Travelling

In the past, sailors and merchants travelled abroad to buy grain, wine, hides, wood, flax, fish and all sorts of other products. Businesspeople would also travel, such as the publishers and book dealers who visited the annual book fair in Frankfurt. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries it became increasingly common for wealthy young men to round off their education with a Grand Tour that took them to France, Germany, Italy or Engeland. With time, travelling increasingly became a goal in and of itself. In the 20th century, growing prosperity and car ownership as well as cheaper flights meant trips abroad became affordable for many people. It was the start of what we now call ‘mass tourism’.