Tourism Tourism Development Notes

The Evolution and Development of Tourism

Introduction

• Tourism has its historical origins in the ancient cultures of the Greek and Roman social elite.

• Modern day tourism is about the pursuit of pleasure in a location away from everyday life and the use of one’s leisure time for non-work purposes.

• Vacation taking and holiday making turned up at more or less the same time as the consumer (Inglis; 2000).

• Consumers began to take holidays as a fashionable activity from sometime early in the second half of the 18^th century.

• This trend driven element of tourism is a considerable force in the pursuit of pleasure through history as the status and recognition which are still afforded to travel experiences are considerable in Western society.

• The late 20^th century saw the ride of the heritage industry as a core interest within tourism with a dramatic rise in, demand for and supply of heritage based attractions.

Tourism, History and the Past: Its Significance and Analysis

• The historians analysis of tourism is dominated by two complementary and yet divergent themes: the development of tourism and its continuity as a phenomenon through time which is often running parallel to and sometimes in opposition with the process of change where tourism is constantly evolving and changing often due to innovation in transport or products (Armstrong and Williams; 2005).

• The constant demands among tourists for places to visit and different experiences helps to keep the phenomenon of tourism growing.

• Tourism never stays static; it may continue to exist in locality but it is in a constant state of flux, evolution, development and change.

• There are two approaches used in historical research: the analysis of how changes have come about and the formative influences on the contemporary era and the in depth study of specific eras ad phenomena in past times.

The Origins of Modern Tourism

• Tourism as we understand it today evolved through time building on the needs, compunctions and desires of society and the opportunities that were presented.

• Pilgrimages in medieval Britain show that both the supply and demand for what might loosely be termed tourism products and services was operating as far back as the 15^th century.

• The 16^th century Elizabethan mansion became a social and cultural centre, and the early origins of the visiting friends and relatives sector are easily identified in this period (Girouard; 1978).

• From the 17^th century a form of tourism know as polite visiting emerged. Those in the upper classes travelled on circuits of the country or took day trips, visiting the country estates of associates or society figures to view the architecture, garden, parkland and works of art.

• A form of tourism based on social and cultural experiences and education for young aristocrats became prominent during the 18^th century; it was known as the Grand Tour. Historical evidence shows that several nationalities undertook Grand Tours including the British, French, Germans and Russians. Towner (1985) suggests that the number of Britons undertaking Grand Tours per year was 15,000-20,000 at the peak in the mid-18^th century.

• Towner (1996) presents a comprehensive view of the Grand Tour and notes some of the reasons for travel which included a shift away from the increasingly unfashionable society and culture of Britain and the perception that travel would broaden the mind.

• Grand Tour itineraries were often influenced by travel literature and in particular Nugent’s Grand Tour guide book (1756) covering France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.

• Towner (1996) notes tourists wished to see particular places at particular times of the year; Venice was popular around May and June for the Ascensiontide while Rome was favoured at Christmas. Other places were rarely visited when the climate was less hospitable; the heat of Rome and Naples in August, or the poor roads in the Alps in winter were usually avoided.

• The length of the Grand Tour varied from 3 years in the 17^th century to 6 months or less in the 19^th century.

• Media is equally influential in the 21^st century as travel writing; literature, film and television play a crucial role in stimulating interest in visiting certain locations.

The Rise in mass Domestic Tourism and the Seaside Resort

• At the same time as the aristocracy and upper class took their Grand Tours of Europe, within the UK and northern Europe, those who could afford to visited seaside resorts and spa towns.

• The major form of tourism at this time might be more accurately described as health tourism as the drinking and bathing in mineral and sea water was purported to contain health giving properties.

• Many inland spa resorts grew up in the 18^th century across Europe and later extended to resorts located at the sea.

• By the end of the 18^th century sea bathing had become popular among the upper classes.

• The pattern where either the elite or the adventurous first visit a destination or make an activity fashionable and are subsequently followed by...

Buy the full version of these notes or essay plans and more in our Tourism Management and Development Notes.