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Orest Kormašov, TU Associate Professor of Painting, discusses the origin of the word “tourism” in this video clip.

“1.8 million tourists visit Estonia every year and we ourselves are eager tourists, but at the same time we probably cannot even imagine where the word tourism comes from,” said Kormašov.

The term originates from the expression “Grand Tour”, which came into use in 17^th century England and referred to the tours to the Continent of young people who were rich and interested in art.

These longer tours that were taken to acquire life experience and education became of cultural-historical importance at the end of the 17^th century. Until the middle of the 19^th century a tour that lasted for months, sometimes even years, was accessible only to a select few – it required money, time and motivation.

“Also many Estonian artists went on creative development tours to Italy, among them Johann Köler and August Weitzenberg, whose works are currently on display in the KUMU Art Museum,” added Kormašov.

We are a part of a greater whole

“Whether we want to admit it or not, our outlook and attitudes here in the Occident are greatly shaped by the creation of our predecessors and art, as a visible and audible information carrier and communicator, carries the most immediate influence,” explained Kormašov.

According to Kormašov, art has always accompanied people as an everyday necessity and a natural neighbourhood, and has played an important role in self-discovery at both the individual and cultural level.

He gave an example: “No wonder our search for identity takes us mainly to the past, because in architecture, a picture, landscape design or even a common household article, the creator reflects the thoughts and beliefs of the era and we come into contact with a tangible expression of these thoughts and beliefs for ourselves.”

For the young upper class Europeans, travelling became the necessary adhesive for the interconnected application of the acquired knowledge and skills. A tour in its duration and difficulty was a suitable measure for testing one’s body, intelligence and spirit and the wholesome development of this holy trinity. Answers were also sought for the important questions of one’s own place in culture.

“In our present day, numerous buds have sprouted from the original cultural tourism – sports, food, museums, nature, medical tourism and many others,” pointed out Kormašov. “Which part of him or her a person wishes to develop through these, depends entirely on a person’s own objectives.”