Why have company tours declined in tourism popularity? (cost, facilities, allowed)

[Borntoolate85]

My father has a travel book from the '70s called Discover U.S.A, of which an important section of each chapter in the listings are tour information for various industrial and companies that allowed tours of facilities. Sure, we still have things today like microbreweries and wineries, movie studio tours, and other places like the World of Coca-Cola, but that guidebook listed companies for major corporations like Kodak, IBM, General Electric, Boeing, and U.S. Steel. Quite a few small companies offer tours, but relatively few take the time to go there. I'd imagine though that if there were behind-the-scenes tours of major companies like Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Tesla, it would certainly be interesting for a first-person, hands-on look, but those companies don't offer tours. But main question is, why aren't tours of companies as prominent as they once were?

[BOBNCHI]

Liability Lawsuits! In addition it costs money to run tours, it's all about the bottom line.

[timberline742]

Because with the internet it is 10000X easier to do it yourself. It's also part of the fun, for many.

[Jkgourmet]

Liability and security. And because visitors were a PITA and required at least on fulltime employee to play tpu4 guide. All unnecessary expenses and risks.

[rational1]

Interesting question. There are certainly issues of safety and protection of intellectual property. There are a few of these tours left, not long ago I toured the Boeing plant. A long time ago I toured a steel plant- back when there WERE steel plants.

Some of the companies you mention- nothing to see except cubicle farms.

Such tours would be highly beneficial for the young, developing an interest, in, you know, MAKING things.

These days some TV shows like How it's Made can be a bit of a substitute.

[bigbear99]

Why would a company want its competitors to see how they do things? IOW, it's about security and trade secrets.

[greatblueheron]

Too restrictive. No free time. You're in a herd instead of having individual choices.

[Hammocks Bum]

Because like in my case, I NEVER used them to begin with, but when the Internet arrived and I discovered Expedia, Traveliing plans and LIFE got easier that buttering a toast...Now there are myriads of on line places and I use them all...Who needs a Travelling Agency ??

I guess poor Folks with no Internet or Idea of the Trend of doinn it yourself and on line.

I PLAN all our trips, and those of family and friends that want advice (Not too many that needed it anymore, all up with the times)

[Dd714]

Originally Posted by Hammocks Bum

Because like in my case, I NEVER used them to begin with, but when the Internet arrived and I discovered Expedia, Traveliing plans and LIFE got easier that buttering a toast...Now there are myriads of on line places and I use them all...Who needs a Travelling Agency ??

I guess poor Folks with no Internet or Idea of the Trend of doinn it yourself and on line.

I PLAN all our trips, and those of family and friends that want advice (Not too many that needed it anymore, all up with the times)

I think the topic is confusing. OP is referring to COMPANY TOURS, not TOUR COMPANIES.

[Stripes17]

Many companies that do these tours have taken them out of the "factory" and set them in artificial environments; i.e. Hershey's Chocolate World, etc.

I have no interest in a mock up facility. I'd like to see the real thing.