Tourism: interesting facts. Interesting facts about tourism Interesting facts about travel and tourism

These world attractions do not need any introduction; everyone has seen and knows them, even if only from photos and descriptions on the Internet. But few people know their little secrets, which guides and guidebooks don’t always tell you about.

1. Stonehenge

Now it seems unthinkable, but 100 years ago Stonehenge was sold at auction for 6,600 pounds sterling (today, that's almost half a million pounds, or 777.5 thousand dollars). The buyer was Cecil Chubb, who decided to make an original gift for his wife. But she did not appreciate the monument, so after 3 years it was “re-gifted” to England, and the generous husband was awarded the title of baronet.

2. Sydney Opera House

In 1980, culture gave way to bodybuilding: here half-naked bodybuilders, participants in the global Mr. Olympia competition, paraded in front of an enthusiastic audience. And then 33-year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger won for the seventh (and last) time in his career.

3. Tower Bridge

In 1952, it began to get divorced, when a double-decker bus on the regular London route No. 78 was still traveling along it. The driver, Albert Ganton, was not taken aback - he picked up speed and flew to the other half of the bridge through the meter-wide gap that had formed.

For his courage, Albert was awarded a 10-pound bonus (approximately 250 pounds, or 26,000 rubles in today's money).

4. Hermitage

The Hermitage cats are known in Russia no less than the great exhibits of this St. Petersburg museum, but foreign tourists, as a rule, are hearing about them for the first time. These are full-fledged museum workers - the Life Guards of the Winter Palace, protecting works of art from mice and rats.

Cats are prohibited from roaming the museum halls, but they live and hunt in the dry and warm basement of the palace, which is called the “big cat”. Each of the fifty furry inhabitants of the Hermitage has its own bowl, tray and basket for sleeping, and all are under veterinary supervision. By the way, you can become the owner of a Hermitage cat with the right to free access to local exhibition halls for life.

5. Statue of Liberty

The world-famous “symbol of freedom and democracy” has forever retained the appearance of two real women. It is believed that the face of the statue belongs to the mother of the sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, and the body to his mistress.

6. Eiffel Tower

When the Nazis occupied France in 1940, Parisians cut the tower's elevator cables, so German soldiers had to climb the structure to hoist the swastika flag of the Third Reich to the top. But gigantomania failed: within a couple of hours the huge banner was blown away by the wind. The soldiers were sent upstairs again, this time with a smaller flag.

And in the summer of 1944, by order of Hitler, the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be blown up, and all of Paris was to be razed to the ground, but, fortunately, the military commandant, German General Dietrich von Choltitz, disobeyed and saved the city by surrendering to the French liberation forces.

7. Taj Mahal

22,000 people and 1,000 elephants worked on the construction of the mausoleum-mosque in Agra, India; the work took 17 years. Moreover, the padishah Shah Jahan, who ordered the construction of the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife, who died during the birth of her 14th child, planned to build another similar mausoleum on the opposite bank of the river - from black marble.

8. Mount Everest

Imagine, " highest peak world" is not actually the most high mountain on Earth, measured from base to peak. Everest is inferior in this sense to the Hawaiian volcano Mauna Kea (8,848 meters versus 10,203 meters). The difference is that most of volcano is hidden under water. So, in terms of height above sea level, Everest will really be the winner.

Trips

If your family loves leisure, then you, of course, will not refuse a trip to nature. Regardless of where exactly you are going - to the lake, to the forest or to the mountains, you will discover a lot of new interesting things.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with a few facts about outdoor recreation. Which of them did you know before?

Amazing facts about wilderness holidays

Crickets can detect temperature

In order to determine how cold it is outside the window, you don’t have to buy expensive gadgets. In spring and summer, all you need to do is listen to the chirping of crickets.

Just count the number of sounds you hear in 14 seconds, add 40 to that number and get the air temperature in Fahrenheit.

Lyme disease is no joke

With Lyme disease, a person experiences unpleasant symptoms that do not appear immediately. This disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected Ixodid tick. Under no circumstances should the disease be ignored or left untreated.

In order for a tick to infect a person, it needs to be attached to the body for up to 36 hours. Every time you return from an outdoor vacation, carefully check yourself and your loved ones for tick bites. If you find it, you should consult a doctor.

Appearances are deceptive

Often, while relaxing in nature, you can meet its inhabitants. Many of them look very cute, but to be safe, do not underestimate them.

For example, raccoons are very cute creatures that, moreover, are capable of purring just like cats, but you should not approach them in the wild. Do not forget that despite their harmless appearance, they are not tame animals.

Raccoons can steal your food and, in some cases, even carry diseases. In order to protect yourself from an unpleasant encounter, it is better to hide food and not leave trash open.

Outdoor recreation is your salvation

Many people believe that being active outdoors is good for your health. This is true, but it can also improve your emotional state and lift your mood.

During relaxation and simply being in nature, the body receives a much larger amount of oxygen, serotonin and melanin than indoors, which is why the stress level is noticeably reduced. In addition, it is not easy to remain serious and depressed for a long time when you are relaxing in a pleasant environment in the fresh air.

Outdoor recreation is the best thing we can provide to our body, mind and soul.

Beware of insects

Lives in nature besides crickets great amount various types of insects that can turn your holiday into a real challenge. Despite the fact that many of them do not pose a danger, being close to them can cause discomfort.

To protect yourself from these annoying little creatures, use insect repellent sprays and wear light-colored, calm clothing - mosquitoes and midges are clearly visible on them, and it will be easier for you to find them and get rid of them.

Don't forget to rest

If you like long hikes with tents, remember not to exhaust yourself. Stop when you feel tired. Sleep is very important in order to replenish lost energy, because without it you will not be able to continue your journey.

To sleep peacefully and comfortably, choose tents that suit the season and don’t forget to bring a pillow.

What can you eat

Eating at least a few times a day is very important, which is why you can take a variety of nuts, bars, jerky or soup and canned beans with you on your hike.

These products are stored for a long time and will perfectly replenish your energy supply for a long time.

Be careful with fire

As children, we were all taught not to play with matches—we should be guided by this during hikes and outdoor recreation. important advice. Fire lights our way and warms us on long cold nights, but we should be extremely careful.

Before starting a fire, make sure that there is water or any other means of fighting the fire within walking distance. Use it immediately if the fire gets out of control.

Manage your finances correctly

Try to spend money on things you really need – don’t skimp on a tent, food, clothing or equipment. Be sure to buy a flashlight and stock up on quality and nutritious food.

If your budget allows, purchase various little things that you think you might need.

Many people cannot imagine life without travel. It’s so interesting to visit new countries and cities, learn the culture and traditions of other peoples, and just change the scenery and take your mind off everyday problems! Traveling gives us the opportunity to expand our horizons and experience unforgettable emotions.

But it was not always so. Mass tourism appeared only in 1841; before that, only very wealthy people could afford to travel. Now almost everyone can go on a trip; there are a huge number of services that allow you to save on tickets and hotels. Even the opportunity to go to a neighboring city is already a journey.

Like any other industry, tourism has developed and continues to develop. Tourism has a long history and many interesting facts. I will write about some of them below.

Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook can easily be called the founder of tourism. And there are several reasons for this:

On July 5, 1841, Thomas Cook organized the first trip for 570 workers, and Cook himself earned absolutely nothing on this trip. He received his first income only in 1845, by organizing an excursion to the city of Liverpool. Thomas organized trips mainly around Great Britain, and only in 1855 the first trip abroad was organized, to the city of Paris;
The first circumnavigation of the world was also organized by Thomas Cook. The journey lasted 222 days;
Thomas Cook was the founder of the first tour operator, which continues to operate successfully to this day;
The first tourism magazine, The Excursionist, was published under the direction and editorship of Thomas Cook.

Comfortable tourism

You won’t believe who was the first to decide to create the most comfortable conditions for relaxation. This is... Adolf Hitler, who believed that in order to increase stress resistance and performance, a person needs to rest in comfortable conditions.

The most expensive tourist trip in the world

The most expensive tour was bought by Denis Tito, a businessman from America, in 2001. The cost of the tour was $20 million. It was a tour into space, to the International Space Station.

City with the longest name in the world

Krung Tep Maha Nakorn Amon Rattanakosin Mahanindra Ayutthaya Mahadilok Pop Noprarat Ratchatani Burirom Udomratniwet Amonpiman Avatansatip Sapkakatiya Visanukkampasit (and this is a slightly shortened version), which translated means City of Angels, great city, residence emerald buddha, an impregnable city, the great capital of the world, endowed with nine ancient stones, replete with huge royal palaces resembling a heavenly abode from which the personification of God rules, the city presented by Indra, built by Wissanukam. The name of this city is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest name settlement in the world. And so that tourists, and indeed all people in general, do not suffer when pronouncing the long name of the city, it was shortened. This is for everyone famous city Bangkok.

How Thailand became a popular holiday destination

Thailand began to gain popularity after the Vietnam War. The country was the home front and resting place for American soldiers. The soldiers really liked the nature of Thailand, and low prices holidays at the resort have become popular.

The largest swimming pool in the world

The largest pool is located, no, not V UAE, as many people think, but V San Alfonso del Mar is a resort in Chile. Pool depth 35 meters, and the length is 1 kilometer, in pool sea water.

The most "leaning tower"

And this is not Pisa, whose inclination angle is 4 degrees. And the tower, whose inclination is 12 degrees, is located in Suizhong County.

The most dangerous excursion

The most interesting and at the same time the most dangerous excursion in the world, according to many travel publications, including Forbes magazine, is an excursion to the Chernobyl nuclear power plant zone.

In Mexico, at the Eco Alberto holiday park, you can order night excursion, where you can feel like a Mexican migrant trying to cross the border into America. A night full of adventure awaits you: you will have to run a lot, crawl and hide, and overcome various obstacles.

Buy a whole state

For just $80,000 (price indicated at the beginning of 2017) you can buy the entire state of Liechtenstein. You will receive the keys to the state and will be able to have a dinner party in the palace. The whole state will be yours, but only for 24 hours.

"For memory"

We all bring from our travels various souvenirs, magnets, local delicacies, seashells or stones that are part of ancient structures. For example, in Athens the authorities are very concerned about the fate of the Parthenon. The authorities are afraid that the architectural monument will be taken away piece by piece, and have decided to hire special workers who scatter marble stones around the temple at night.

Forgotten things

Tourists often forget various things in hotels, most often clothes. IN English city A Peterborough maid discovered an urn containing ashes. To the most unusual forgotten things also include: a whole suitcase stuffed with Marvel comics, a huge stuffed parrot, an Olympic torch.

Australia and Austria

Quite often, tourists confuse the names of these two countries, and this is not surprising, because they are very similar. There are even road signs in Austria that say “No Kangaroos Here.” They also sell a lot of souvenirs with the same logo.

Traveling gnomes

In the 80s Over the years, an interesting tradition has appeared in the West. Travelers “borrowed” garden gnomes, and in their place they left a note “I want to see the world.” They took the gnomes on a trip, took a photo of the gnome against the backdrop of landmarks, and then returned it with an attached photo from the place where they were.

Kingdom of Bhutan

Despite the fact that many countries are fighting among themselves for every tourist attracted, there is a country that is against the development of mass tourism in its country. Until 1974, it was possible to enter this country only with an invitation from the royal family, that is, not at all.

Today you can visit Bhutan, but for no more than 15 days and subject to paying a daily tax, which, by the way, is quite large. You can purchase a tour to the kingdom from only a few tour operators that have a special license. In this way, rulers protect their culture and nature.

We all love to travel, but not all of us find the time or finances for it. But the facts below will help you change your mind about your vacation and find time to travel regularly.

The pilot and assistant pilot must eat different foods. It sounds quite strange, but on the other hand, if you know the reason, then everything is clear. There are only 2 pilots on the plane, and if one of them becomes ill after eating, the second one must replace him. In short, so as not to get food poisoning at the same time.
Theoretically, the chances of getting into a plane crash are very small. On average, for every American, the risk of suffering a plane crash is only 1 in 11 million. Whereas for car owners this chance is 1 in 5 million.
Everest (Chomolungma) is still growing. Yes, yes, the mountain continues to grow. Now its height is about 8850 meters. But every year it grows by another 4 mm, approximately. This is due to the movement of tectonic platforms.
Mexico City (the capital of Mexico) is sinking at 10 cm per year. Due to the fact that the city is based on “fragile” land surrounded by waters. And construction regularly puts pressure on the city's land. By the way, Mexico City is sinking 10 times faster than Venice.
Every year, airlines earn more than 640 billion dollars. By the way, there are only 600 companies in the United States, and they bring profit to their owners in the amount of 175 billion dollars. It turns out that ¼ of all global profits.
The same food tastes different on the plane and on the ground. When the plane gains altitude, the taste buds change by about a third. This is why many passengers order bloody marys; tomato juice then it doesn't seem so sour. Because of this, many airlines add salt and various spices to their menus.
American Airlines once cut its costs by $40,000 by removing just one olive from its salad. In 1980, Robert Crandall, later the head of the company, removed one olive, which ultimately saved such a large amount.
In 2003, a Boeing 727 disappeared and has not been found since. On May 25, 2003, the plane disappeared forever in flight. And to this day no one knows what happened to him. The pilot's sister says the plane crashed somewhere in Africa, in the heights.
In the United States, one in eight jobs is related to travel and tourism. This is not difficult to imagine, given the fact that there are as many as 600 airlines located there.
When you take a vacation, it reduces your risk of heart attack. According to studies, people on vacation have fewer heart attacks than those who are not on vacation.
The white streak that a plane leaves behind in the sky can be used to predict the weather. By the thickness of this line you can determine whether the air humidity is high or low. A very thick line could mean a storm is approaching.
There are special trophies that are given to pilots for very funny mistakes. There is a special museum in the USA that gave out awards to really funny pilots. So the nominees were: the pilot who hit the parked plane; a pilot who took off without checking the tank, and it was almost empty.
Money spent on travel makes people happier than money spent on material goods. It is because of this that heart attacks happen to those who travel less often.
After the first day of travel, people's stress drops by 89%. While traveling, you forget about all your problems and your stress level decreases significantly.
Travel is used in the treatment of depression. Psychologists use this method of treatment with patients suffering from depression.
Couples who travel together report increased intimacy. Traveling brings people together and revives feelings for each other.
Mercury on a plane is not good. Most aircraft are made using aluminum and it will be in your best interest not to spill mercury on board.
You won't be able to open the door of a plane while it's in the air. Even if you manage to do this, you don't have to worry about everyone falling through the door (as we often see in movies). When the plane is at the top, the doors are made in such a way that air presses against them, and they are absolutely safe. Even several very strong people will not be able to open the door of an airplane.
The United States is the only country in the world where there is no person entitled to paid vacation or holiday.
Austrians are the most socially protected country in terms of recreation. The country guarantees every worker at least 22 paid vacation days and 13 paid holiday days every year.
When you travel, you become more creative. According to research, people who travel regularly can find more creative approaches to solving a given problem.
Those who travel become smarter. Everything is simple here, as with books, the more you read, the more you learn. Visual memory works the same way and you will learn a lot of new things during your holidays.
The most popular country for tourists this is France. It is not difficult to understand that the most popular place in this country is Paris.
The most popular city In the world among tourists is Bangkok. This data is according to 2013.
A commercial airplane averages 550-580 mph. During takeoff, the speed reaches 160-180 mph. And during landing - 150-160 mph.
The busiest airport in the world is international Airport Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, USA. 95.5 million passengers and 930 thousand flights are carried out at this airport every year. Is it true new airport Dubai will accommodate up to 160 million passengers, but it is not yet in great demand.
The only place in the United States where there is a royal palace is the capital of Hawaii - Honolulu. Very a nice place in the Pacific Ocean.
Russia produces the largest amount of oxygen.
France has the largest number of time zones. Already 12.
Canada has the largest number of lakes. There are about 3 million lakes in this country. But this is not very strange, because most of the country is not densely populated.
Mongolia is the least densely populated country in the world. Only 4 people per square kilometer.
Niger has the youngest nation. This African country has the youngest population in the world by average.
The most densely populated country in the world is India. IN this moment has more than one and a half billion people.
The Principality of Monaco is smaller than Central Park New York.
The most multilingual country is Papua New Guinea.
The most intelligent country is Canada. Here, more than 50% of the population has higher education.
There are currently 61,000 people above the US skies. This is the average number of passengers on any day, at any time.

The definition of tourism includes the concept of leaving one's local area in search of new experiences. We get out of personal comfort in order to find pleasure and the same comfort somewhere there. Tourists and travelers are truly amazing people.

Denis Tito can be considered such an amazing tourist, dreamed for many years or at least made a trip there. At first he was rejected by NASA, considering him not physically fit enough. Then he had to overcome obstacles in Russia, where the Mir station, the intended destination, failed due to its operating life. Only in 2001, Tito was able to make a tourist visit to space on the Soyuz TM-32 spacecraft, a device that delivers cargo to the ISS. Denis had to pay 20 million dollars to make his dream come true. But what is this amount compared to the sensations and emotions received!

Sex tourism, as it turns out, arose a very long time ago. It became a kind of manifestation of female feminism at the beginning of the 19th century. Women, individually or in groups, traveled to “abroads” in order to indulge in pleasures with foreigners.

First economy tour was organized by the English enthusiast T. Cook in 1841. He offered poor people a ride on the train, paying one shilling for the trip. Passengers were served buns and drinks and musicians played.

This information will be of interest to lovers of gold jewelry. There are machines that sell gold in Abu Dhabi. This is the only place where such a service is offered.

Favorite place for many travelers– Thailand became a destination for mass tourist visits after the Vietnam War. During the ongoing hostilities, US Army soldiers came there to rest.

Japan lures tourists with various exotic offers. One of them is to create giant paintings of their rice sprouts. These works of art can be seen while flying over the fields in a helicopter or hot air balloon.

Who doesn't want to bring a souvenir with them? after visiting an architectural monument of antiquity. Especially it concerns tourist countries such as Greece or Italy. In order to preserve the buildings and not “offend” tourists, workers at the Parthenon Museum are asked to scatter pieces of marble at night.

For those who love an extravagant holiday, A visit to the Chernobyl zone is offered. It was recognized as “a super extravagant tourist destination where you can see something that you can’t find anywhere else on Earth.”

An ardent fan of tourism was the super-Nazi A. He believed that active travel toughens people and shapes real fighters. Who might be scared by the recent unrest in Greece? Except tourists from Europe and America. But this is not the case for the Russians.

For guests of Israel there is another attraction, in addition to historical artifacts and natural beauty. This is Harry Potter's grave. But it contains not a famous character, but an ordinary soldier of the British army who died on Israeli soil in 1939.

Tensions between countries in the Middle East affects tourism business. For example, a person whose passport contains an Israeli visa will not be able to visit neighboring Muslim countries, even if he has visas open for them.

The largest hotels have been built in America. There are two dozen of them in total. Of these largest hotel complexes seventeen are located in Las Vegas.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a movement appeared among rich youth- “wandering students.” It was a protest against the bourgeois environment in which they grew up. Young people set off on a journey to places with harsh climates and difficult conditions for survival. This is how they tried to express themselves and feel the essence of real life.

One of the most unusual items forgotten by visiting people in hotels there was an urn with ashes. She was forgotten by the man who brought the remains of his wife to scatter them in a memorial place for them. Fearing that he wouldn't make it to his destination in time during rush hour, he left the trash can on the windowsill in a hurry. He returned for her an hour later.

Wedding bustle makes you forget not only flowers or rings, but also your own children. One young couple forgot their eight-month-old baby in hotel room, thinking that his loved ones had already taken him. Seeing the absence of the baby, they immediately returned.