TREAT A TOURIST AS A FRIEND

BY T K MALHOTRA

The history of modern tourism dates back to the 18th century when more and more people took to travel within and outside their countries. The purpose was to afford themselves rest and recreation. Those with economic means belonging to middle classes of society ventured into travel purely for pleasure. Some researchers though thought that the 18th century custom of visiting spas and bathing places represents the beginning of tourism which allured men and women in high income groups to congregate to bathe and entertain themselves on places such as Baden–Baden and Wiesbaden in Germany, Karlsbad in Bohenia or Zandvoort and Ostende on the North Sea.

The expression “tourist’’ in fact was first coined in Britain from the French word “tour’’ to designate people traveling for pleasure. The world, thereafter, spread, as did the tourists themselves to most western countries. Mode of travel through ships, trains, brought about by the steam engine, resulted in rapid improvement in promoting tourism. In 1885, the ‘safety bicycle’ was used for both sport and every day transport and this led the way for the automobile. The period from 1750 to 1820 was marked with gradual improvement in settingup new hotels and restaurants first in England and then in France. The world saw the first luxury hotel constructed in Boston in 1829 followed by many luxury hotels in Europe as well as Germany. Switzerland’s Cesar Ritz paved the way for new style of luxury with Ritz Hotel in London and Paris. The concept of organised tourism was provided first time by Thomas Cook, which was also founded later as Europe’s first travel agency.


The success in organized tourism led to establish local and regional tourism associations in the mid-19th century. The Cycling Touring Club of 1818 (Great Britain) being the oldest instrumental in providing a lead in formation of more widely based tourism related Associations and Clubs such as ANWB in Netherlands, Norwegian Tourism Association, Svenska Turist Fore Ningen (Sweden) and Touring Associations/ Clubs of Finland, France, Italy and Belgium, Luxemburg, Scotland, Hungary, America, New Zealand and India and others following closely as popularity of motor car grew. As time passed by, tourism movement gathered momentum and in 1885 Daimler’s Bicycle, powered by a four-stroke engine rolled on road. In order to help travellers, New York started construction of subways.

It was during these times that the first patented front two wheel driven car steered on road. France took a lead in introducing vehicle numberplates (speed 30 km/hr). Ford Motor sold its first car in the USA in 1903 and Paris buses were converted from horses to motors. Someone made first car trip from Peking to Paris in 1907 and the first double-decker bus was introduced in London in 1909. As the motorized traffic swelled, environmental concerns also started surfacing. The American motorist had more experience with intense traffic and sign posting and had also brought up the problem of the car’s glaring headlights in cities.

Over abandoned hoofers and sirens being used to announce the vehicle arrival was yet another annoying concern of the road users and the public. As a matter of fact it had been advocated by the motoring associations in 1911 that “the public has rights which automobile tourists are bound to observe if they are to be treated fairly and leniently.’’ Keeping pace with the advancement engine technology, use of horse driven carriages being reduced in France and in 1914, the Number of horses was reduced from 98,000 to 63,000.

The turn of the century witnessed many global changes, which brought about tremendous transformation in promoting freedom to mobility with introduction of super sonic jets, high tech modern cars, expressways, new roads and metro railways.

Travel has been always an important social activity of human beings. Unlike other sectors, which are engaged in product manufacturing activities and exports, the tourism quietly and imperceptibly has a revolutionary impact on global economy. Besides providing gainful employment on a large scale, the tourism industry brings in a high proportion of foreign revenue. By 2020,
the average rate growth of tourism sector may rise far above the other industrial sectors.

The cultural heritage and the richness of nature’s endowments have made India a paradise for tourists. However, with such a rich background, it is most significant that each tourist visiting India should be treated with respect and warmth. The tourism industry in India must ensure to translate what our late Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru had remarked: “Welcome a tourist and send back a friend.’’