Introduction to Tourism

2 How tourism developed – the history

Introduction

History is instructive in a study of tourism, not simply because there may be lessons to learn, but rather because the seeds of future growth are to be found in the past. Many historic inventions and innovations are effective in the contemporary scene. There is a vast legacy of infra- and superstructure from earlier development. Indeed much of the heritage, especially in landscaping and resort architecture, is highly prized. The city of Bath is one of the treasures of Britain and Europe, built principally in the eighteenth century as a tourism centre. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that Beau Nash was the country’s first professional tourist ‘director’ and so successful that he created a ...