A History of Modern Tourism

From the footsteps of Herodotus to the vapour trails of jetsetters, Eric G. E. Zuelow succinctly guides readers through centuries of human travel. His brisk narrative unpacks how tourism industries and the pursuit of leisure created the modern world.' - Anthony Stanonis, Queen's University Belfast, UK 'Eric G. E. Zuelow offers a narrative as enriching and engrossing as the Grand Tour, but in a manner as accessible as a Cook's tour. Surveying the long history of travel, he captures nuance and detail with literary elan. Whether on a beach or a train, in a library of a classroom, it will greatly reward all who read it.' - Kevin James, Univesrity of Guelph, Canada 'A History of Modern Tourism [...] is a readable account of how tourism has developed since The Grand Tour of the 18th century. It looks at movers and shakers in the tourism sector [...] and at how the industry has shaped globalisation and the modern world.' - Adam Nebbs, South China Morning Post

Tourism as we know it is a surprisingly modern concept, both a product of modernity and a force helping to shape it. From the British Grand Tour in the sixteenth century to the onset of contemporary mass tourism, travel has played a crucial role in the rise of globalization and the development of the modern world.Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world, yet leisure travel is more than just economically important. It plays a vital role in defining who we are by helping to place us in space and time. In so doing, it has aesthetic, medical, political, cultural, and social implications. However, it hasn't always been so. Tourism as we know it is a surprisingly modern thing, both a product of modernity and a force helping to shape it. A History of Modern Tourism is the first book to track the origins and evolution of this pursuit from earliest times to the present. From a new understanding of aesthetics to scientific change, from the invention of steam power to the creation of aircraft, from an elite form of education to family car trips to see national 'shrines,' this book offers a sweeping and engaging overview of a fascinating story not yet widely known.