Tourism 100 – Chapter 2

Tourism Through the Ages

Early Beginnings
The Sumerians invented money – the development of trade – marked the
beginning of the modern era of travel. They also invented cuneiform writing and
the wheel.
Travel-accommodations and transportation-could be paid for, no longer bartered.
Cruises were organized and conducted from Egypt over 5000 years ago. The
pharaohs built elaborate burial tombs, including the Sphinx and the three pyramids
at Giza. These magnificent wonders began attracting large numbers of visitors,
who left evidence of their visits by writing their names on the stone, graffiti, and
purchasing souvenirs.

Early Roads

Mainly three groups of people travelled, the military, government officials and
caravans. The Romans, in particular, realized that roads were basic to moving their
war chariots efficiently. The history of roads is related to the centralizing of
populations in powerful cities. The Romans constructed elaborate roads which
were first surveyed. The roadbed was dug, and then stones and concrete were
evenly placed. Paving stones were then laid on top, and the highway was edged
with curbstones and contoured to a sloping crown to shed the rain.

The Roman Empire comprised a network of roads some 50,000 miles. Romans
were motivated to travel for many reasons, including sightseeing.

The Silk Road

This was a trade route which stretching a third of the way around the world. While
silk was traded on the route, there were other products. Included on the Westbound
caravans were furs, spices, peaches and apricots, and good on the Eastbound
caravans were precious metals and gems, glass, dyes and perfumes.

Merchants formed caravans of up to 1,000 camels, protected by armed escorts.

The Classical World

The Greeks traveled for many reasons, including coming together every four years
to honour Zeus through athletic competition. The most well known of the four
national festivals is the Olympic Games.

The tourist was another category of Greek traveler. Herodotus could be

considered Greece’s “Father of History”. He recorded all that he saw on his
travels.

MOTIVATIONS FOR TRAVEL

Recreation/Leisure
Medical
Business
Education
Religion
Sports
War