Facts about the history of

tourism

The development of cities along water ways, such as the Nile River and the
Mediterranean
Sea, encouraged the development of water travel

Egyptians

At the peak of the Egyptian era, travel for both business and pleasure began
to prosper.

Traveling was necessary between the central government and the distant
territories.

To accommodate travelers on official business, hospitality centers were built

along major routes and in the cities.

Egyptians also traveled for pleasure, and public festivals were held several
times a year.

Assyrians and Persians

The Assyrians
indicate

improved roads were improved, established markers to

distances, and posts and wells were developed for safety and feeding.

 Greeks
Early travel
The Greeks continued in the tradition of the great traders. Because
water was the most important means of moving commercial goods,
coast,
Early peoples
tendedthat
to stay
in was
one place.
Greek cities grew up along the
thus ensuring
travel
primarily by sea.

Travel was essentially to look for food or to

Pleasure travel did exist in three
areas:
escape
danger.
for religious festivals,
for sporting events (most
notably
the times
Olympic
In
ancient
weGames),
began and
to see the
to visit cities, especially Athens.
development of routes for the purpose of
Romans
facilitating trade and the creation of
Travel developed in Roman times
for several reasons.
specialized
vehicles
specifically
for
traveling.
The control of the growing Roman Empire stimulated trade and led to
the growth of a large middle class with the money to travel;

Roman coins were all the traveler had to carry to finance the trip;
The means of transportation, roads and waterways, were excellent;
Communication was relatively easy as Greek and Latin were the principal
languages;
The sporting games started by the Greeks were copied in the
fights-to-the-death of the Roman gladiators.
Sightseeing was also popular, particularly trips to Greece.
Touring was also popular to Egypt, site of the Sphinx and the Pyramids,
and to Asia Minor, scene of the Trojan War. Aristotle visited Asia Minor
before establishing his famous school.
It was at this time that an unknown scholar developed the idea of the
Seven Wonders of the World.
A final development was that of second homes and vacations associated
with them. Villas spread from Rome south to Naples, near the sea, to the
mountains, and to mineral spas.