The founder of tourism Thomas Cook. Tourism development, history and achievements

Today, traveling to other countries has become a common thing. In order to go to any corner of the world, you just need to prepare a certain amount of money and find a travel agency. We are so used to the notion of "tourism" that we think that this kind of recreation has existed for a long time. However, he is actually only 170 years old. Tourism appeared in England on July 5, 1841. Today we will tell about its founder and about the success story of this man, whose name is Thomas Cook. The founder of tourism has lived a very interesting life. The story of his success is very curious.

Origin and childhood of Cook

Cook's life began in poverty, as well as many great businessmen, such as Thomas Lipton, Walt Disney, John Rockefeller. All of them in childhood had to experience hardship. Perhaps that's why they became single-minded and successful people. Thomas's father died when he was still very young. After his death, Cook raised his stepfather. He treated the boy as his own son.

The family did not have enough money, so Thomas started working since 10 years. He became an assistant at the gardener. The boy received 6 pence a week for his work. When he was 14 years old, he settled in a carpentry shop. At the age of 19, Thomas retired from there. Despite the heavy workload, he had little free time, which Thomas used to visit the school that was at the monastery. The knowledge obtained here has greatly helped Kuk in later life.

Baptism of Cook, missionary activity

Faith was one of the main engines of Cook's success. In 1826, at the age of 17, he was baptized and became a Baptist. The young man began to write actively in the Baptist magazine. He also taught at a Sunday school and preached in the neighborhood of the town of Loughborough (where he lived), as well as in the nearby villages.

Thomas Cook was very fond of active missionary work. She brought a lot of acquaintances to the boy. In addition, he received for her 10 shillings a week, which was considered at that time a good income. However, the foundation of the Baptist organization had dried up by the end of 1830, and Thomas had to look for another source of livelihood.

Marriage, work in the workshop, vow of sobriety

Cook decided to continue carpentry. In a small town, located in the neighborhood of Loughborough, he rented a carpentry shop. By the way, Thomas moved here not alone. He brought with him Marian Myson, a young wife, whom Cook met while on Sunday school.

Thomas, despite the difficult work in the studio, continued to lead missionary activities. In addition, he actively advocated the refusal of alcohol. In 1833, Thomas Cook took a vow of sobriety.

Cook becomes secretary of the Society of Nondestructors

Cook's workshop began to flourish by the end of 1836. He could already hire assistants. Then Thomas Cook became secretary of the Society of Nondrinkers. This organization operated in the city of Harborough. After this, Thomas started to promote the denial of alcohol more actively. He began to publish the magazine "The Monthly Herald of Temperance" in 1839. A year later Thomas started publishing the first in the country magazine for children, where it was also about refusing alcohol.

Preparing for the first trip

When in 1840 Thomas Cook found out that a railway branch was opening, which would take place near his city, he decided that this was his chance to do something more to promote a sober lifestyle. Thomas decided to hire a train to take his associates to Loughborough. It was supposed to be a congress of the association of teetotalers in central England (southern counties). Thomas Cook approached with all responsibility and ingenuity to this decision.

First, he was so fascinating about the upcoming trip that John Fox Bell, secretary of the railway society, was filled with enthusiasm. He even agreed to pay the preliminary expenses necessary for this. Secondly, Cook was very carefully prepared for the upcoming trip. Thomas agreed on a cultural program and nutrition in Loughborough, printed and distributed tickets and advertising posters. Moreover, he decided not to confine himself to his native city. Cook sent to other places of invitation for a trip. It should be said that careful preparation has become the keystone of the prosperity of Cook's company.

Birthday of tourism

So, on July 5, 1841, 570 people went to Loughborough. They took 9 train cars. It is this day that is considered the birthday of tourism in its current concept. The trip was a tremendous success. Cook was inspired by her and decided to organize new trips. For example, he constantly conducted excursions for the poor. Their cost for an adult was only 1 shilling, and for children - 6 pence. The main principle of Cook was to get the maximum possible benefit for the largest number of people at the lowest price.

Care for the comfort of customers

In addition, that each excursion was carefully planned, one of the main components of Cook's success was that he personally participated in the trips. Many people traveled by train for the first time and did not know what to do and how to behave. Thomas Cook instructed all of them and took care that they were as comfortable as possible.

Contract with the management of railways

After a while, with the growing popularity of travel and the increase in the number of customers, Cook signed a contract with the management of the railways. Under this agreement, he was granted significant discounts. Thomas even came up with a slogan that read: "Railways - for millions!" He decorated almost all fences, poles and windows.

Ability to "catch the wave"

Cook's ability to "catch the wave" has become an important factor in the success of his company. The first time an important event for the activities of Thomas occurred in the 1840s. At that time, the trade unions made sure that workers were granted an annual leave. The people who received it did not know what to do in their spare time. And then Thomas offered them a tempting pastime.

Then Cook developed tourist routes to Scotland. Fans of the works of Robert Burns and Walter Scott went there. Almost every citizen of England read these authors at the time, and the marketing calculation made by Cook proved to be correct. Everyone wanted to personally visit the places that were described in the writings of these writers.

Thomas was the first to discover the castles and palaces of aristocrats for excursions. What seems to us today an ordinary thing, once became a coup in the public consciousness. It was Thomas Cook who made it. Travelers' checks as a kind of financial document, by the way, he came up with, too.

The ability to "catch the wave" and constantly develop new routes is one of the main factors in the popularity and development of the company Cook. We will not describe in detail all the trips that this entrepreneur organized. Let's just say that he managed to "reopen" their country to Ireland (Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man). But not only it - all of Europe, the Holy Land, America and even India were included in the tourist routes of Cook.

By the way, the branch of the agency created by him ("Thomas Cook and son") in America was headed by his son John Mason Cook. Mark Twain became one of his first clients. He strongly recommended to President Grant himself this company. Agree, this says a lot!

Guides Thomas Cook

"Discoveries" Cook does not end there. It was he who first started publishing the guidebooks. They described in detail the main sights, gave advice on how to behave in a particular country or city. In addition, Thomas Cook published a magazine called "Sightseer". He went out to the very beginning of the Second World War. This magazine was the first of its kind.

Trips to Mecca

The role of Thomas Cook in the development of tourism does not end there. In 1878, the governor-general of India addressed the entrepreneur. He asked him to open specifically for Muslims a new direction of tourism - a pilgrimage to Mecca. Of course, the trip was a success. After that, a new branch was opened at the headquarters of the company Cook, located in London, especially for pilgrims.

Trip around the world

The company "Thomas Cook and Son" is the first tour operator that used to transport customers by means of aviation. This happened in 1919. Thomas Cook organized the first round-the-world tour in 1872-73. Its duration was 222 days. Travelers during this time have overcome 25 thousand miles. In commemoration of the round date, Cook's company in 1991 organized a round-the-world trip. This time it took him only 34 days.

The state of Cook and his heirs

We should pay tribute to the foresight of this entrepreneur, his ability to delve into the details, predict various situations. When the founder of tourism died (it happened in 1892), his condition was estimated at a high amount - 2,497 pounds. Very good for a man who started working for only 6 pence a week. The case of the father was continued by John Mason Cook. He died after 7 years, leaving a legacy of property that was valued at 663,534 pounds. After his death, the case passed into the hands of his grandchildren - Thomas Albert, Ernest Edward and Frank Henry. The descendants of Thomas owned the company until the end of the 1920s. After that, the management of the company was transferred to the association of entrepreneurs.

The Cook Company today

And in our time business is flourishing, which began Thomas Cook. The tour operator, created by him, today is the largest and most respectable company in the field of tourism in the British Isles. On economic indicators, the company is the second in Europe, and in the world - the third. In the UK, as well as in many other countries, there are more than a thousand of its agencies. Now this company employs more than 16 thousand employees.

By the way, in Russia there is still a young firm "Intourist - Thomas Cook". This is the result of the merger of two companies, the oldest in their field. "Intourist" was established in 1929. The company, created as a result of the merger, operates in the service of foreign businessmen and tourists, and also offers a large selection of individual and group tours to St. Petersburg, Moscow, the cities of the Russian North and the Golden Ring, etc. Intourist-Thomas Cook is located in Moscow Address 5-th Donskoy proezd, house 15 (page 5). But not only in the capital there is a company associated with the name of our hero. And in other cities of our country you can find an organization in the name of which "Thomas Cook" appears. Murmansk is one of them.