and sacred locations.
From the earliest times, travel has fascinated man. Much of travel in the beginning was
largely unconscious and rather a simple affair. No travel formalities existed. Trade and
commerce was the strongest force in ancient world. With the opening of trade routes,
trade become more easier and regulated
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Travel during the Ancient Civilizations:
In the first millennium BC, the world was to change dramatically, as new empires grew,
fought and died. Most forms of transport around this time (such as the chariot) were first
developed for military purposes, but this soon led to the use of horse-drawn wagons to
convey goods and people. Horse riding also appeared, at first, in military guise, as
warriors from Asia swept down from the Steppes. From about 500 BC, however, it was
adopted by the Western nations, first in the form of cavalry, but, later, as a more peaceful
form of transport.
A museum of ‘historic antiquities’ was opened to the public in the sixth century BC in
Babylon, while, as we have noted, the Egyptians held many religious festivals, attracting
not only the devout but also many coming to see the famous buildings and works of art
in the cities. To provide for these throngs during the festivals, services of all kinds
sprang up: street vendors of food and drink, guides, hawkers of souvenirs, touts and
prostitutes.
The civilizations of great power, long duration and extensive territories were known for
their sophisticated levels of commerce and as commerce grew, more people became rich
and travel for pleasure became possible for certain groups of people. The societies of
Greece, Egypt, and Rome were very powerful and openly encouraged travel for
pleasure. Travel even contributed to the success of each of these great empires.
Specialization of labor contributed to the growth of trade and travel. As communities
grew in size, the tasks of the population became more specialized and skilled.
Craftsmanship also meant the division of skills-people needed to exchange goods to
survive; a craftsman producing poultry would not have the time to plant and harvest
crops for food. Therefore, barter and trade became necessary and this required travel.
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The oceans and seas provided major routes to travel-there was a great deal of travelling
on the Mediterranean Sea for example and in the Far East amongst countries like Japan
and China. In addition, the development of roads made it possible for armies to be
transferred, for goods to be exchanged, and messages to be sent over vast distance.
The earliest foot-trails became the basis for extensive road systems. Specifically, the
Romans were great road builders. Their road systems enabled quick and effective
military movement and this kept the big Roman Empire so powerful for a long period of
time. Based on the history and quality of these road systems, we know that travel was an
important part of commerce, government and cultural exchange during the Roman
Empire. Along the roads were inns providing accommodation, food and drinks, stables
for animals and even road maps. The ‘tourist infrastructure’ as we would call it today
was excellent. The inns even had signposts indicating what amenities they offered; a
square within a square for example signified a first class inn.
While military and commercial goals were the main reasons for travel, the rich and
powerful people of the Ancient Civilizations also started to travel for pleasure. They had
the time and money to do this, were they were interested in having a good time and
discovering beautiful places.
Many people also travelled for religious purposes. Ancient Egyptians travelled to
religious centers up and down the Nile and early Christians traveled to the holy city of
Jerusalem. Cultural events like Olympic Games in Greece became big attractions in their
own right. Greek literature and philosophers like Plato and Aristotle accentuated leisure
and travel in the pursuit of self-enrichment and exploration.
It was under the Roman Empire, that international travel first became important. With
no foreign borders between England and Syria, and with the seas safe from piracy owing
to the Roman patrols, conditions favoring travel had at last arrived. Roman coinage was
acceptable everywhere and Latin was the common language of the day.
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Romans travelled to Sicily, Greece, Rhodes, Troy, Egypt and, from the third century AD,
the Holy Land. The Romans, too, introduced their guidebooks (itineraria), listing hostels.
In fact, in ancient Roman society, (wealthy) citizens had just those resources that are
needed for travel: time, money, roads, inns, servants (slaves), and many consumer
goods. Holidays were plentiful. Gods needed to be celebrated and military victories
were also a good reason for celebration. The rich could travel and they did. They were
off to their second homes by the seaside, to see the Pyramids in Egypt, or to experience
the arts and culture of Greek Civilization. At the seaside resorts, recreational activities
such as theatre productions, wrestling matches and festivals were often organized.
Guidebooks made their appearance as early as the fourth century BC, covering
destinations such as Athens, Sparta and Troy. Pausanias, a Greek travel writer, produced
a noted ‘Description of Greece’ between AD 160 and 180 that, in its critical evaluation of
facilities and destinations, acted as a model for later writers. Advertisements, in the form
of signs directing visitors to wayside inns, are also known to have existed from this
period.
Travel in the middle ages
The fall of the Roman Empire around 400-500 AD caused travel-for either trade or
pleasure purposes-to be almost diminished. In the middle Ages-the dark ages-travel was
downright dangerous. The safety, comforts, and services needed for travel were no
longer there. There was banditry on the roads, wars were going on and there were no
accommodation facilities for regular travelers. Only limited travel for trade and military
remained. The common person spent most of the time working the land in the service of
feudal landowners. The Roman Catholic Church became an important and powerful
force in Europe during the middle Ages. The church provided safety and comfort to
people in a dangerous world at war and Catholicism gradually replaced the pagan
religions and rituals that still existed.
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There were still ‘holy days’, but these were very solemn and sober. A person’s time was
to be spent in a serious manner, in religious reminiscence of heavenly reward and not in
worldly pleasure. The only major activities of this period were the Crusades and
pilgrimages. The Crusades consisted of a number of military expeditions between 1095
and 1291, during which the Christian church attempted to regain land from the Muslims.
The Crusades were not so successful, but it did give large numbers of people, young and
old, wealthy and poor, a chance to travel and experience life beyond the walls of their
own town or city.
Religious travel, to Mecca, birthplace of Prophet Mohammed, became important in the
Middle East following the death of its founder in 632 and the rise of Islam. Pilgrimage
voyages were made for a variety of reasons. Some individuals travelled to religious
places for the forgiveness of their sins, others wished to receive a divine cure for their
health problems. Religion was the main purpose, but adventure, learning, and
entertainment were also very much enjoyed. Travel mostly took place on foot or on
horseback. People usually traveled in groups to be safer against thieves and muggers
and also for comfort and enjoyment. Many services were developed to cater to the needs
of the pilgrims. Inns provided accommodation, food and drinks, even a souvenir-
industry was developed and games were organized. Religious artifacts and tourist
guidebooks were sold and there were also guides available to assist the traveler in
understanding the major sacred attractions. By the 13th and 14th century, pilgrimage was
a mass-phenomenon and big business for some.
Eventually, the religious nature of travel became less important and people became more
interested in education, the arts and other cultures. Marco Polo made his explorations of
Asia and his book was the West’s main source of information about life in the Orient.
After Marco Polo, other explorers were inspired to discover more of the world, like
Christopher Columbus, who traveled to the West and ‘found’ America.
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Yet an Arab travel Ibn Battuta (1165–1240), a spiritual philosopher, undertook journeys
comparable to those of Marco Polo, travelling over 70,000 miles in 25 years, visiting
Russia, India, Manchuria and China, as well as nearer countries in North Africa and the
Middle East.
Travel in the Renaissance
The Renaissance was a time of enlightenment, change, and exploration, which lasted
from the 14th to the 17th century when travelers used as their travel motivator the desire
to broaden one’s experience and knowledge.
From the early seventeenth century, a new form of tourism developed as a direct
outcome of the freedom and quest for learning heralded by the Renaissance. It started
in England when Queen Elizabeth I approved a form of travel to groom future
diplomats and had the major cultural cities of Italy as its ultimate destination. England
also issued a traveler’s license, which was good for two to three years. Tourists also
were issued passports, but surrendered them at exit posts, and picked up new ones for
each country they visited. The Elizabethan traveler usually went to Italy by way of Paris
and Frankfurt.
The loosely organized Elizabethan tour later became more highly structured into what
became known as the Grand Tour. The organized Grand Tour had its start in the mid-
1600s and its popularity ran through the mid-1800s. The desire to gain new knowledge
and experiences were still the prime motivators of travel for participants of Grand Tour
and the Grand Tour was seen as the capstone to educational and cultural attainment of
the upper class. The Grand Tour of Europe was one of the manifestations of upper class
travel during this period and can be considered as the beginning of modern tourism.
Travel in the Industrial Age
During the Industrial Age, many countries shifted from being a rural agricultural society
to becoming an urban industrial society.
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The structure of employment and affluence also changed and eventually more and more
people were able to travel for health and pleasure purposes.
The most important travel developments during the industrial age were no doubt in the
area of transportation. By 1770, nearly all cities in England were connected by coach
service, roads had been fairly developed, and there were many inns where travelers
could eat and rest.
More pleasurable than traveling by coach was to travel by water. Transportation via the
oceans and seas by ship –first sailing ships, later steamships-became well developed in
terms of technology, safety, speed, and convenience. Several European countries were
developing trade routes and colonizing land and many people migrated to new
continents in this period: to Africa, North and South America and Asia.
By 1820, there was a regular ferry service across the English Channel and even before
that, steamboats extensively travelled on the rivers of Europe and America. Many rivers
were actually the ‘highways’ of the 18th century.
Two technological developments in the early part of the nineteenth century were to have
a profound effect on transport and the growth in travel generally. The first of these was
the advent of the railway. The first passenger railway was built in England, between
Stockton and Darlington, in 1825.
Also during this period, the development of the steam engine made railroads the symbol
of mass travel by land. In a relative short period, many cities in Europe and the United
States were connected by rail and trains became a quick and comfortable means of travel.
Many middle-class citizens in Europe flocked to the seaside resorts by train and as a
result of this, hotels, restaurants, shops, and other tourist attractions settled themselves.
Thomas Cook was the first to develop the inclusive group tour in England, combining
tourist attractions, travel, accommodation and meals.
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Others had used the concept before, the first entrepreneur to organize tours for the
public. Sir Rowland Hill, who became chairman of the Brighton Railway Company, is
sometimes credited with this innovation (others have suggested that the first package
tour can, in fact, be traced to a group of tourists taken from Wadebridge to Bodmin to
witness a public hanging!). All the same, Thomas Cook was the first to make it into a
true business venture that appealed to the public. In 1841, as secretary of the South
Midland Temperance Association, he organized an excursion for his members from
Leicester to Loughborough, at a fare of 1-shilling (the equivalent of 5 pence) return. The
success of this venture encouraged him to arrange similar excursions using chartered
trains. In 1845, he began arranging tours as a commercial business, taking
schoolchildren, women, couples, and common people to places they had not been able to
visit before.
Cook realized that transportation companies and accommodations also needed to fill
their seats and beds and he negotiated prices with the owners. He also distributed flyers
to advertise his tours. He understood the travel possibilities of his time: he also saw the
need and desire for travel and simply combined supply and demand. Cook also handled
all the matters relating to the tours, such as tickets, timetables, currency exchange, and
even published travel guides.
The average ‘guided Cook tour’ was led by Cook himself or by his son and by doing this,
he developed strong loyalties with his customers. Cook was a true ‘marketer’ as we
would call him today. The railroads, large safe ships and Cook’s packaged tours gave
millions of middle-class people an opportunity to travel. A world was now open to the
middle class that was once only accessible to the very rich.
Presently Thomas Cook Group plc is one of the world’s leading leisure travel groups
with sales of over £9 billion and more than 20 million customers prior to 30 September
2013. Thomas Cook is supported by 27,000 employees and operates from 17 countries.
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The other major movement during the industrial revolution was the romantic period.
Romanticism (also the Romantic era or the Romantic period) was an artistic, literary,
and intellectual movement that originated in Europe toward the end of the 18th century
and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. This
period enabled peoples to enjoy the beauty of the natural landscape and explore it.
Modern Mass Tourism
A series of important technological, political, and social events during the first 50 years
of the 20th century finally made tourism a major worldwide business. During the two
world wars, travel was understandably limited, but the desire to travel did seem to
increase. Following each of the two wars, people were anxious to travel, first mainly by
ship and train, later also by automobile and airplane. Both became reliable means of
travel for large groups of people.
The automobile revolutionized travel and tourism across the world. As early as 1903, an
automobile crossed the United States in 52 days and it became a landmark reflecting
freedom of choice for the individual traveler. Distance was no longer a huge obstacle for
travelers. More automobile use after the world wars generated the need for more and
better roads and accommodations. Local and national governments began to expand
and improve the quality of road systems. Holiday camps came to see the light providing
reasonably priced accommodation and entertainment. These camps were the forerunners
of the motels and all-inclusive resorts.
Airplanes were at first mainly used during the wars and for limited business travel. In
only a few decades, the aircraft industry developed very extensively and many types of
airplanes were developed-amongst which the modern ‘jet’ and airline companies started
their business. Air travel blossomed after the Second World War. Planes became more
comfortable and were fitted with tables, chairs, sleeping berths and food service.
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In the 20th century, partly due to further development of democracy and civil rights for
all, companies and industries granted holidays for their employees. More free time
became available for the masses to travel, relax, and be away from work. Throughout the
history of tourism, the rich were first to travel, the middle class second, and the working
class last. The public only began to travel when paid vacations and holidays became
available for all classes of workers. In the late 1800s, a laborer could work as many as 70
hours per week. The 40-hour workweek was not established until 1938.
Mass tourism was generated by another event: the boom of prosperity following World
War II. In the 70s and 80s, tourism grew like never before and it has become an
incredibly big business for many countries.
It is also a vulnerable business however: the oil crisis of the late 70s has affected the
volume of tourism greatly and economic recessions of a later date and acts of terrorism
have an immediate effect on tourism and the many economic areas it involves. This is
why in many countries, the government is actively involved in the development and
promotion of tourism and tourism Policies are developed.
As we can see, the history of tourism was formed by a series of social, economic, and
political development, which has moved the industry forward over time. But we have
also looked at people’s motivations for travelling and we have seen that facilities and
attractions need to be available in order to make tourism possible.
Reasons for the Rapid Development of Tourism in the 21st Century
The principal causes of the rapid growth of demand for tourism in the highly developed
industrialized countries in the course of recent decades can be summed up as economic,
social, and technological in nature.
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Economic Reasons: Rising per capita incomes coupled with increasing prosperity had
given higher purchasing power and the increase in discretionary incomes to a large
majority of people. As a result, this has made tourism and travel accessible to many. A
large proportion of people can now afford an ‘annual holiday’. In fact, many can even
afford to take a ‘second holiday’ for a shorter or a longer duration. The economic
prosperity has also resulted in many more people owning a private motor car. Increased
mobility as a result of use of motorcar for travel, therefore, is yet another important
economic factor which is responsible for growth in tourism in Europe and North
America.
Social Reasons: The social causes of the rapid growth of tourism can be linked with new
attitudes towards travel and leisure. Traditionally considered a luxury, travel now is
considered a normal activity and an indispensable part of lifestyles and consumption
patterns of a large majority of people enjoying higher standard of living. The present day
tourist having a different kind of background than a traveler of the past is much more
informed. Their ideas about travel are quite different and they come from a wider social
background. Their tastes and desires are much more varied. A large number of people
are now going abroad to participate in more exciting, challenging, and exotic activities
like mountaineering, water skiing, trekking, winter sports, and the like.
Technological Reasons: The technological causes of the rapid growth of tourism can be
associated with the advancements made in modernizing transport and communication
systems.
The impact of the modern transport technology, specially in the aviation field has
brought about a completely new meaning to travel and tourism. Travel to even remote
destinations has now become a reality. The technological developments have now made
it possible for an increasing number of people to travel to faraway places, which only a
few decades ago were regarded as being almost inaccessible.
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The gradual evolution of the originally homogenous air travel market into two separate
and distinct segments-charters and scheduled air travel-has greatly increased the
demand. Added to this, the newer marketing methods like the ‘package tour’ is a major
contributing factor to the growth of tourism. Opening up of new travel destinations,
particularly in developing countries, creation of new facilities to receive a larger flow of
tourists and increasing tourism promotion and marketing efforts by the tourist service
enterprises have greatly increased the tourist flow.
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