This volume investigates the evolution of tourism as a global phenomenon by examining its historical development, socioeconomic impacts, and cultural significance. The editors, Eric G. E. Zuelow and Kevin J. James, compile contributions from leading scholars to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding how travel has transformed from an elite pursuit into a mass industry. The text synthesizes diverse historical methodologies to analyze the intersection of mobility, identity, and economic development across various centuries and regions.

Experts recognize this handbook as a foundational reference for historians and social scientists interested in the study of mobility and leisure. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the rigorous scholarly approach applied to each thematic section.