History of the Tourism Industry

History of Tourism Industry

• Travel and exploration are inherent human behaviors, with tourism tracing back to the Old Testament, derived from the Hebrew word "Torah" meaning studying, learning, or searching.
• Early tourism was characterized by travel for business, such as trading, and religious purposes.
• The invention of money, writing, and the wheel by the Sumerians facilitated travel and trade.
• The Romans aided travel through improved communications, roads, inns, and relay stations (mutationes), enabling distances of 100 miles or more to be covered in a day.
• During the medieval period, travel declined due to unsafe roads and lack of maintenance after the fall of the Roman Empire; only crusaders and pilgrims traveled.
• Travel for education grew popular during the Renaissance, particularly the "Grand Tour" for young men seeking positions in court, lasting up to three years.
• "SPAs," or medicinal baths, became popular during the Renaissance, with towns like Turnbridge Wells becoming resort hotels.
• The Industrial Revolution brought technological and social changes that made travel a desirable recreational activity for the emerging middle class, who sought to escape urban life.
• The introduction of railways and steam power in the early 19th century significantly boosted tourism by providing reliable, cheap transportation, and fueling competition among private companies.
• Thomas Cook organized the first excursion train trip in 1841 and introduced "circular notes" (traveler's checks) in 1874.
• Photography and guidebooks, such as Baedecker, gained popularity in the late 19th century.
• World War I and II spurred interest in international travel due to large-scale migration and exposure to foreign countries.
• Advancements in aircraft technology made air travel more accessible and encouraged greater transcontinental travel.
• Increased car ownership and discretionary income further fueled tourism, alongside the rise of business travel and conferences.
• New tourism-generating countries, such as oil-rich Arab nations and Japan, emerged, benefiting Europe and developing Asian countries.

History of the Hospitality Industry

• The hospitality industry's recorded history began with the Sumerians around 4000 BC, who established taverns to provide food, drinks, and shelter to travelers.
• From 3200 BC to 476 AD, the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman empires developed hospitality services for increasing numbers of travelers.
• The ancient Egyptians were the first to provide food service and lodging to travelers visiting the pyramids and religious festivals.
• Inns and taverns became common in ancient Greece but had a bad reputation; restaurants, in contrast, were often respected and served fine food.
• Under the Roman Empire, elaborate inns were constructed along main roads for officials, while less wealthy citizens used inns and taverns run by freemen.
• After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Roman Catholic Church took over the responsibility of feeding and housing travelers in monasteries.
• During the Renaissance, taverns, pubs, and inns did not serve food; concerns about table manners increased.
• In 16th-century England, "ordinaries" appeared, offering fixed-price, fixed-menu meals in taverns.
• Coffee and tea influenced the culinary habits of Western Europe, leading to the construction of coffee houses, which became social and library centers.
• Early common law required innkeepers to receive all travelers and established the innkeeper's responsibility to ensure the guests' property and safety.
• By the 1700s, inns in England became safer and more comfortable; mail-carrying stagecoaches led to the development of post-houses offering food and accommodation.
• Boulanger is recognized as the first to create a restaurant in France, an establishment where a variety of foods could be bought and consumed.
• During the French Revolution, unemployed cooks and chefs from aristocratic households opened food-service establishments.
• Cafés, the French equivalent of English coffee houses, evolved to offer more elaborate food items, marking the beginning of the modern restaurant industry.
• The Industrial Revolution and the development of railroad networks stimulated the growth of hospitality businesses near railroad stations.

Pioneers in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry

• Cesar Ritz, as the general manager of the Savoy Hotel in London, established the Ritz name as synonymous with refined, elegant hotels and service.
• Ellsworth Milton Statler, considered the premier hotel-man, introduced telephones, radios, full-length mirrors, and ice water faucets in every guest room and coined the slogan "The Customer is Always Right".
• Conrad Hilton, recognized as the "master of hotel finance," formed the first major chain of American hotels in 1954.
• Thomas Cook is recognized as the first professional travel agent and is credited for making world travel possible for the middle class.
• Howard Dearing Johnson pioneered "Brand Leveraging" and introduced franchising in the 1930s.
• J. Willard Marriott founded the Marriott Corporation, which rose from a small root beer stand to a global chain of restaurants and hotels.
• Raymond Albert Kroc expanded McDonald's into the most successful fast food corporation in the world.
• Isadore Sharp founded Four Seasons Regent Hotels, a multi-million dollar global hotel empire.