Tourism started around the 17th or 18th century. Rich Europeans would set off on a Grand Tour of classical (city) across the continent, visiting Paris, Vienna, Prague, Florence, Rome, Venice, London, etc.
Famous poets such as Britain's Lord Byron spent two years travelling the Mediterranean, where they enjoyed(they), drinking large amounts of wine. In line with this style of travel, the Grand Tour tended to(reserve) for the nobles and more moneyed classes. These "tourists" would then returntales about the wealth of far-off lands and(frequent) publish memoirs, poems and other forms of media.
Mass tourism (take) shape when Thomas Cook started organizing mass tours from his base in Leicester. In the beginning, his "travel agency" would organize trips across England. His(one) "tour", in 1841, was from Leicester in England, to Loughborough, a town just 11 miles away. His next "tour" was to Liverpool, and by 1856 he(organize) tours to Scotland, Italy, Egypt and even the United States, is surely a milestone in the history of travel and tourism.
Nowadays, Thomas Cook is still a household brand name in the UK, with the company(offer) holiday packages across the world.
