Historical Perspective of Travel and Tours PDF

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF TRAVEL AND TOURS TRAVEL AGENCY the nature of travel agency is to provide holiday related services such as ticket booking, transfer management hotel room booking and arrangement of ground transportation, venue selection and booking for MICE activities. During...

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF TRAVEL AND TOURS TRAVEL AGENCY the nature of travel agency is to provide holiday related services such as ticket booking, transfer management hotel room booking and arrangement of ground transportation, venue selection and booking for MICE activities. During the early times, the scope of business of travel agents was narrow and confined to selected services. It was managed with small invvestment. The amount of profit was too little. A number of restrictions were imposed. Invention of railways and steamships were common mode of transport.  THOMAS COOK EMERGED AS THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL TRAVEL AGENT IN THE WAKE OF INTRODUCTION OF AFFORDABLE RAILWAY SERVICES IN THE UK. HE WAS ALSO ONE OF THE INITIAL DEVELOPERS OF THE "PACKAGE TOUR" INCLUDING TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATIONS, AND THE LIKE. THOMAS COOK AND ITS ORIGIN June 9, 1841 - a red letter day in the history of travel trade in the world, on this day, Thomas Cook walked from Harborough to Leicester to attend a temperance meeting and he stumbled upon with an idea of arranging train tickets for the members of Temperance Society where he was serving as an evangelist and Baptist book seller. He started as Cabin maker. He introduced hotel coupons, circular notes, credit cards and advance reservation as part of its travel innovations. He introduces organized package tour for leisure tourists. His pleasure and continental travel are now being studied by many new age entrepreneurs in travel trade. RICHARD COX (COX & KINGS) prior to Thomas Cook, Cox & Kings introduced travel business in UK. Cox & Kings (formerly known as Cox & Kings Ltd.) was established in 1758 and is one of the longest- established travel brands. Headquartered in London, the brand is now a subsidiary of Abercrombie & Kent. Historically, Cox and Kings Ltd. was an army agent, travel agent, a printer and a publisher. Richard Cox, the founder worked under the mentor of Colonel Lord Ligonier for providing necessary services to the Army officers overseas.  Establishment of Modern Travel Agency STARTED WITH THE RAILWAY JOURNEY FROM LEICESTER, NOTTINGHAM AND DERBY TO LIVERPOOL 1845 - FIRST MASS TOUR ACROSS ENGLAND WITH ENTERTAINMENT ACTIVITIES SIR JOSEPH PAXTON, ARCHITECT OF CRYSTAL PALACE PERSUADED THOMAS COOL TO DEVOTE HIMSELF TO BRINGING WORKERS FROM YORKSHIRE AND THE MIDLANDS TO LONDON FOR THE GREAT EXHIBITION OF 1851. 1851 - THOMAS COOK CONDUCTED TOURS FOR 150,000 PEOPLE TO VISIT THE GREAT EXHIBITION IN HYDE PARK FROM YORKSHIRE AND THE MIDLANDS. 1855 - FIRST CONTINENTAL TOUR ( HARWICH TO ANTWERP, BRUSSELS, COLOGNE, FRANKFURT, HEIDELBERG, STRASBOURG AND TO PARIS) TRAVEL INNOVATIONS 1868 - THOMAS COOK INTRODUCED HOTEL COUPONS TO HELP CUSTOMERS CHECK IN HOTELS WITHOUT ANY HASSLE. 1874 - THOMAS COOK INTRODUCED CIRCULAR NOTES TO HELP CUSTOMERS TRAVEL SAFELY. CIRCULAR NOTES WERE ACCEPTED ACROSS THE HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, AND TRANSPORT OPERATORS AT SEVERAL TOURISM DESTINATIONS AND CITIES IN THE EUROPE AND THE USA. THE CIRCULAR NOTE WAS TREATED AS AN EARLY INVENTION OF TRAVELER’S CHEQUE IN THE WORLD. PACKAGE TOUR FOR MIDDLE CLASS During the mid 19th century, middle class people started to experience increased income and consumption. Cook thought of developing a customized packaged tour designed to suit the needs of this market. He negotiated with hoteliers to provide rooms and meals at good process. Those middle class customers demanded visiting destinations in Switzerland and Italy  GREAT JOURNEY 1869 - Thomas Cook and his company succeeded in travelling across the Atlantic Ocean by steamship to discover new points of interest. He traveled to Egypt via China following the opening of Suez canal and the completion of rail network linking east and west coasts of America 1872 - he planned for a Round-the-World tour from Leicester. It was a 222 day tour.  THE FIRST GERMAN TRAVEL AGENCIES The first German Travel Agencies in the line of modern travel agencies were known as Immigration Agencies. These agencies were engaged in booking ship’s passages and sometimes group journey’s from a collection point to the point of embarkation. REISEBURO ROMINGER - the oldest agency in Stuttgart in 1842. This agency subsequently extended its activities to the whole range of travel services in Europe. The concept of tickets for means of transport were introduced and issued by these larger agencies in Europe. KEY CONCEPTS FREE INDEPENDENT TRAVELERS (FIT) - THESE ARE TRAVELERS WHO ORGANIZE THEIR OWN TOURS AND CHOOSE TRAVEL ALONE OR IN SMALL GROUPS. THEY PICK THEIR OWN DESTINATION, MEAL ARRANGEMENTS, AND ACTIVITIES FOR THEIR TRAVEL TRAVEL TRADE - THIS IS THE BUYING AND SELLING OF TRAVEL PRODUCTS THAT ARE EITHER SOLD DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS OR TO OTHER TOUR OPERATORS AND BUYERS. IT IS A DISTRIBUTION NETWORK FOR TRAVEL. PRODUCTS INCLUDE ACCOMMODATION, ATTRACTIONS, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, ETC.