Tourism

Tourism is activities people do when they travel for leisure to places that are not part of their normal routine and environment. It generally includes an extended visit from several days to weeks, although it may be a trip of one day or many months. Some organizations have noted that tourism includes travel of less than one year.

Tourism may involve a journey of several miles or a trip far from home, using a variety of modes of transportation. Tourism also describes the supply industries that serve visitor demand, for example, the transportation and hospitality industries are often evaluated in terms of capacity to meet the demands of tourism.

Tourism has become increasingly important to many economies, and has grown significantly since the middle of the twentieth century. According to the BBC, in 1950 an estimated 25 million tourists visited another country. By 2010, this number had increased to 935 million and to 1.5 billion by 2019. While the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on those figures in the early 2020s—decreasing international tourism rates by over 70 percent in 2020 and 2021—tourism began to return to pre-pandemic levels later in the decade. Many subcategories of tourism have developed to appeal to travelers. These include ecotourism, rural tourism, sustainable tourism, cultural tourism, disaster tourism, and adventure tourism.

Background

The earliest known instances of tourism date to about the first century BCE. The emperors of Rome and the upper classes escaped the city during the summer. They fled the diseases and sweltering heat in favor of seaside palaces. Many journeyed to southern Italy to stay in the region of Campania, in particular the Bay of Naples area. Several emperors favored the island of Capri, just off the coast of Naples, where a dozen lavish villas were built to accommodate the wealthy and powerful. The influx of wealthy visitors helped the cities along the coast flourish for several hundred years.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, much of Europe was in chaos. Tourism was rare, because any travel could be dangerous. It was not until the Middle Ages that travel became more common. The interest in religious pilgrimages encouraged many Christians to journey to religious sites, such as shrines, to pray. The Renaissance period opened many people's eyes to other cultures, and those who could do so often traveled between major cultural centers of Europe. Intellectual curiosity drew people to Florence, Italy, and other important cities. Many students and artists traveled to experience art and architecture at historical sites.

The thirst for knowledge also inspired many individuals to explore. Although explorers were often in search of scientific knowledge or trade or had other reasons to venture into unknown territory—and were not themselves tourists—they brought back tales of where they had been. Such information inspired others to travel as well. Most travelers in Europe were the extremely wealthy. They had no demands upon their time. Many journeyed to historic sites and art museums. During the winter, many who could afford it began migrating to Egypt. A newfound interest in the ancient culture raised the country's profile, and many wealthy tourists visited archaeological sites.

Bath, England, enjoyed several periods of popularity as a tourist destination. The ancient Romans had also made their mark in this country. Bath was one of many sites frequented by Romans, who had discovered these hot springs in the first century CE and promptly enclosed it within a resort. Many Roman tourists visited to lounge in the hot baths. Although the Romans abandoned the area after the fall of the empire in 476 CE, Bath remained popular with kings of England for centuries. It eventually fell out of favor for several more centuries, until Queen Mary's infertility issues drew new attention to the city. She bathed in the hot springs in 1687, and within a year delivered a baby boy. The notoriety of her supposed miracle created new demand among the titled class for the hot springs, and the queen returned often to soak in the springs to relieve aches. The aristocracy's attention helped Bath to a rebirth. Many buildings were constructed during the eighteenth century to house the upper classes, who visited to sip the mineral waters and be seen among the fashionable set. Many wealthy disabled individuals also traveled to Bath on the advice of their doctors, both to get out of London for fresh air and to indulge in the reputedly restorative waters.

The Industrial Revolution gave rise to a new, wealthy middle class. These individuals had both financial means and leisure time to devote to travel. As the number of people visiting sites increased, entrepreneurs developed attractions and accommodations for them. They replaced ferries with bridges and improved road systems. Tourism developed into an industry. One beneficiary of this newfound desire for a holiday journey was the seaside. Although the shore had not been a major attraction in the past, the pollution that accompanied industrial development was having an effect on the health of many people. Doctors began advising their well-to-do clientele to visit the shore for health benefits, including exercise, fresh air, and bathing in the sea. They believed that a holiday and sea bathing could cure leprosy, gout, menstrual problems, and many other ailments. Numerous coastal communities began to attract visitors, and entrepreneurs invested in hotels, restaurants, and other attractions. New train lines improved transportation and delivered visitors to these destinations. This newfound delight in seaside vacations is reflected in many paintings of the day, which from about 1800 include many seascapes. The idea of the seaside resort, designed to enliven and cure illness, spread from England across Europe. Traditional fishing communities quickly transformed as visitors arrived in increasing numbers.

Although the rising middle class of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries had more disposable income, the social class could not afford jaunts to other countries. International travel was expensive. Tourism developed as an industry through the efforts of English temperance preacher Thomas Cook. Cook first began organizing discounted railway fares for supporters of the temperance movement—a group that tried to discourage consumption of alcoholic beverages. He promised the railway a large number of ticket sales and secured a lower rate for his group. He also began to use the quickly expanding telegram wire network to communicate with temperance tourists at great distances. His success in bringing people together for temperance events inspired Cook to organize sightseeing tours. His first international trip in 1855 took a group of tourists to France, and he soon expanded to Europe. He later organized trips much farther, including a visit to the United States just after the Civil War. He organized discounts on all aspects of the journey, which allowed the members of his group to pay one price directly to Cook, who took care of everything.

The success of the American tour inspired Cook to organize a trip to Egypt in 1869. He capitalized on Christian interest in the Holy Land, the opening of the Suez Canal, and the high interest many Europeans had in the pharaohs. Cook's trips to Egypt were so successful that he could hardly keep up with demand. His all-inclusive travel packages changed tourism in many ways that remain staples of the twenty-first-century tourism industry. Cook also changed the face of parts of Egypt. He ferried passengers on steam ships and was obliged to construct boardwalks where his tourists could disembark. Early tourists had stayed in tents or even in ancient tombs, but Cook built hotels at Luxor.

Tourism in the United States also developed with the wealth of the middle class. Many industrialists lived in the mid-Atlantic region, including New York State. The wealthy had established the habit of traveling out of the cities, up the Hudson River. During the 1830s, the wealthy middle class began making these trips as well. As in Europe, the expansion of rail lines influenced leisure travel. With train lines opening up the valley, hotel development increased. The Hudson River Valley was also the location of cultural developments, including the literary efforts of authors James Fenimore Cooper and Washington Irving and the work of the Hudson River School, a group of influential New York City–based landscape painters including Thomas Cole and Frederic Edwin Church.

American tourism expanded considerably during the twentieth century. The creation of a number of national parks sparked interest. Domestic and international travel picked up after World War II, especially during the 1960s, when the growing environmental movement inspired Americans to visit natural areas. More Americans also had disposable income and an interest in traveling, both within the country and abroad.

Overview

A number of factors contribute to the rise in tourism. These include more disposable income, mandated paid days off, the development of infrastructure to support travel, and the development and expansion of television, the internet, and other means of communication that allow people to learn more about the world and inspire them to visit new places. Another important factor is increased longevity of the population. As more people live longer, many retire from working and have more leisure time.

The rapid growth in tourism that began in the middle of the twentieth century is due in large part to the availability of disposable income. This is money people have left after they pay for what is necessary, such as food and shelter. Many countries legislate paid holidays—the European Union, for example, requires workers in member countries to get at least four weeks of paid vacation annually, and some countries require more days for workers. Many companies in the United States and other countries offer paid days off, a benefit that allows people time to travel.

Many countries and local groups, including organizations and governments, market places specifically to draw tourists. Some boost infrastructure to make an area more hospitable. This may include road improvements, new power-generating facilities, cellular towers, and sewage treatment plants. They may improve natural areas, for example, investments in state parks and funding to groom trails and beaches and add or improve bicycle paths.

Many locations, such as historic sites and amusement parks, develop reputations as mass tourism sites. An influx of tourists offers many advantages. Visitors spend money in local businesses, restaurants, and hotels, which in turn may hire more local workers. Infrastructure development benefits local businesses and residents. Demand for locally produced goods may generate future business—for example, many vineyards sell wine to visitors, who may in the future place additional orders online.

Basing an economy on tourism can have its drawbacks. Although tourists may generate jobs, these may be low-paying positions, or may be seasonal in nature, and not sustain workers. A tourist destination may be owned by an outside business, which means much of the revenue from entertainment, admissions, and purchases at these locations may not benefit the local economy. Large crowds may change the very nature of a community. Tourism may lead to traffic congestion and environmental issues, such as litter, pollution, and destruction of habitat. The desire to profit from visitors may cause local shop owners to raise prices, which may hurt local consumers.

Tying the local economy to tourism may have another significant drawback. If for some reason the tourists stop visiting, an area may have a large infrastructure investment to support, but severely reduced revenue stream. Natural disasters, poor weather, or civil unrest, for example, may encourage tourists to go elsewhere. The COVID-19 pandemic decimated the tourism industry across the world in the early 2020s, when travel restrictions prevented tourists from traveling to other places. Consequently, the global tourism sector lost over 2 trillion dollars and more than 100 million tourism jobs were directly impacted. Overcrowding may have an equally unwelcome effect—travelers who seek unspoiled natural areas may desert an area if they perceive it as being too popular and feel it no longer offers the benefits and environment they desire.

Specialty tourism has increased significantly in modern times. These include adventure tourism, which includes tropical rainforests, mountaineering, and other adventures, as well as ecotourism, such as visits to often fragile habitats, such as the Galapagos Islands.

Enotoursim, or visits to vineyards, became popular during the mid-twentieth century and took on prominence after 1975 through heavy marketing of Napa Valley, California, businesses. Vineyards encourage visitors with special tours, dining experiences, and wine tastings. Tours of regional vineyards have been popular in upstate New York and other states, as well as traditional wine regions in Italy.

A growing interest in craft beer has likewise drawn visitors to many breweries. Although this trend grew to prominence beginning in the late twentieth century, beer tourism has a long history in the United States. Busch Gardens in Florida is a popular amusement park, but it got its start in 1906 as a tropical beer garden with a bird sanctuary attraction. Some microbreweries in the United States have organized beer tours that introduce visitors to the wares of several establishments in a region.

Another trend that developed in the early twenty-first century is dark tourism, also known as disaster tourism. These travels involve the sites of disasters, such as the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, Ukraine; the city of Hiroshima, Japan, the location of the nuclear bomb detonations in 1945; the Killing Fields of Cambodia, the place of Khmer Rouge genocide during the 1970s; and the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. While some argue that visiting such sites is macabre, others note that tourists who seek to learn the dark happenings of a place may leave with a better understanding of history, mistakes made, and the people who survived the events.

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