Shipping, like the railways, had made a significant contribution to travel during the nineteenth century. While railways were responsible for inland travel, especially in Europe, the steamship crossed the boundaries and made strides in inter-continental travel. The shipping technology made a number of innovations in the nineteenth century.
In America a number of sailing ships were built which were considered to be superior to those built in England or elsewhere. The English felt a great need for improved communications across the Atlantic with America for the purpose of trade and passenger transportation. As a result of this there were great strides in the development of deep sea shipping.
The history of the Canard Steamship Company in England demonstrates important features in the growth of North Atlantic Shipping. A subsidy in the form of an award of the mail contract represented a recurring theme in the development of passenger transportation.
Image Source : upload.wikimedia.org
ADVERTISEMENTS:
With the passage of time, toward the last quarter of the nineteenth century, emigrant traffic became an important factor in North Atlantic travel.
America was considered at this time the ‘new world’ full of opportunities and fortunes for people in Europe. A great number of people from the continent started going to America in search of fortune. First Great Britain, and later Germany, along with other countries, became the principal generators of emigrants to the new world.
Channel crossing between some European countries and England by ferry service or hovercraft has been a profitable business for many ferry companies.
This could be attributed to the general growth of tourism in the region, lower prices due to competition as also shorter journey time. Increase in the private car ownership in the region is another very important factor in the success of short sea voyages.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Transportation is very vital to the success of both domestic and international tourism. Mass tourism, as it is known internationally could not have existed without inexpensive and easily accessible transportation.
Almost all the destinations in the world depend a great deal on efficient means of transportation being made available to tourists. The choice of a particular mode of transport, however, depends on several factors. Many theories have been put forward on mode selection decision processes. The choices of selection of mode of transport are affected by the following factors:
- Distance and time
- Comfort
- Safety and utility
- Availability and frequency
- Comparative cost price
- Ground services
- Status and prestige
- Geographical position and isolation
- Departure/arrival times
- Level of competition between services
The relative importance of the above factors, upon selection of different modes will, however, vary from one visitor type to another.