Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook was an English businessman who founded the travel agency Thomas Cook & Son and developed the 'package tour' concept.

Entrepreneur

November 22, 1808

July 18, 1892

83

Thomas Cook (22 November 1808 – 18 July 1892) was a pioneering English entrepreneur who established the travel agency “Thomas Cook & Son” and played a crucial role in developing the concept of commercial package tours in the mid-19th century. Cook transformed the travel sector by making it affordable and accessible to a wider audience. Some of his notable achievements include the creation of his travel agency, the publication of travel guides, and the founding of a railway catering company. Additionally, Cook was a fervent supporter of social justice and workers’ rights, arranging railway trips for trade union members and refusing to collaborate with businesses that mistreated their employees.