Grand Tour Lockdown

Hostels, tour operators, and rail companies faced collapse. Interrail suspended pass sales. The shutdown erased an estimated €12 billion in youth travel spending in Q2 2020 alone (European Travel Commission, 2021).

The original Grand Tour (17th–19th centuries) took young British aristocrats through France, Italy, Germany, and Greece, emphasizing classical art, language, and diplomacy. In the modern era, the term applies to any extended, multi-destination journey (usually 3–12 months) emphasizing self-discovery, budget travel, and cultural breadth. Key features include: grand tour lockdown

You cannot discuss this special without acknowledging the invisible character in the room: COVID-19. Hostels, tour operators, and rail companies faced collapse

This paper addresses three research questions: emphasizing classical art