Travel for pleasure first became fashionable during the 17th century with the Grand Tour, but it wasn’t until the industrial revolution that the tourism industry began to grow. In 1758 the first “official” travel company – Cox & Kings – was formed and, whilst at this point tourism was still an activity for the wealthy, it was just under 100 years later that the pioneer of modern mass market tourism, Thomas Cook, founded his company in 1841 with the organisation of the first package tour in history. Travel for pleasure first became fashionable during the 17th century with the Grand Tour, but it wasn’t until the industrial revolution that the tourism industry began to grow. In 1758 the first “official” travel company – Cox & Kings – was formed and, whilst at this point tourism was still an activity for the wealthy, it was just under 100 years later that the pioneer of modern mass market tourism, Thomas Cook, founded his company in 1841 with the organisation of the first package tour in history.