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Thomas Cook History: The Tale of the Father of Modern Tourism

Last updated: March 21, 2021 - Written by Jessica Norah 42 Comments

Do you know who Thomas Cook was and what contribution he made to the history of travel? Perhaps you have heard the name, seen it on the travel agencies that still carry his name, or maybe you’ve even taken a Thomas Cook tour. But my guess is that, like me, you don’t know too much about the man or how he fits into the history of travel.

Thomas Cook was a passionate man who was born into a world where most working class people worked long 6-day weeks and never traveled more than 20 miles from their home towns. Thomas would begin work at age 10, laboring in a vegetable garden for 1 penny per day; but with a lot of determination and hard work, this working class man would eventually build one of the largest travel companies in the world.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Cook and his role in history and will give you a good overview of Thomas the man, Thomas the travel pioneer, and a glimpse of what it was like to travel in the Victorian age.

Table of Contents:

Who was Thomas Cook?

Thomas Cook was born in 1808 in the small town of Melbourne, England but would be best known for his time living in Leicester. He would finish his schooling at age 10 to begin working, often for only a penny a day, to help support his family.

Throughout his life, Thomas Cook would work as a Baptist preacher, carpenter, furniture maker, printer, publisher, political advocate, and travel organizer. As a Baptist preacher, he would walk thousands of miles and earned so little that he often worked in the dark to conserve candles and oil.

After seeing the effects of drunkenness at an early age, Cook believed that alcohol abuse was one of the major roots of the many social problems in the Victoria era and would spend much of his time and talents supporting the Temperance movement in England for the rest of his life. In fact, Cook’s beginnings as a travel organizer would come about because of his temperance beliefs.

In 1841, he would arrange for a special train to take over 500 people from Leicester to Loughborough to attend a temperance meeting. For 1 shilling, passengers got round trip train travel, band entertainment, afternoon tea, and food. Not a bad deal!

T he Birth of Thomas Cook & Son

Then in 1845, he would organize his first railway excursion for profit, and the following year he would begin offering trips outside England to Scotland, a country that captivated Cook and would remain one of his favorite destinations. For many of his early passengers, this was their first time aboard a train and the furthest distance they’d ever traveled from their home.

His trips kept getting bigger and in 1851, Thomas got the chance to organize railway travel and travel accommodations for people from the provinces to travel to London to attend the Great Exhibition orchestrated by Prince Albert. Thomas would transport over 150,000 people to London during the 6 months of the exhibition. This was one of the largest events in England and one of the largest movements of people within Britain!

Up until this point in time, most people in the provinces would be unlikely to travel to a town 20 miles away, let alone to the city of London. It must have been quite a shock for many people, who likely had never attended an event bigger than a county agricultural fair, to witness the Great Exhibition, where many of the greatest industrial inventions of the time were on display, in the bustling capital city of London.

His early tours would be marketed towards the working class, but later his company would go on to escort more middle class passengers and even organize travel for royalty, the military, and other important figures given his increasing reputation for being able to efficiently organize travel.

Interestingly, a large percentage of Cook’s travelers would be single or unescorted women who likely would not have been able to travel on their own (remember these are the days of Gone with the Wind ), but being part of an escorted tour provided them with both protection and independence.

Cook would rapidly expand operations, escorting tours throughout Europe, North America, and even led the first commercial tour around the world. But perhaps no destination was more sacred to Thomas than his tours to Egypt and the Middle East. Here Thomas could witness firsthand the Biblical lands he had read and preached about all his life, and spending time in the Holy Land was truly a realization of many of his dreams as a young man.

A Man with Many Personal Obstacles and Struggles

Although Thomas Cook & Son would thrive and go on to become one of the largest travel agencies in the world, things did not work out as well for Cook in his personal life. Thomas’ father died when he was very young as did his stepfather, and young Thomas was left to be raised by his widowed mother.

As an adult, he would suffer the tragic sudden death of his only daughter Annie—a young woman on the cusp of marriage—who shared a close relationship with her parents. Thomas’ wife would suffer a long period of ill health following her daughter’s death, eventually dying and leaving Thomas alone with his own failing health that left him almost blind.

In his later years, he had a very strained relationship with his only son and business partner John Mason Cook. Thomas felt that he was being pushed aside in his own company and eventually John Mason Cook would take over all operations from his father. The father and son never truly reconciled and spent very little time together towards the end of his life.

While Thomas’ poor health and eyesight made it increasingly difficult, he continued to be active in travel and temperance activities until near the end of his life. His son would continue to expand the travel business.

What was it like to Travel During the Victorian Era?

Thomas lived during the reign of Queen Victoria—the Victorian era—and while romantic imaginings of spending time aboard the famous Oriental Express, sailing on luxury White Star Line steamships, and staying in grand palatial hotels may have been partially true of the wealthiest of travelers, these are far from the accommodations you could expect as a working class or middle class traveler.

Before widespread railway transport, the stagecoach reigned as the quickest way to get around and only the wealthy could afford such conveniences. So poorer people often walked, hitched rides on the back of wagons and carts, or, if lucky, rode a horse or donkey. In the early days of railway travel, third class train accommodations were open wagons, some without seats, where passengers would have to worry about the wind, sun, dust, locomotive smoke, and glowing hot embers.

During Cook’s travels—particularly his early trips—you would need to worry about germs and disease as very little was understood about germs at the time and the lack of widespread refrigeration and hot water heightened the chances of disease. Restaurants, flush toilets, and even running water were not staples in Great Britain, let alone the rest of the world. Communication was slow and done primarily by postal mail, sometimes taking weeks to confirm reservations or transmit a message back home.

However, things were not all bad. During Thomas’s life so much would change that would make travel faster, cheaper, and more comfortable than ever before. Improvements in the postal service, use of the steam engine, opening of the Suez canal, and the great expansion of the railways would make it possible for Thomas Cook to accomplish things that would not have been possible a generation before him.

Thomas Cook’s tours, with their discounted organized group rates, made it possible for a lot of working and middle class people to travel for the first time.  Cook believed that travel could help educate and enlighten people who, like him, often did not have a proper school education, eliminate prejudices and bigotry, and be a healthy leisure alternative to visiting pubs, gambling halls, and whorehouses.

However, these new travel opportunities for the lower classes was not something that was widely appreciated by many of those in the upper classes of society. Until the nineteenth century, popular tourist destinations were almost exclusively the playground of the wealthy who could afford the time away and expensive cost of travel. The upper classes did not want to mix with the lower classes when traveling.

As Thomas Cook and others began to offer affordable excursion tours to popular destinations such as English country homes (e.g., Chatsworth House), the Rhine River valley, the French Riviera, Egyptian pyramids, and the Swiss Alps, wealthy travelers complained about what they saw as a bunch of uncouth, uneducated common people invading their exclusive travel paradises.

They criticized Thomas Cook and the excursion travelers, and this criticism likely wounded Thomas, who although he strongly believed in the right for all people to be able to travel, he also strived to be accepted by the upper echelons of society. Despite his success, he never was accepted by the upper classes as he was not of gentle birth, but was a working man and a Baptist in a country still largely controlled by wealthy Anglicans.

However, despite all the criticism, the demand for discounted organized travel would only continue to increase. The number of travelers from London who crossed the Channel to continental Europe rose from 165,000 in 1850 to 951,000 by 1899. Travel agencies and organized travel were here to stay.

Why Thomas Cook was a Travel Pioneer

Thomas Cook was a travel pioneer who built one of the largest travel businesses in the world, a business that started very humbly as a way to transport travelers to nearby temperance meetings. Thomas was able to “organize travel as it was never organized before” and with the help of the railways and the steam engine, he was able to do it on a scale that would have never before been possible.

Although not the first to come up with most of the ideas, Thomas would make things like travel vouchers, traveler’s cheques, and printed guidebooks common and widespread. Cook would use his talents as a printer to print travel advertisements, bulletins, magazines, guidebooks, and train timetables.  In fact, Thomas Cook Continental Timetables would be published from 1873 to 2013 (last edition was published in August 2013) and were for many decades considered the bible for European train travelers.

His religious fervor would make him seek out exotic locations such as the Middle East and his determination would lead to Thomas Cook & Son opening offices around the world. Perhaps his greatest legacy is that he helped make it possible for a new group of people to engage in leisure travel. Cook understood well the drudgery of hard work and trying to support oneself on a meager income, and his tours provided working and lower middle class people the opportunity to explore a world they could have only have read about otherwise.

The Thomas Cook & Son name continued to exist as a travel company, offering travel tours until 2019. The company traded for 178 years. But it had not been a family-run business by the Cook family since the 1920’s when Thomas Cook’s grandsons, Frank and Ernest, sold the company to the Belgian Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits et des Grands Express Européens, operators of most of Europe’s luxury sleeping cars, including the Orient Express .

In the 1940’s it would become state-owned by the British Transport Holding Company. It would continue to change hands over the years. In 2001, it would become owned solely by C&N Touristic AG, one of Germany’s largest travel groups, who renamed the company, Thomas Cook AG.

Thomas Cook became one of the world’s largest travel agencies and the oldest in the UK. Its famous slogan developed by advertising expert Michael Hennessy: “Don’t just book it….Thomas Cook it” became well-known around the world.

The Bankruptcy and Closure of the Thomas Cook Travel Agency in 2019

Sadly, the travel agency and airline that carried the Thomas Cook named declared bankruptcy in September 2019, leaving about 150,000 British travelers “stranded” all over the world (as well as a number of other nationalities). Perhaps the most devastating effect has been the immediate loss of thousands of jobs for people in the UK and abroad.

The travel agency, however, was properly insured and protected and most of those who booked a trip can apply for a refund, and those left “stranded” on trips were repatriated by the UK. It was the largest repatriation effort since World War 2.

In October 2019, it was announced that all the Thomas Cook travel agency offices in UK will be taken over by Hays Travel and rebranded under their name. Most of the reopened offices are being staffed by former Thomas Cook employees. Hays Travel is now the largest independent travel agency in the UK, and you can read more about them here .

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on all sectors of the global travel industry and Hays Travel was forced to close its travel offices in the UK for a large part of the year. Many of the former UK Thomas Cook offices have now been permanently shuttered and many of the employees who had been rehired were sadly made redundant. You can read more about that here .

Although the future of the Thomas Cook name in travel may be uncertain, I would be very surprised if the name does not continue to be associated in some way with a travel agency.

In fact, although all the UK based companies have stopped trading, some Thomas Cook owned resorted, like Cook’s Club are still operating. Some of its subsidiaries in some other countries are still trading as normal but are also in danger of closure.

What I Learned from Reading about Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook was a quite extraordinary self-made man. He had so many occupations and business ventures and so many setback and failures, even declaring bankruptcy at one point, but he was so persistent and never gave up. He was a passionate man who fought for his Baptist faith, beliefs in equality for all people, and for temperance.

In addition to being impressed by the determination and innovativeness of Thomas Cook himself, I was also quite intrigued in the ways that travel has changed and the ways it has not. We have come a long way since Thomas Cook escorted his first tour as we can travel so much lighter, faster, and more conveniently than would have seemed possible to Victorian age travelers who would accept unheated train cars, month-long ocean crossings, and hotels without hot water.

Cook, a teetotaler until his death, would likely be shocked by the tourism industry’s promotion of sun, sea and sex and the partying and drinking associated with many travel destinations. Indeed, many of these locations are the most popular destinations for British travelers on package holidays.

However, some things have not changed very much. Criticisms of organized travel remain with the notion that independent travel is better and people love to make the subjective “traveler” versus “tourist” distinction.  There are also still locations that remain primarily the playgrounds of the wealthy although never like during the Victorian age. Travel remains class segregated as those who can afford to do so can fly in first class seats, dine in the finest restaurants aboard ships, and sleep in the best cabins with little need to spend much time with other class passengers.

One of the things that I found perhaps the most interesting was the destinations promoted by Thomas Cook still remain, with few exceptions, major tourist destinations today. The country house of Chatsworth House is one of the most notable country houses in England today and people are still flocking to the Scottish highlands, Paris, Rhine River Valley, Swiss Alps, Egypt, the ancient city of Petra, Australia, and most of the other destinations promoted by Thomas Cook in the 1800’s.

While things have changed in some ways beyond recognition, many of the world’s wonders and great destinations continue to awe visitors as they must have awed those first pioneer tourists led by Thomas Cook.

Want to Learn More about Thomas Cook and Victorian Age Travel? 

Resources about Thomas Cook (I used these in writing this article) :

-Hamilton, Jill. (2005). Thomas Cook: The Holiday Maker . The History Press.

-Piers Brendon. (1991). Thomas Cook – 150 Years of Popular Tourism . Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd.

-Withey, Lynne. (1997). Grand Tours and Cook’s Tours – A History of Leisure Travel, 1750 to 1915 .  William Morrow & Co. [This book focuses on a broader view of the history of travel including a lot of attention to Thomas Cook tours and their impact on tourism]

-A great Wikipedia link to some of Thomas Cook’s Traveler Handbooks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook%27s_Travellers_Handbooks

Another book related to Thomas Cook on my to-read list:

-Swinglehurst, Edmund. (1974).  The Romantic Journey – The Story of Thomas Cook and Victorian Travel . Pica Editions.

So what do you think about Thomas Cook and the Victorian Age of Travel? If you are interested in another article on travel during the Victorian age, check out our post on t wo American women who race around the world in less than 80 days .

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Baskin Post author

February 28, 2024 at 3:26 am

Wow, so fascinating to read about the history of Thomas Cook, the visionary behind modern tourism. I definitely learned a lot from this about how His legacy continues to shape travel and hospitality industries, very educational post!

Jessica & Laurence Norah Post author

February 28, 2024 at 10:20 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment and glad to hear you enjoyed our article on Thomas Cook. And yes his contributions to the travel industry can definitely still be seend today!

Best, Jessica

Chandra Gurung Post author

May 9, 2023 at 4:15 am

Very interesting post, thanks for the great travel History !!

May 13, 2023 at 8:06 am

Hi Chandra,

Glad you enjoyed our post on Thomas Cook, thanks for taking the time to comment!

Karim Post author

October 29, 2022 at 3:01 pm

Thanks for your blog post on Thomas Cook, very helpful, nice to read.

October 31, 2022 at 10:04 am

Thanks for taking the time to comment, glad you enjoyed our post on Thomas Cook and a bit of the history of the man and his company 😉

Jeanne Gisi Post author

May 24, 2022 at 1:06 pm

While cleaning out some boxes filled with mementos of my travels over the years, I came upon an Itinerary prepared by Thos. Cook & Son for a 6 week European trip in 1965 for my parents & I (I was 13)! It was so fascinating to see the level of detail for each stop, which included England, France, Italy, Spain & Germany; and the beautiful cover & fancy paper used to produce the itinerary. I went looking on the internet to see if they were still in existence & found your blog, which I found so informative about the founder & the many iterations the company had gone through. Probably the most amazing detail in this itinerary was discovering that for hotels in 4 different cities, train rides, rental car & private transport for the entire trip was shown at $328 per person! Astounding! Appreciated reading your historical information about this venerable company.

May 25, 2022 at 5:10 am

So glad you enjoyed our article on the history of Thomas Cook.

Oh, wow, that must be wonderful finding old treasures from your family travels. I love things like that. And yes a 6 week trip for $328 per person (about $3,000 per person in today’s money) would still be a good value today for all that was included for a 6-week trip. And it would have taken longer to put together an itinerary then as the travel agent would have needed to call or mail for inquiries and reservations rather than clicking buttons on a computer.

Yes, Thomas Cook has gone through a lot in recent years. Hays Travel purchased most of the Thomas Cook offices/stores and hired back a lot of the staff in 2019. But then of course the COVID-19 pandemic came soon after, and many of the stores have since re-closed and a number of people had to be let go. For example, our local travel store (in Bath, England) went from a Thomas Cook to a Hays Travel to being empty again in about a year’s time. It will be interesting to see what will happen with traditional travel agencies like this as international travel goes back to 2019 levels and if they will continue to flourish in the face of online competitors.

Ruth Deeks Post author

March 21, 2021 at 8:39 am

Very interesting. My parents who were Baptist missionaries in India had told me that Thomas Cook was a Baptist and gave a special rate to missionaries travelling by boat to and from India, the journey taking 5 weeks approx. I am talking about the 1930s to 1950s. What a shame the The Thomas Cook co. was sold out of the family and went bankrupt.

March 21, 2021 at 9:05 am

Glad you enjoyed our article on Thomas Cook and the history of his travel business. He is an interesting man combining his religion with travel.

Yes, it is sad that the Thomas Cook business went bankrupt. Sadly, the UK travel company which took over most of the Thomas Cook offices in the UK, Hays Travel, has now had to close many of these offices in 2020 due to the coronavirus. This has also sadly left many of the former Thomas Cook employees, many of which were then re-hired by Hays Travel, without a job again. It’s been a very tough couple of years for UK travel agents. Hopefully, 2021 will be a better year for them.

Uwingabire Faustine Post author

November 28, 2020 at 1:03 pm

Hello I was inspired by the theory of Thomas Cook, but wanted to know above all that why was he important in tourism industry?

November 29, 2020 at 7:05 am

Glad you enjoyed our post on Thomas Cook and learning about his life. Hopefully you found your answer about why Thomas Cook was important in the tourism industry from the article. But if not, I’d go back and read the “Why Thomas Cook was a Travel Pioneer” section as that covers a good summary of his achievements related to travel and his importance in the tourism industry.

If you have any further questions, please let me know!

Seba Campos Post author

July 30, 2020 at 6:49 pm

Hi! I am a tourism student from Argentina, I really liked your article and it was extremely revealing for me. I’m working on the Thomas Cook story.

Do you have any information about his family? Why did they decide to sell the company? Why did your son remove him from the company? Thank you so much!

August 1, 2020 at 5:28 am

Glad that you are finding my article helpful in writing your paper on Thomas Cook.

If you are looking for additional information, I’d recommend checking out one of the books about Thomas Cook such as this one by Jill Hamilton published in 2005. The books will give you more details and context than you’ll find online. You should be able to buy it online through Amazon or ebay.

The Thomas Cook company website used to have some good historical information but that information has all been removed since Thomas Cook closed in the UK.

Hope that helps, Jessica

Colin Post author

October 6, 2019 at 5:41 am

Hi Jessica, I was just searching about Thomas Cook after the recent bankruptcy as I was one of the people affected. Luckily for us, we were not on the tour and it was booked several months away, so it seems all will be well in terms of getting our money back. We also have plenty of time to rebook our holiday, so we are luckier than most.

What a great post and what a detailed history of Thomas Cook and his travel company. I have used Thomas Cook to book holidays for years and never knew anything about Thomas Cook, the man or his background. This was a very interesting read!

October 6, 2019 at 6:09 am

Sorry to hear that you were one of the people affected by the Thomas Cook bankruptcy and closure. But I am happy to hear that it sounds like you will receive a full refund for your booked trip and will have plenty of time to rebook your holiday.

So glad you enjoyed our post. Yes, the history of Thomas Cook as a person is very interesting and he was definitely a pioneer in the field of tourism. I am sure the Cook name will continue to be associated with a travel company in one way or another in the future since it is so well recognized worldwide.

Happy travels, Jessica

Eran Post author

December 26, 2018 at 10:21 pm

Hi, Great post! Towards the end of it you mention that a lot of things haven’t changed in travel. However, I think in recent years, with the rise of low-cost flights, now tourism is more reachable to all segments than ever before…

December 27, 2018 at 3:37 am

Hi Eran, Yes, it is amazing how much hasn’t changed and in other ways how much things have changed since the time of Thomas Cook!

I do think that low cost travel has enabled more people to travel, but in more recent times it is probably more due to better economic conditions in countries than things like budget airlines, as we are seeing huge increases in the number of travelers from places like India, China, and Latin America. Travel for leisure is commonplace in many countries, but still remains something for those with money as much of the world’s population can not often afford to travel internationally for leisure. According to Hans Rosling, it is estimated that only the richest 1 billion people in the world live where they can easily afford airplane tickets, and 2 billion people spend less than $2 a day.

Interesting to look at travel from a global perspective as it can be easy for Western people to take it for granted.

Alok kumar mandal Post author

August 17, 2018 at 8:15 am

very interesting and useful facts about Mr. Cook…

August 17, 2018 at 11:32 am

Hi Alok, Yes, Thomas Cook was an interesting man and we the see the effects of his legacy on modern travel all over the place, especially since we are now living in the UK. Best, Jessica

Bryant Kerr Post author

November 4, 2017 at 10:08 pm

I have a old traveling trunk that have the names Colonel Thomas Cook and Sons the other name is Lieutenant Colonel Rodger Young military number 03443 79 New Delhi does anyone know anything about this trunk

November 7, 2017 at 8:29 am

Hi Bryant, I don’t know anything about the trunk, but there is a fairly well-known American from Ohio that was in the military named Rodger Wilton Young although not sure if he was ever in New Delhi. There was also a Thomas Cook who served at the Addiscombe Military Seminary in 1837. But the Thomas Cook & Sons are probably just the ones that arranged the travel so you’ll probably have better luck tracking down Young. Best of luck!! ~ Jessica

Taranath Bohara Post author

January 31, 2017 at 5:09 am

I love this guy Thomas Cook, who helped bring affordable tourism to the world. Many people are involved and have followed his principles. He was a great who taught the lesson of tour and travel. Great blog post!

January 31, 2017 at 6:20 am

Hi Taranath, Thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes, I really love the story of Thomas Cook and I don’t think a lot of people know the influence he had on the modern tourism industry but at least his name is still carried on in the company he founded. Glad you enjoyed our article! Best, Jessica

LOUIS GEEN Post author

January 31, 2017 at 9:11 am

Could this be the same man? I am a Freemason and a member of the Port Natal Masonic Lodge in Durban, South Africa. The Lodge is almost 160 years old, having been consecrated on 12th August 1858. According to our records Thomas Cook was Master of the Lodge during the Masonic year 1883 – 1884. The Lodge is in possession of a beautiful oil painting of Thomas Cook that was donated by him to the Lodge. Until I discovered Thomas Cook’s name in the Port Natal Lodge’s records, I was not aware that the Father of Modern Tourism resided in South Africa. Could our Thomas Cook be the same man that turned tourism into the industry it has become?

January 31, 2017 at 10:22 am

Hi Louis, How interesting and thanks for commenting again on this post! It is possible of course as Thomas Cook lived from 1808-1892, but I don’t think that Thomas Cook was a freemason and I don’t remember reading about him spending time in South Africa. Thomas Cook is a fairly common name. However, I am no expert, and to find out for sure, I’d contact the Thomas Cook Group and they should be able to easily verify if the painting is of the same Thomas Cook of the travel agency. Let me know if you have any difficulty contacting them and I’d love to hear what you find out even if it turns out to be another Thomas Cook! Best Jessica

Tim Post author

June 7, 2016 at 7:22 am

Thanks for all this information on Thomas Cook! I am looking to for copy of one of the recommended books on Amazon!

travelcats Post author

June 13, 2016 at 7:30 am

Hi Tim, You are very welcome for the information on Thomas Cook. Amazing story and an important person in modern travel history and the current state of tourism. Good luck finding the book! ~ Jessica

Kerstin Post author

May 24, 2016 at 6:43 am

Meanwhile, Diccon Bewes has written a book on Cook’s Grand Tour of Switzerland, which I highly recommend to anybody interested in Victorian era travel: Slow Train to Switzerland , ISBN 9781857886092.

May 24, 2016 at 7:27 am

Hi Kerstin, Thanks for that book recommendation. I have not read it but it does have good reviews and I think it would be great for those readers interested in Thomas Cook tours to Switzerland or early mass tourism to the Alps! Best, Jessica

Louis Geen Post author

November 12, 2014 at 1:26 am

Thomas Cook was certainly an interesting character. Another interesting fact about this amazing man is that he was a Freemason and that he was Master of the Port Natal Lodge in Durban, South Africa, from 1883/1884. The Lodge now 156 years old, still exists and has in its possession a beautiful oil painting of Thomas Cook in its original gilded frame, which he donated to the Lodge.

November 15, 2014 at 9:28 am

Hi Louis, I did not know this. I don’t recall any reference to the freemasons or even South Africa during my readings and research on Thomas Cook. Do you have a reference for this for those interested in reading more about this? I couldn’t find any info about the lodge online.

Nic Post author

November 7, 2013 at 9:03 am

The quotes from Thomas Cook are great.

November 7, 2013 at 10:14 am

Agreed:) I really like the one in the green box.

Meghan Post author

November 6, 2013 at 6:24 pm

This is so interesting! I’m always so fascinated by stories about travel in the past. I recently learned that it wasn’t until the last few centuries that people began traveling for pleasure. I’ve even read that in some parts of the world, people think it is a little strange for a person to travel just because, and not for some business or personal errand. But all this information I never knew. I’ve never even heard of Thomas Cook until now. Thanks for sharing!

November 7, 2013 at 10:12 am

I know, it is so interesting to read about travels in prior centuries. That’s interesting about how some people see travel as strange today but I imagine in places where people have very little money, leisure travel is not much of a possibility.

bevchen Post author

November 5, 2013 at 11:51 pm

I knew only some of this. It’s very interesting!

November 6, 2013 at 7:20 am

Yes, it is a fascinating history.

Meredith Post author

November 5, 2013 at 9:52 pm

Wow, I had no idea! I’d heard the name but didn’t fully realize the history behind it. I feel like I owe him a big thank you! Even now there are some places in the world that would’ve been difficult for me to see without a tour group. Fascinating!

November 6, 2013 at 7:19 am

Yes, there are definitely several places in the world that make more sense with organized travel or travel guides than on your own. Thomas Cook’s company actually also helped people book unecorted independent travel and just made all the travel arrangements, allowing people to do it on their own. BTW, did you see how he was also captivated by Scotland (made me think of you).

Kate Post author

November 5, 2013 at 5:19 pm

Not only am I amazed I didn’t know any of this, but I am fascinated as to how much history there really is behind Thomas Cook!

November 5, 2013 at 7:21 pm

Yes, it really is an interesting history. The British, like Thomas Cook, were really the pioneers that started the modern tourism industry. It didn’t hurt that the British Empire stretched across the world:)

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• Home » Holiday Packages » Destination » Egyptian Extravaganza (Thomas Cook Indian Series)

Egyptian Extravaganza (Thomas Cook Indian Series)

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• 3 Nights Cairo at 5 Star Grand Nile Tower or Similar
• 3 Nights Cruise from Aswan to Luxor 5 Star Cruise
• 1 Night Luxor at 5 Star Steigenberger Achti or Similar
• Day trip to Alexandria covering Catacombs, Pompies Pillar, Photostop at Citadel and Alexandria Library, City tour of Cairo with Pyramids and Sphinx, Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids, Papyrus and Perfume factory visit, Egyptian Museum, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepshut, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Esna Lock while cruising, Edfu and Kom Ombo Temple, Aswan City tour with Philae Temple, High Dam and the amazing Abu Simble Temple. Indian meals at Cairo, All meals on board the cruise. Local lunch at Alexandria
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Extremely illogical and unethical dealing by Thomas Cook India

This is to draw the attention of all to the unethical and illogical dealing with me and my wife by Thomas Cook India. I have written this so that customers who may plan to book with TC, do so with due information. My wife and I, both senior citizens, approached Thomas Cook (TC) for a tour of Switzerland in August 2023 shown on their App. The total amount indicated was paid and all documents were given to them. We also appeared for the visa interview. In July 2023, we were informed on phone by TC that the trip has been cancelled from their end. No reason for cancellation of the tour was given. Even 10 days before the cancellation, TC sent us for visa interview perhaps knowing fully well that the tour will be cancelled. Our passports with visa stamping were returned to us. Subsequently against our request for refund, TC refunded about Rs 64000/- less than total amount paid. We demanded refund of the full amount as the trip was cancelled by TC on their own (only 14 days before departure) and we cannot be expected to pay for any services which are of no use to us and also not availed of by us due to this cancellation. All such expenses must be borne by TC themselves. Further, we had to incur expenses by way of wrong advice by TC for redemption of Fixed Deposit, travelling a number of times to TC office and Visa interview centre. In addition, the harassment caused by cancellation and inordinate delay even in partial refunds project a dismal picture of TC. After considerable delay and raising the matter with the highest authority in TC, they wrote that the deductions were towards TCS, Visa charges, Insurance, Telegraphic transfer (!) and gateway link charges (!) and that Insurance and Telegraphic transfer charges would be refunded through credit note valid for 6 months (!) (that is arm twisting for booking another trip and perhaps lose more money). Then they wrote that they will refund a paltry amount of about Rs 16000/- as goodwill gesture and wanted a blank cheque of my account. When I pointed out that they can easily process the refund based on the data using which they had processed partial refund earlier, they still insisted on Account Holder Name, Mode of payment, Bank Name, Bank Account No., IFSC Code, Branch State, which I have refused to give them. It appears that TC is trying to collect more information about my account for unknown reasons. Till date no further refund has been processed. Under reviews regarding TC, more similar incidents have been reported.

Date of experience : July 28, 2023

We are in day 1 of a Hong Kong Macau…

We are in day 1 of a Hong Kong Macau package and it could not start worse. I will be writing review day by day so that customers can know the reality. We arrived at hotel by 12 noon and we could not check in at hotel even after waiting for 3 hours. So imagine taking an overnight flight and then sitting hotel lobby for hours. The hotel selected Is also terrible in servic. They never heard Gandhiji say customers are not nuisance but very purpose or business!

Date of experience : November 10, 2023

The tour overall was okay

The tour overall was okay. My tour started on 30 May 2018 from Paris, France and ended on 10 June 2018 in Germany. I had a good experience on tour including food, hotels. Everything was quite good. Our tour manager Mr Abhijit Pradhan was not a bad person. Although his knowledge of all the places we visited is good. He was always with a group from a morning at breakfast till we finish our dinner. I thank Thomas cook and tour manager, Mr Abhijit, for such a good experience. Everything is good but my thinking is that female person are given special importance but gents travelling alone are neglected because when ladies buy expensive ladies items Thomas Cook gets commission from that. They neglect solo travellers and behave badly with them.

Date of experience : April 23, 2021

Overall very rough experience for the…

Overall very rough experience for the amount of money spent. On my Europe tour and hotels didn’t had elevators. Tour manager was rude with lot of attitude. He will says complain to the company if you have any problems. He was unfit and tired. Always coughing. Looks like he was out of his strength. Please have younger and fit people to guide the tour. Back office didn’t handle bookings correctly. Very messed up tour company. Only there to make money.

Date of experience : May 10, 2023

Purchased a Multicurrency card and some…

Purchased a Multicurrency card and some Forex from their app on my IPhone. It’s been over a week and I’ve revived no updates. I’ve reached out to their service centre multiple times and was assured callbacks which I never received. Even emailing them has not helped. Basically unnecessary stress before travel. Will avoid it in the future.

Date of experience : September 07, 2023

Thomas Cook is not a very comfortable…

Thomas Cook is not a very comfortable company to plan a vacation with. Reasons- 1)They are very difficult to communicate with. 2)They are very rigid. 3)As soon as the full payment is made,they break all contacts and do not respond to any request for contact. 4)On reaching the destination you are left at the mercy of the local representative who may or may not respond to your calls. 5)They don’t provide and contact number of their representative in India so no chances of asking for any help from the company. My personal experience- 1)All of the above Plus 2)On reaching the destination,the number of the local representative was switched off and since i wasn’t provided any number of their Indian Representative,i had to keep searching for the pick up vehicle by running here and there. 2)Their guide for city tour disappeared after the first stop of city tour. Conclusion- It’s an advise to not take any packages from Thomas Cook.

Date of experience : June 11, 2023

THOMAS COOK IS SCAM

Thomas Cook India is a scam, and nobody should use its services. They will steal all of your money, and cancel the trip at the end sighting visa issues. This company should be made illegal and every single fraudulent person involved in this should face severe legal actions.

Date of experience : October 01, 2022

We had taken 5 days package to…

We had taken 5 days package to singapore in July 2023. Firstly they make us book on same day of enquiry saying discount n 1 day free hotel stay in our home place after we are back from trip. After booking no such sort of complimentary hotel book was given n no response from them regarding the same. About the package it was badly managed the hotel timing and airport pick up even after repeated request they kept saying its done but timings was not changed. We had to take shelter at MC Donald's till hotel staff gave us room ..that hotel even lacked the lobby to sit. Such a pathecti management from them,it's like loading n unloading goat's at sight seeing and also their staff kept changing n every new agent was unaware about the bookings and committed discount and complimentary stay.. they just want the booking tobe done from their end n earn commissions....manager tharneesh is a big waste guy dint even respond to my repeated calls. Never book ur vacations with these guys .it's such a waste of money n u end up frustrated than being happy in ur vacations.

Date of experience : July 04, 2023

Thomas Cook is a crook …

Thomas Cook is a crook company and should be avoided at all cost. Especially at the airport they will check your passport and visa if they are the immigration official. They just want you harass the foreign nationals. Their customer service is zero. This company should be avoided at all cost.

Date of experience : December 07, 2022

Thomas cook is c grade agent one can…

Thomas cook is c grade agent one can say there is zero responsive once you pay the money i had a worst experience with thomas cook because i has two tour with them one visa got rejected and after that they deducted almost 50k from the amount that i had paid they took almost a month after the completion of the tour date for the refund and one advise never give them money before you get the visa other wise they will thief your money. In a single word thomas cook is thief company .#chorcompany#chindicompany#

Date of experience : October 18, 2022

I took a customized individualized…

I took a customized individualized package for my family ( total 3 pax) of japan. I don't what they understood when I asked for a customized tour may be they meant everything to be done on own by their customers . It was pathetic . They contacted another agency in japan who in turn contacted another supplier in tokyo and arranged customized tour to be done by the customer. Other than hotel rooms plus pick up and drop plus few travel here and there nothing else they provided. The managers of thomas cook in india ate up money which I paid in lots and lots gave nothing away as service . May be they all want to get a free holiday for meeting their target . I was one of their victim of target practice. If I could give minus stars I would do so . Don't ever take any holiday packages from thomas cook in india. If you want details of my bad experience please contact me or email me so that when you book a holiday from thomas cook I can guide you how they cheat you. Dr Ganapathi P Medical director Mangala hospital and kidney foundation Vajra hills Kadri Mangalore Karnataka state

Date of experience : September 17, 2023

More documentation (they completely start making up requirements) than is required by the gov/RBI. Maximum charges when compared to others

Date of experience : February 12, 2024

Worst experience

Experience was bad, I have been following up on my card activation and even after 24 hrs i am been transfered from team to another and to brand. Their support was pathetic, On speaking one of their support agent whose name was Nikhil Singh, He mentioned he cannot help and only brand can help, Upon asking to connect me to his manger ( Yeshvi Modi), he mentioned she is not available to connect. No body is their to take the owner and they are just routing the customer who have trusted their brand for the forex needs from one person to another. i urge people to not use their service for any forex needs or any International travel

Date of experience : February 12, 2022

The BIGGEST Online tour scammer

The BIGGEST Online tour scammer I have ever experienced in my 35 years. I got to know about this fraud company from newspaper and approached them for a vacation to Dubai for 5 nights. They have sent me an attractive proposal and promised to cover everything and called FULLY LOADED PACKAGE Including Breakfast and Dinner and charged me 1.4 Lakhs only for ticket, stay in a 3 star hotel and some useless tour which was absolutely different from the proposed one. The WORST thing is these cheap guys never shared the travel vouchers like actual itinerary until my travel date. So it's quite natural, you wont get time to review the details. People, if you are new to travel or first time traveling somewhere.. whatever the situation is PLEASE DO NOT CONSIDER OR THINK ABOUT THOMAS COOK AT ALL. They will LOOT YOU and CHEAT YOU from every angle of your tour. You can think of local operators for effortless travel experience.

Date of experience : April 12, 2021

😡😡😡😡 irresponsible and poor management

😡😡😡😡I travelled to maldives from 17/01/21to 20/01/21 and stayed at Hardrock resort of maldives. Packages done by Mr. Nishit from thomas cook harzratganj lucknow branch. When we reached to male airport no one was there for entertain me as per Thomas Cook policy. Even hardrock hotel management didn't have any prior confirmation of my arrival. (Unhone meri booking ko hi deny kr dya tha) . After that I tried call to nishit and his team first they didn't respond. Then after told me to give sometime then call me back. But till now no one called me back. I talked wilth hotel management and sorted out the things. They have very irresponsible behaviour, poor services and management also. I was very disappointed with the service of thomas cook. I don't want to recommend any one who wants to travel through thomas cook. Thank yo

Date of experience : April 10, 2021

Big name with poor sense of service approach

Big name with poor sense of service. Motivated for profiteering at the cost of the clients. Collect money for tour packages, outsource to other vendors. Do not hold accountable for non performance by the vendor. Stay silent without answer, block clients from tweeting. Misappropriates the estimates at their advantage. My worst experience with Chardham yatra by Helicopter on 19th June 2023. Took Rs.1.97,400/- per person Ex Dehradun. Vendor completed 2 dhamas, Ended tour halfway due to bad weather, saying nearly 50% will be refunded. 2 Heli rides done with 3 left out heli services and 2 Dhamas (Badri and Kedar). No initiation for refund from their side. On contact, offering only Rs. 50,000/-, for which they quote 1.25 lakhs fresh. Appropriate Rs. 1,47,400/- for their expenses without showing budget estimates.How is it logical/rational on equity terms for senior citizens like us? Till now, no REFUND. The horrible part is that they simply ignore and forget to take a feedback or contact from their side to know about the status of the journey of their clients. The booking agents are completely ignorant and without having any professional knowledge to deal with clients without any knowledge on the trip. The company engages itself to play hide and seek game by blocking the clients from the social webs and tries to show it's clean face before others. This is pure suppression of facts about it's dirty culture of harassing customers without resolving the issues and timely non-payment of refunds.

Date of experience : June 19, 2023

Thomas Cook India Ladakh premium customized tour

Thomas Cook India Ladakh premium customized tour for 2 adults in the month of May 2022 was disastrous. This has happened despite repeated following for reconfirmation before the tour. Callous attitude. One should be cautious about glamorous publicity. They only mislead. Even after reporting mishandling, their attitude was disgusting.

Date of experience : July 19, 2022

Absolute cheats

I would advise never book with thomascook. They don't listen to the customers and say a bunch of lies. I had recently booked a package Charismatic Ladakh with Thomas cook for June 21 2022. We were assured that this would be a group of 10 people and we would be travelling by a tempo traveler. We being a group of 3 adults didn't want to travel with 2 other adults in an Innova and we had made it clear to them. At the time of receiving the travel vouchers, we were assigned to a group of 5 people with an Innova. Even on repeated requests and even our willingness to pay extra for a separate vehicle, the answer we get from them is that they can't do anything about it. They are not willing to make any efforts to make the trip enjoyable for us. I would recommend go with a local travel agent rather than Thomas cook who will at least listen to you.

Date of experience : June 17, 2022

Exquisite Turkey tour 22 - 30 Sep 2023 …

We recently joined the Turkey tour from 22 - 30 Sep2023. Though with mixed feelings we completed the tour with some great memories. Lots of various Turkish cuisines. Tour somewhat went well but definitely could have been better with some places which needs to be tweaked. Our Tour Guide Padmini Mane was not very capable of handling though the actual Tour guide expert Furkan handled the group and we were more comfortable with him. It was so frustrating that on the very first day we were stranded at the Airport outside gate 14 and no one was there to pick us up. Somehow I reported to my Travel Agent Bains Travel from Canada and they instantly called and gave me the travel agent number. Padmini did not contact nor send me any mail to inform nor she whatsapp me. This is surely not accepted handling international passengers for this tour. Padmini instead was mostly staying a bit away from group. She used to tell us the itinerary for next day at the very last minute. There was a favouritism going with a Gujarati family. Where for every stop the time was deliberately lenient for that family. Even at Cappadocia they were given better lower level rooms at cave Hotel. Though I told her about this , she kept quiet. Overall the tour had so much to see but it was very very hectic, Waking up 2 am almost few days were always not very welcomed by the group. Food comments were good, restaurants were mixed. On the last day after Bosphorous Tour we were standing for quite sometime and they finally took us to Hilton restaurant Dubb at a very early dinner, though we had lunch at 3 30 pm and then dinner at 6 30. This period needs a bit of a reshuffle for future tours. Another issue we faced, that the Gujrati family were given priority to get the front seats on all days. This rotation of seats on a daily basis should be given priority on a long bus journey where every traveller from a family with a different age group, especially seniors, should be given a fair chance. Padmini did not give any attention. On one of the journeys I got a solo seat and my wife got a corner last seat which was not welcomed at all. Better professionalism expected in future from the Tour coordinator / guide.

Date of experience : September 21, 2023

Fraudulent service providers

Worse experience ever. I bought a package from them and I’m the last minute they said that hotels are sold and asked to pay 12k extra . Even after that they changed my itenerary without my permission. Kindly do not trust them

Date of experience : May 15, 2023

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Moscow Tours

The glorious capital of mother Russia

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Moscow Tours overview

Our private Moscow city tours allow travellers the benefit of an expert tour guide with you in every step. All you have to do is take it all in and enjoy. Explore a city born from an imperial past, yet an enduring symbol of Soviet Russia. This is a city between two worlds. When you visit Moscow , you will see how its art and architecture reflects a crossroad between Europe and Asia. Moscow revels in the centuries of comings and goings of great minds that have called this world-renowned metropolis home.

Moscow Travel Highlights:

• Rich in history and culture, reveals some amazing stories. Our captivating Moscow tours have a way of bringing the past to life as you follow a Soviet trail through the city
• Explore numerous world-class historical and contemporary art galleries and museums in Moscow , including the Tretyakov State Gallery, the Pushkin Museum, the Moscow Museum of Modern Art, and many more

Moscow holds the World's Best of Jaw-dropping Art

• Be enthralled by the monumental architecture of famous churches and iconic buildings, such as the Kremlin, the Red Square, and Saint Basil’s Cathedral
• Experience the magnificent Moscow Metro, whose grandiose architecture, intricate mosaics, and dramatic sculptures have made it a must-see attraction when travelling Russia
• Indulge yourself in one of their many famous theatre art performances, whether it be an opera or ballet performance in the glamorous Bolshoi Theatre or a post-drama or comedy production in the Gogol Centre

Captivating Adventures to Experience in Moscow

• Take a Moscow river cruise along the mighty Volga River for a unique perspective into exploring Russia’s hidden gems and treasures
• Feast on exotic Russian cuisines while strolling through the street markets or at a fine dining restaurant, and enjoy countless specialty stores sampling vodka, caviar, and chocolate
• Shop to your heart’s desire in Moscow’s two most lavished shopping centres, GUM and TSUM, where items range from the most glamorous high-end fashion brands, art, and jewellery to antiques and traditional handicrafts

Must-Visit Moscow Landmarks

The Red Square, Saint Basil’s Cathedral, and The Kremlin top every visitor’s list. These iconic buildings have defined Russia for centuries, but Moscow’s culture doesn’t stop there. Visit Izmailovsky Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world (six times larger than New York’s Central Park) or marvel at the Ostankino Tower, once the tallest structure on earth. Chase down real adventure and ride the Moscow Metro for a true taste of Russia in what visitors call part bomb shelter, part art gallery.

Moscow is an elite paradise with the highest concentration of billionaires on the planet, so nothing is off-limits. Moscow is full of history and possibility – both a political hub and billionaire playground. Visit Moscow and decide for yourself what this dynamic city means to you. Explore the expertly designed Moscow tour packages below for some more inspiration.

Explore Moscow Tours

Moscow Vibes – Three Day City Escape

This handcrafted Moscow tour is perfectly planned weekend exploration of Russia capital's most famous tourist attractions. You will enjoy a panoramic tour of this magnificent city, will explore mighty Kremlin and Red Square and indulge in world-famed Moscow metro and Arbat street.

Classic Moscow - Art, History and Culture

Breathe in the history of Moscow, explore its Imperial and soviet past, dynamic contemporary culture and lifestyle. On this 5-day tour of Moscow, you'll visit the must-see sights with your private guide and explore the city at your own pace.

Highlights of Moscow & St Petersburg

Immerse yourself in the art, history and culture of Russia and explore the contrasting styles of Moscow and St Petersburg in just one week. Experience the iconic landmarks of Moscow, then, take a fast train to Saint Petersburg, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.

Moscow and St Petersburg in Style

This carefully crafted 9-day itinerary tells the tale of two cities – Moscow, the source of Eastern political, economic and spiritual influence, and St Petersburg – Russia’s cultural epicentre and window to Western Europe.

Moscow, St Petersburg and Golden Ring Rendezvous

This tour of Moscow, St. Petersburg and the Golden Ring explores the places that shaped Russia’s history – past, present and future. Uncover Moscow’s ongoing revolutionary spirit, before journeying back in time to rural, medieval Russia. End in St Petersburg, a city of royal splendour and undeniable romance.

Moscow & St Petersburg Winter Escapade

Experience the romantic, winter wonderland atmosphere and festive city lights of Russia’s two biggest cities and celebrate the New Year! You’ll discover some of the cities' most iconic attractions and lesser-known gems.

Northern Lights in Russia: Arctic Winter Magic

Explore main sights of mighty Moscow and cultural capital of Russia - Saint Petersburg. Head to Karelia, where we’ll stop to admire the Ruskeala Mountain Park and historic Kizhi Island. Discover the customs of the indigenous Saami in Kola Peninsula and observe Aurora Borealis dancing in the sky.

A custom tour made to order

We understand sometimes our set departure dates do not align with your ability to travel at that time, or you just want to travel bespoke. We got you covered.

Go custom — gives you the choice & flexibility of creating your own bespoke itinerary, using our tours for inspiration.

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THE 10 BEST Moscow City Tours

City tours in moscow.

• Private Tours
• Walking Tours
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for Couples
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Kids
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Adventurous
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Moscow Private Tours

2. Moscow through the Eyes of an Engineer

3. Moscow Free Tour

4. Spanish Guide Moscow - Day Tours

5. Bridge to Moscow

6. Go Russia Travel Company

7. Privilege Tour

8. Put-in Tours

9. Moscow Navigator

10. Walks With Folks

11. Moskovskiye Gulyaki

12. Moscow Bike Tours

13. Happy Moscow Tours

14. MoscowMe

15. Tour of Moscow - Day Tours

16. Kremlin Tour

17. IdeaGuide - Your Personal Guide in Moscow

18. Tsar Visit

19. VikiTours

20. Moscow Greeter

21. Excursions in Russia

22. Tour Gratis Moscu

23. Tour-Moscow

24. Gorodskoi Voyazh

25. Moscow 360

26. Rusiatourmoscu

27. Gulyayem po Moskve

28. Express to Russia

29. Russia With Love

30. Angel Taxi - Day Tour

What travelers are saying

• Put-in Tours
• Spanish Guide Moscow - Day Tours
• Walks With Folks
• Happy Moscow Tours
• IdeaGuide - Your Personal Guide in Moscow
• Moscow Private Tours
• Tour Gratis Moscu
• Moscow Free Tour
• YourLocalGuide Moscow
• Moscow Bike Tours
• Moscow Navigator
• Moscow through the Eyes of an Engineer
• Angel Taxi - Day Tour
• Your Moscow Guide & Driver
• Excursions in Russia
• Vadim Pavlov Guide and Driver in Moscow