The main objective of this research is to study development of the Lithuanian system of tourism and activity of the organizations of tourism during three periods: the interwar period (1918 - 1940), a war time (1940 - 1944) and the period during the second Soviet occupation (1944 - 1990). Tourism is activity in which people are engaged in travel away from home first of all for pleasure and it was popular in all times. The first organization of tourism in the world was established in the middle of the XIX century. Because of a long rule of the Russian empire, the opportunity to develop this system in Lithuania was received only during the interwar period. The support of the Lithuanian government wasn’t substantial. It had decreed some laws that set the rules how to manage resorts, historical monuments and other tourist attractions; prepared construction plans for the new hotels and started advertising Lithuania in foreign countries. But there wasn’t any organization that could coordinate and administrate all the system of tourism. The first organization in Lithuania The Lithuanian union of tourism was established 25th of April in 1929. It has been reorganized some times up to 1935 when representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, Šaulių sąjungos and others have formed the headquarters. The Lithuanian union of tourism became the strong organized establishment. The main objective of this organization was... [to full text]