1. Tony Jannus– piloted the first ever commercial flight 

Where would we be without planes eh?  Probably on some boat in the middle of the ocean,  wondering if we’ll ever see dry land again. I think it’s safe to say that for the most of us the whole flying option is much more preferable. Subsequently we have a lot to thank Tony Jannus for, an American who piloted the first ever commercial flight with a paying customer in 1914.

2. Thomas Cook– pioneer of the package holiday 

Mr Cooks legacy as the pioneer of package holidays goes back all the way to 1841 where he spotted a massive gap in the market and organised a 12 mile return trip to Loughborough. With a solid concept the business continually blossomed and from here the package holiday was born. Thankfully Thomas Cook has progressed past the 12 mile mark and now offers trips of all varieties right across Europe, encouraging us all to ‘don’t just book it, Thomas Cook it’.

3. Anaximander– inventor of the map

Have you ever stopped and thought what life would be like without any form of map? Pretty damn hard I’d imagine, especially for the orientationally challenged such as myself (the struggle is real). Luckily Anaximander (610-546 BC) had the clever idea of documenting the world in the form of a map. Whilst his drawing was not all that accurate he played a pivotal role in the progression of geography and global representation.

4. Richard Schirrmann– founder of youth hostels 

Richard Schirrmann’s concept of youth hostels was inspired during the Western Front Christmas Truce in 1915 where French and German troops ceased fire and made peace just for the day. Schirrmann was amazed at the way that people from completely different backgrounds, against all odds, could come together in one place and make friends. In 1919 he developed this concept and created the youth hostel, a gathering place for young people from across the globe.

5. Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia– creators of Airbnb

With a shortage of rent money and hotels fully booked in San Francisco Chesky and Gebbia had the savvy idea of purchasing three air mattresses. From here the concept of ‘air bed and breakfast’ was born. Now with over 2 million listings in over 34,000 cities across the world it’s safe to say that it’s been a success, offering a unique opportunity to enter and share a strangers a home.