History of Tourism:
The phase of professional tours and elite tourism:
Since ancient times, many people traveled for the purpose of knowledge about world and discovering new territories, with trading, diplomatic, military, religious and other purposes. All these travelers required certain services from local population concerning boarding and lodging etc. Historically, first companies in the industry of tourism were the taverns, having doubtful reputation of brothels.
In ancient times, trade, education, pilgrimage and treatment were the main motives of travel. Sports tours (Olympic Games) were conceptualized in Ancient Greece. Trade development has led to large-scale construction of roads, resorts, taverns. Some luxury resorts were like the houses of rich people. Roman aristocrats actively participated in recreational travel – to farm houses, sea, mountains.
In the east in ancient times, people traveled in large caravans on camels. They used to spend the night in tents or in caravan-sheds (an inn with a shelter for animals). The level of service was much better than it was in Europe because of more active trade.
In the middle Ages, religious factor became one of the main reasons for travel. Large numbers of people were attracted towards Christianity and Islam. It was only in the era of Renaissance, the religious motives took the back seat and individual character and educational orientation of travel . Young men quite often went across Europe before taking up the profession. Europeans went for holidays to the resorts of Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Greece and Italy.
Stage of mass tourism
This stage is characterized by: origin of the specialized firms in the industry of tourist services (XIXth century), and also formation of mass and social tourism (before Second World War) and rapid growth in tourism industry and mass tourism (before eighties of the XXth century).
Origin of mass tourism promoted the growth in industry, and as a result – limitation of free time, trend of paid holidays. Besides, revolutionary development in transport – invention of steamer ships, steam locomotive, expansion of roads also played an important role.
Very first high quality hotels appeared in Germany and Switzerland in the beginning of XIXth century, in the second half of the century - traveling agencies, which organized tourist trips, were created and served their clients.
In first half of XXth century, in Germany and USSR started the mass tourism, sports tourism and war games.
After the economic recession due to Second World War, a new stage began. Active development of tourist companies, mass building of hotels and different type of entertainment institutions started from 50s and 60s of the XXth century. European tourism started focusing on American tourists, and since 1970s, there was a growth in outbound tourism also. Network of trade-union treatment-and-prophylactic and resort establishments, seasonal and sports tourism for children was very well developed in the USSR.
Since 1980s, the rates of growth of tourism slowed down, and mass tourism was transformed into the differentiated one. Holidaying became the life- style, there was a tendency to expand the types of services, and recreational facilities. Individual tours, ecological and sports tourism became popular.
In the news: Luxury hotels in Beruit have repaired extensive damage from bombing that had drove the nation into chaos. The hotels are hoping to lure back tourists. The doors and windows were blown out of several hotels in the city. Syria has now pulled its troops out of the country after being in Lebanon for 29 years. The country is slated to have elections in May. A representative of the Palm Beach Hotel in Beruit noted that the damage was great. But, with the refurbishing, he indicated that the hotel was starting to get phone calls from previous guests and that he was looking forward to a good and solid tourist season in Beruit.
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