GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 319
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
International tourism has become a huge industry in the world. Some people think that the problems caused by international tourism outweigh the benefits.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Answer 1:
In recent years, international tourism has experienced exponential growth, transforming it into a thriving industry with numerous economic and cultural implications. While some argue that the problems associated with international tourism overshadow its benefits, I firmly disagree and believe that the advantages it brings far outweigh the drawbacks.
First and foremost, international tourism generates substantial economic benefits for both host countries and tourists home countries. The influx of foreign visitors stimulates local businesses, creates employment opportunities, and contributes to the growth of various sectors, including hospitality, transportation, and entertainment. Additionally, tourist spending on accommodation, dining, and attractions generates tax revenues that can be invested in infrastructure development and public services. For instance, the city of Barcelona in Spain has experienced remarkable economic growth due to international tourism. The influx of millions of visitors each year has revitalised the local economy, particularly in sectors such as hospitality, retail, and transportation.
Furthermore, international tourism plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting cultural heritage. As tourists visit new destinations, they are exposed to diverse traditions, customs, and historical sites. This cultural interaction fosters mutual understanding, appreciation, and respect for different societies, contributing to the preservation and revitalization of local cultures.
While it is true that international tourism can pose challenges, such as overcrowding and strain on resources, these issues can be effectively managed through sustainable tourism practices. Implementing regulations to control visitor numbers, promoting responsible tourism behaviour, and investing in sustainable infrastructure are crucial steps towards mitigating the negative impacts. By adopting these measures, host countries can strike a balance between maximizing the benefits of tourism and minimizing its potential drawbacks.
In conclusion, the benefits brought about by international tourism are substantial and wide-ranging. From economic growth and job creation to cultural preservation and mutual understanding, international tourism positively impacts host countries and the global community. While challenges exist, they can be addressed through sustainable practices. Therefore, the problems associated with international tourism outweigh its benefits.
Model Answer 2: [Disagreement]
Global tourism proves to be a massive industry on the planet. Although many people believe that the issues like environmental damages caused by international tourism nullify the advantages, this essay disagrees with this notion because it has far more benefits than drawbacks.
International tourism suffers from various negative environmental externalities. The adverse impacts on the atmosphere occur when the number of tourists in a destination exceeds the environment’s ability. In fact, current tourism form has affected local environments across the world by depleting natural resources through deforestation and water use, and by contributing to global warming, soil erosion, and natural habitat loss. Tourism, for example, contributes to more than 7 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, this essay believes that any problems caused by global tourism cannot outweigh the benefits because of its employment-generating power.
The advantage of global tourism is that it is an engine for the global economy. In simple words, this industry supports a dynamic economy, engaging people in every country, and across a diversity of sectors and skills. In all, 109 million employees work directly in the industry- not only as hotel staff, chefs, tour guides, pilots or on cruise ships, but as designers, accountants, and engineers for tourism companies, or supporting the sector with food production, handicraft making or laundry services. A further 194 million people are indirectly dependent on the industry. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the international tourism industry generates 9.9% of employment across the world. Thus, the tourism industry helps build a robust economy.
In conclusion, although international tourism can spell dire troubles for the world, one must give employment generation the top priority it deserves since it strengthens the economy. For this reason, the positives of global tourism far outnumber the negatives.
The rapid development of modern tourism is increasingly becoming the focus of modern society and authority’s concern. While some claim international expansion of tourism has a tremendous positive impact on contemporary society, in my perspective it hurts minor nations’ culture and environment as a whole.
On the one hand, nowadays tourism is the most lucrative business in the world which creates outsized income for the authority, hotel owners and so on. Modern tourism nowadays has the opportunity to support the whole county’s economy and provide a range of jobs both for the local and overseas employees. It also allocates a great portion of its income on various government-funded, socio-welfare programs to support the most vulnerable segment of our society. Many South Asian countries that used to seek international aid in the past, nowadays enjoy the developed infrastructure and abundance of job opportunities in different sectors due to providing various tourist activities to overseas guests.
Nevertheless, modern tourism has a range of unpleasant effects on the host nations’ customs and habits and the latter might simply destroy some of them by the disrespectful attitudes of the foreign visitors to some sacred places and ancient customs of the host nation.
There is plenty of evidence when overseas visitors were assaulted by locals when they wore inappropriate clothes and behaved strangely which offended local tradition or belief. Similarly, many youths in such countries have accepted the western way of life and forget about their culture. Others try to copy guest nations’ habits and spoil their own traditions. Both of the aforementioned facts leads to the disappearance of some century-long traditions of the host nations. Moreover, transporting visitors from one country to another by low-cost jets, trains and busses, require burning fossil fuel. Burning fossil fuels not only contaminated air but cause climate change and destroy the local environment.
In conclusion, although international tourism dramatically boosts a developing country’s economy, it at the same time has a tremendous negative influence on the host country’s traditions. Moreover, it affects the environment very negatively.