Thomas Cook and the modern tourism industry. The Evolution of Essay

Thomas Cook and the modern tourism industry. The Evolution of International Tourism - Essay Example The specific industry has appeared rather early, around the 15th century; however, it was only in the 19th century that the first schemes of modern tourism appeared. Thomas Cook has been an entrepreneur who highly influenced modern tourism. The perceptions of the above entrepreneur on tourism had led to the transformation of the industry and the establishment of advanced forms of tourism, which affected not only the British but also the global economy. The impact of Thomas Cook on modern tourism is reviewed in this paper. Emphasis is given on the contributions of Thomas Cook that mostly affected the tourism industry; reference is made both in the short and the long-term effects of the intervention of Thomas Cook in the tourism industry. It is made clear that the role of Thomas Cook in the development of modern tourism has been decisive. However, the current form of modern tourism is the result of the rapid development of technology worldwide, which allowed the improvement of infrastr ucture for the needs of the tourism industry and the increase of destinations. Because of Thomas Cook the tourism industry was made accessible to people of all economic and social characteristics, a fact which is considered as the key contribution of Thomas Cook in the specific industry, along perhaps with the packaging tours, a scheme first introduced by Thomas Cook (Sayre and King 2009). In other words, Thomas Cook set the basis for modern tourism; the industry’s development through the decades has been strongly based on economic and technological development as promoted in countries worldwide. 2. Thomas Cook and the modern tourism industry 2.1. Origins and characteristics of the modern tourism industry The first forms of tourism can be identified in Britain of 15th century. In the 16th century also, the mansions used across England ‘became cultural centres’ (Page and Connell 2006, p.28). It was during the above periods that the origins of tourism can be identi fied. The ‘visiting friends and relatives scheme’ (Page and Connell 2006, p.28) was considered as the initial form of tourism in Britain. In the 17th century, the ‘polite tourism’ (Page and Connell 2006, p.28) was highly developed. In the context of this type of tourism, visits were made to important members of the society (Page and Connell 2006). The health tourism, i.e. the visit to areas that would benefit the health, also appeared in the 17th century, and has been further developed up today (Page and Connell 2006). In the centuries that followed, the characteristics of tourism were changed. Instead of a pleasure enjoyed by only the rich, tourism became an activity for the masses; the mass tourism, which was first developed by Thomas Cook, as, explained below. The most common view regarding the development of modern tourism is included in the study of Best (2010). In accordance with the above researcher, the transformation of travel to modern tourism too k place in 1841 through the ‘railway journey from Leicester to Loughborough in the context of a Temperance meeting’ (Best 2010, p.139). Thomas Cook arranged the above meeting considering that it would be a good chance for families to visit a place with a dry climate, like Loughborough. The relationship between modern tourism and the above event is highly emphasized in the literature, showing the contribution of Thomas Cook in the development of travel as a leisure activity. The transformation of tourism through the centuries reveals the following fact: tourism has passed a phase of