Cover Photo Courtesy of Instagram.com/louisvuitton
Travel and tourism as we know them have come a long way since they first saw the light. However, the 17th century saw the marriage of the two, debuting a story that we will forever be grateful for.
The concept of travel for the purpose of tourism was born from people’s need to explore new lands and enjoy their time away from home. In the 1600s, nobles from the countries of western and northern Europe debuted the Grand Tour, which was back then a trip that usually covers France, Germany, Italy and Greece – considering it a way to educate themselves about history, art and cultural heritage.
A century later, this custom spread among wealthier classes in other parts of the world like America. And during the second half of the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution left its own impact on this phenomenon, as the major economic, social and technological transformations it produced resulted in spreading the concept of tourism in the rest of the world. Not only did new social classes appear, but also transportation witnessed developments that contributed to the birth of new entertainment and travel forms. With railway networks connecting Europe to other continents, the train has become the mean of transportation of choice.
The 19th century took travel and tourism to a whole new level, with the first travel agencies being established and offering holiday packages for groups that include transportation, accommodation and food tickets – which made travel costs cheaper. And with the mass production of buses and cars in the 20th century, the tourism industry continued to grow, especially in the Mediterranean coast. Another improvement this century witnessed was that of air transportation – contributing even more to the boom in tourism. However, an energy crisis emerged in the 1970s and as a result, the sector of tourism witnessed a recession that led to lowered travel costs, which made traveling a leisure activity accessible to many.
Today, after a long history of development, tourism has become one of the strongest pillars of the economy and an activity to be enjoyed by everyone without any exception.
Article Written by Mirella Haddad
