The Economist 07Dec2019

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In 1841, tourism pioneer Thomas Cook e� ectively became the world’s

� rst recorded travel agent, after striking a deal with the Midland Railway

to carry a large group of people on a day trip. His eponymous company

would last 178 years, � nally folding in 2019.

KLM and Avianca were founded within weeks of each other

(in the Netherlands and Colombia, respectively), becoming

the world’s � rst commercial airlines—and instantly

rendering most physical travel barriers obsolete.

One of the biggest deals in the

history of hospitality created the

world’s largest hotel company.

Driven by millennials, bleisure (a

portmanteau of “business” and “leisure”)

involves bolting vacation days onto

corporate travel in order to enjoy personal

downtime while saving on expenses like

� ights and transfers.

Discover our travel guides, audio guides and more on momentstoinspire.1843magazine.com

In a precursor to modern business travel, entrepreneurs Robert

Fulton and Robert Livingston started the world’s � rst commercial

steamboat agency. The North River Steamboat ferried passengers

up and down the Hudson River, from New York City to the state

capital, Albany.

1807

World’s � rst steamboat agency opens

1841

Thomas Cook establishes the

world’s � rst travel agency

1919

First airlines take o�

2016

Marriott International

acquires Starwood

2019

Bleisure blooms

The process of industrialisation, beginning in Britain around 1760,

changed the face of international trade once again. Factories grew and

urban areas ballooned, but the biggest immediate impact was the rise

of the railways. Suddenly, long-distance travel was cheaper, easier and

faster than at any previous point in history.

176 0 –18 4 0

Industrial Revolution sees business

travel move full-steam ahead

An incredible 79% of travellers

completed � ight and hotel reservations

on their smartphones, making the mobile

web the travel industry’s single most

important space.

2 017

Mobile booking takes over

In the earliest times, all travel was, in fact, business travel. But as it has evolved from mules to Ubers, and from

hand-drawn maps to GPS, something else has changed, too.Instead of simply � nding a place to sleep,

modern business travellers are increasingly looking to stay in spaces that inspire. By creating thoughtful

spaces to enrich experiences and ignite imaginations, Marriott Hotels is leading the charge to provide

them with exactly that.Because if the history of business travel has told us anything, it’s that those who stay

ahead are those most likely to succeed.