A brief history of the travel agent

In 1841, Thomas Cook received a commission from Midland Railway to organise the transportation of member of temperance society.

He founded an agency in his own name and partnered with his son, establishing the package tour holiday.

In the early 20th Century, airline numbers grew exponentially, which in turn resulted in an increase in demand for travel agents. Agents were primarily used by middle and uppr class customers who had a lot of disposible income to spend on holidays. 

During WWII, the travel industry took a big hit, unsurprisingly. However, during the post-war years, when income was still very low, travel agents were forced to react to the market demands and create cheaper packages which fell in line with reduced airfares.

Once this happened, travel became much more accessible to all demographics, and the British search for some summer sun began.

Like any industry, travel agents have had their ups and their downs. The most recent being the dawn of the internet nullifying the requirement of a travel agent for many people. Agents have needed to respond an ensure their value-added remains despite the wealth of information accessible at the fingertips of many.