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Overtourism: Causes, Consequences and Solutions

Overtourism : one of the words that people use most in recent years. In effect, more and more often, tourist destinations suffer from overtourism, tourism overcrowding . Places that everyone wants to see because they are “famous”. Movie scenes shot in locations (such as Lake Braies ) that now attract hordes of tourists looking for a short trip. Simply, they stop the time for a selfie and then leave for the next famous stage. This type of mass tourism causes pollution, the devastation of nature and distress of local populations. Let’s see in detail what is overtourism, what are its causes , what are the consequences , and what can be done to avoid it.

What is overtourism?

Overtourism is a neologism that indicates the overcrowding of tourists on a holiday destination. The term was first inserted in the Oxford dictionary in 2018 and nominated as the year’s word. Overtourism, literally “too much tourism” , is a complex phenomenon that we should analyze from various points of view. In essence, we could sum up the concept in one question. Is this place affected by the presence of more tourists than the place and the inhabitants can support?

When it comes to natural tourist destinations , tourism must respect flora, fauna, and microclimate. When the destination is a city , tourism must primarily r espect residents , as well as local culture and archaeological sites . The latter in particular are small microcosms blocked in time that tourism should protect. If this doesn’t happen, we talk about overtourism, or unsustainable tourism for the place, for nature, for the people who live there.

The Causes of overtourism

More than 1.4 billion people are moving around the world every year, and they are growing at an exponential rate. The World Tourism Organisation predicts that by 2030 the international flow of tourists will exceed 2 billion . This very high number of people focus on a few tourist destinations in the world, which suffer from the excessive presence of tourists . The causes of too much tourism are many. From the famous films that make tourist destinations famous to the ease with which you can reach any corner of the world. Also, we can name the cruises that bring large quantities around the seas. We talked about cruises and their environmental impact in this article .

Cultural tourism, a new trend

A trend of the moment is tourism i nfluenced by mass culture . According to this kind of tourism, people chose the destination based on social media , influencers, television programs and films. Tourism influenced by film and TV series products, also known as film tourism , has in some cases led to real disasters. An example is what is happening in the Pacific Islands : in Thailand at Maya Bay , where the film “The Beach” was shot with Leonardo Di Caprio. Over the years, tourists who wanted to see the film set invaded the small beach. This forced the Thai government to prohibit the entry of tourists to restore the delicate balance of the beautiful bay.

The increase in low-cost air flights and cruises is certainly one of the causes of Overtourism.

The numbers published by the World Tourism Organisation (Unwto) speak for themselves. Even in Italy , we have examples of how mass tourism damages the nature and residents of cities invaded by travelers. Venice , for example, is visited by about 20 million people a year. A number a little too high for such a delicate city, devastated also by cruise ships causing pollution .

Even Florence , Capri and the Cinque Terre National Park in Liguria suffer from the excessive number of tourists arriving every year. This influx is leading the administrations of the various Italian municipalities to take steps to limit the number of revenues.

Consequences of overtourism

1 destruction of natural ecosystems.

The flora and fauna are usually the first to suffer overtourism in the most popular natural tourist destinations. In some natural destinations, environmental issues led to the destruction of entire ecosystems. Among these problems, we can mention deforestation, exploitation of the soil and pollution . But also, no policy of raising awareness and protecting natural environments. In some cases, this situation has no possibility of redemption, such as, for example, what happens to coral reefs around the world. As global warming and tourists irreparably ruined them, corals are part of a natural system that is becoming extinct.

2. Increase in the amount of waste

Another consequence of mass tourism is the large accumulation of waste that people don’t differentiate. Inevitably, it creates a major environmental problem of disposal and pollution.  Boracay Island , in the Philippines, has been closed to restore the ecosystem after years of uncontrolled tourism. The waste problem is also very important on the island of Bali , which is trying to combat it thanks to the thought of Zero waste Bali.

3. Escape and malaise of residents

Too much tourism affects mainly the locals. Across Europe, in cities like Barcelona or Venice, the phenomenon of overtourism has unleashed strong tensions from the inhabitants.  Residents complain about the rising of housing prices and rentals. In effect, they inflated them due to the spread of online platforms such as Airbnb. But also, they talked about the disappearance of small shops, replaced by tourist shops, and the inviolability of their cities. The last consequence is the escape of residents from their cities, which have become tourist theatres, thus losing their authenticity.

Solutions to overtourism for destinations

As tourist flows around the world increased, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has dedicated an entire Report to overtourism. Certainly, there is not one single solution, but many small things that we can do during our holidays . The Report thus proposes 11 strategies and 68 measures to combat excessive tourism.

Here are the 11 suggestions that tourist destinations can follow to counter the phenomenon of overtourism.

• Encourage the dispersion of tourists within the city, and even beyond the territory, suggesting the visit of lesser-known destinations and less touristic areas.
• Promote tourism in different periods (for example out of season) and at different times from the most popular.
• Create new and different itineraries and tourist attractions.
• Review and improve regulations , such as closing some overcrowded areas to traffic.
• Attract more responsible types of travelers.
• ensure the benefits of tourism to local communities, for example by increasing the number of inhabitants employed in tourism, and by involving residents in the creation of tourism experiences.
• Develop and promote experiences in the city or territory that benefit both tourists and residents.
• Increase the infrastructure and services of the resort.
• Involve the local community in tourist decisions and choices.
• Educate travelers and tell them how to be more responsible and respectful of the place.
• Monitor and measure changes.

And what can we do?

With Ecobnb we promote responsible tourism , avoiding overcrowded famous destinations and promoting the close destinations. Often we don’t know what surrounds us and which beauties we can find without necessarily taking planes that emit huge amounts of CO2. Slow and sustainable tourism offers authentic locations. These places enrich local communities and those who invest in eco-sustainable activities. The real holiday could also be for you the relaxing and unplugging holiday. You could simply recharge the energies in contact with nature. Nonetheless, remember to try and lessen as much as possible for your environmental impact.

The good news is that each of us can do our part to counteract overtourism and promote sustainable tourism.

Here’s your vademecum

Here are 5 simple ideas , a vademecum, to promote quality tourism, instead of quantity, every time we travel.

• Avoid air flights and cruises, move by train and public transport whenever you can.
• Don’t take your decisions following the mass. If everyone goes to the mountains on August 15, why don’t you choose a different date?
• Organize your holidays in an alternative way, choose authentic and less touristy destinations .
• Travel out of season : spring and autumn are beautiful and less expensive seasons.
• Respect the places you visit (here you find 40 tips to travel green ), try to live like a local”, immerse yourself in the culture of the place and make friends with the inhabitants.

Cover image: photo by Elizeu Dias via Unsplash

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Save our cities from overtourism!

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects Sample Essay

Updated On Aug 06, 2024

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Explore the IELTS Writing Task 2 cause and solution essay on the topic: "Most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects." This sample essay with vocabulary will help you craft your own sample essay.

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An IELTS Cause/Solution Essay, also known as a Problem-Solution Essay, involves discussing a problem and proposing solutions to address it. Given below is a real the IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay question. We have provided sample essays as well as an essay outline so that you can practice writing your own! Not sure how to approach IELTS Essay questions? Take a look at the guide below to learn how to write a Cause/Solution Essay Essay in the the IELTS writing .

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Read the sample essay for Most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects. What problems are caused by international tourism? Solutions to change negative attitudes?

There are several reasons why many people have a negative attitude towards international tourism. However, this can be handled by adopting possible solutions, as will now be discussed.

Firstly, the influx of foreign travellers is often associated with an increase in environmental pollution. Many tourists throw rubbish into the surroundings irresponsibly, which contributes to air, water, and soil contamination. Furthermore, there might be a growing demand for transport, decreasing the air quality at the tourist destination.

Secondly, international tourism increases the odds of spreading infectious diseases to the local community. Viruses such as Ebola and H5N1 can become a threat to the locals if an infected traveller visits their country. In Vietnam, for example, many people died after a visitor from Hong Kong carried the H5N1 virus to the country in 2003. This example makes it clear why many people are still against the development of international tourism.

However, there is a range of options that can be taken to improve the situation. One measure would be that the government should continue campaigns to raise the awareness of tourists when they pay a visit to a new land. Travellers should be encouraged to put waste into the right place or to use public transport if possible. Another remedy is that there should be medical checks at airports and borders. This is to guarantee that infected visitors should be quarantined to halt the spread of the disease.

In conclusion, negative feelings about global tourism still are common in society. However, this can be resolved by taking the above suggestions.

Useful Expressions :

• The influx of smb/smth : the fact of a lot of people, money or things arriving somewhere ==>a massive/sudden influx of visitors.
• To be associated with smth: having a connection between people or things in your mind ==>I always associate the smell of baking with my childhood.
• The odds of something: the degree to which something is likely to happen ==>The odds are that (= it is likely that) she’ll win.
• To pay a visit to somewhere
• To halt something: to stop; to make somebody/something stop ==>We are failing to halt the destruction of the rainforest.

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International tourists are now criticised mainly due to their contribution to environmental degradation. In many countries, many famous tourist destinations are now bearing the scars of vandalism committed by travellers arriving from outside. Other places of interest are also gradually being turned into which are comparable to garbage dumps, despite all attempts to reduce the amount of waste by the local community. In addition to this, many foreigners travel on a shoestring. In order to economise, many are willing to sleep on the streets in their tents, which mars the cityscape.

What local authorities can firstly do to change the behaviours of foreign tourists is through education. While advertising the beauty of an area, the media should also strive to raise the awareness of prospective travellers about protecting it. The other method is to pass stricter regulations regarding littering particularly in popular tourist places. The high effectiveness of fining litterbugs is clearly demonstrated in the example of Singapore, where one can no longer find trash in public places.

To summarise, the inhospitable feeling that the local people have for international tourists can be explained in many ways. I feel that this issue can hardly be solved by a single wave of a magic wand – it takes a great deal of effort from both the locals and the foreigners.

Useful Vocabulary:

• To shrink the world: To make the world become smaller
• People from all walks of life: people of different backgrounds
• To be greeted with dismay: to be unwelcomed
• To harbour unwelcoming attitudes towards: To oppose to
• To bear the scars of vandalism: to be vandalised.
• Travel on a shoestring: Travel with very small amount of money.
• To mar the cityscape: make the city look ugly
• Litterbug: people who throw rubbish in public places.
• Litter (v.) throw rubbish.
• The inhospitable feeling: bad feeling
• This issue can hardly be solved by a single wave of a magic wand : this issue is not easy to be dealt with.

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Nafia Zuhana is an experienced content writer and IELTS Trainer. Currently, she is guiding students who are appearing for IELTS General and Academic exams through ieltsmaterial.com. With an 8.5 score herself, she trains and provides test takers with strategies, tips, and nuances on how to crack the IELTS Exam. She holds a degree in Master of Arts – Creative Writing, Oxford Brookes University, UK. She has worked with The Hindu for over a year as an English language trainer.

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Overtourism: a growing global problem

Researcher, Lecturer and Consultant in Tourism, Ostelea - School of Tourism and Hospitality

Lecturer, School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures & Linguistics, Monash University

Professor of Tourism and International Development, University of Brighton

Disclosure statement

Claudio Milano is team member of a consortium of researchers led by Prof. Paul Peeters (NHTV), which is the recipient of European Parliament's funding to study Over-Tourism in the EU. Claudio is also co-editor with Joseph M. Cheer and Marina Novelli of (1) Overtourism: Excesses, Discontents and Measures in Travel and Tourism (To be published by CABI International in 2019) and (2) Special Issue on overtourism in the journal Tourism Planning & Development (Taylor & Francis)(2019).

Joseph M. Cheer is board member of the International Geography Union (IGU) Commission on Tourism and Leisure and Global Change and Steering Committee Member, Critical Tourism Studies Asia-Pacific. He has received Australian government research funding. Joseph is also co-editor with Claudio Milano and Marina Novelli of (1) Overtourism: Excesses, Discontents and Measures in Travel and Tourism (To be published by CAB International in 2019) and (2) Special Issue on overtourism in the journal Tourism Planning & Development (Taylor & Francis)(2019).

Marina is team member of a consortium of researchers led by Prof. Paul Peeters (NHTV), which is the recipient of European Parliament's funding to study Over-Tourism in the EU. Marina is also co-editor with Claudio Milano and Joseph Cheer of (1) Overtourism: Excesses, Discontents and Measures in Travel and Tourism (To be published by CAB International in 2019) and (2) Special Issue on overtourism in the journal Tourism Planning & Development (Taylor & Francis)(2019).

Monash University provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU.

Universitat de Lleida provides funding as a member of The Conversation ES.

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The summer holidays are in full swing – and protests against overtourism have begun ( yet again ) in a number of popular European cities. Overtourism is not a new problem.

Barcelona , in particular, is at the centre of these mounting concerns about the rapid growth of tourism in cities, especially during peak holiday periods. In fact, Destination Barcelona estimates that there were 30m overnight visitors in 2017, compared to a resident population of 1,625,137 .

But across southern Europe protests and social movements are growing in number. This has led to the formation of organisations such as the Assembly of Neighborhoods for Sustainable Tourism (ABTS) and the Network of Southern European Cities against tourism (SET) . They are at the forefront of the fight against overtourism and the impact it has on local residents.

While many tourists want to “live like a local” and have an authentic and immersive experience during their visit, the residents of many tourism-dependent destinations are seeing the unique sense of place that characterised their home towns vanish beneath a wave of souvenir shops, crowds, tour buses and rowdy bars. They are also suffering as local amenities and infrastructure are put under enormous strain.

It is a truly global issue. Other destinations where overtourism has reached disruptive proportions include Palma de Mallorca , Paris , Dubrovnik , Kyoto , Berlin , Bali and Reykjavik . Recently, Thai authorities were forced to act when the number of tourists visiting Maya Bay , the beach made famous by Danny Boyle’s film The Beach, led to shocking environmental damage .

What does overtourism look like?

We define overtourism “as the excessive growth of visitors leading to overcrowding in areas where residents suffer the consequences of temporary and seasonal tourism peaks, which have enforced permanent changes to their lifestyles, access to amenities and general well-being”. The claim is that overtourism is harming the landscape, damaging beaches, putting infrastructure under enormous strain, and pricing residents out of the property market. It is a hugely complex issue that is often oversimplified.

It can have an impact in multiple ways . The international cruise industry, for example, delivers thousands of passengers daily to destination ports. While comparatively little is returned to communities, cruise activity creates physical and visual pollution .

City residents also bear the cost of tourism growth . As cities transform to cater for tourists, the global travel supply chain prospers. This coincides with increasing property speculation and rising costs of living for local communities. AirBnB, for example, has been accused of reducing housing affordability and displacing residents.

Amsterdam wants to take direct action to prevent this by banning short-term rentals and directing cruise passengers away from the city centre. AirBnB is also making efforts to address the problems they are accused of creating.

Things are made worse by the fact that key destinations are mostly unprepared to deal with overtourism. According to the Italian sociologist Marco d’Eramo , in 1950 just 15 destinations were visited by 98% of international tourists, while in 2007 this had decreased to 57%. This indicates the rapid expansion of global tourism beyond established destinations.

Overcrowding and the establishment of typical tourism-focused businesses, such as clubs, bars and souvenir shops, overwhelm local businesses – and rowdy and unmanageable tourist behaviour is common. This diminishes the unique ambience of destinations and leads to crowd and waste management pressures.

Clearly, tourism brings jobs, investment and economic benefits to destinations. But overtourism occurs when tourism expansion fails to acknowledge that there are limits. Local government and planning authorities have so far been powerless to deal with the overwhelming influence of the global tourism supply chain. This has led to widespread “ tourist-phobia ” – first described by Manuel Delgado more than a decade ago as a mixture of repudiation, mistrust and contempt for tourists.

Dealing with overtourism

Dealing with overtourism must now be a priority. But despite the mounting howls of protest, tourism promotion endures – and unsustainable hordes of tourists continue to descend on cities, beaches and other natural wonders.

Managing the flow of tourists seems an improbable and unwelcome task. But some cities have taken drastic measures to limit the effects of overtourism, including the introduction of new or revised taxation arrangements, fines linked to new local laws, and “demarketing” , whereby destinations focus on attracting fewer, high-spending and low impact tourists, rather than large groups.

But it’s a fine line to tread. If tourist arrivals to a destination decline suddenly and dramatically it would likely have considerable economic repercussions for those who rely on them.

Overtourism is a shared responsibility . City administrators and destination managers must acknowledge that there are definite limits to growth . Prioritising the welfare of local residents above the needs of the global tourism supply chain is vital. Prime consideration must be given to ensuring that the level of visitation fits within a destination’s capacity.

The global tourism supply chain also bears a major responsibility. It must ensure that product development achieves a balance between the optimal tourist experience and a commensurate local benefit. Tourists must also play their part by making travel choices that are sensitive to the places they visit and those who live in and around them.

Tourism should be part of the wider destination management system, which must also consider transport and mobility, the preservation of public spaces, the local economy and housing, among other aspects of daily life. Research, planning and a close and ongoing dialogue between city administrators, the tourism industry, civil society groups and local residents are essential.

Perhaps overtourism is a symptom of the present era of unprecedented affluence and hyper mobility, a consequence of late capitalism. We need to urgently rethink the way cities are evolving to uphold the rights of their residents.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Tourism and Culture (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 14 Comments

This is a tough question for me because it depends on a lot of factors!

I’ve known a lot of people from others countries. Typically, they are good people and I learn a lot about their culture.

But I also recognise that locals get fed up with tourists sometimes.

Really, I think it comes down to the personality of the tourist, the local, and the situation they are in.

It might also depend on the country’s culture!

Maybe some countries are more conscientious, some are more welcoming and laid back – but that is just speculation on my part.

That’s too complex of an answer for IELTS so I have to shorten it.

See how I change my real opinion to make it suitable for an IELTS essay below!

Be sure to check out my Patreon exclusive essays as well.

Before reading you can listen to the audio of my answer and take some notes:

Some believe that tourism does more to create tension between countries rather than helping individuals better understand other cultures. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Reported IELTS Exam on February 8th

Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strains relations between countries. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.

The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.

The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.

In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.

1. Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strains relations between countries. 2. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.

• Paraphrase the overall topic – write this quickly and keep it simple.
• Give your opinion. You can also write this quickly but be sure that you choose a clear overall side.

1. The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. 2. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. 3. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. 4. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. 5. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.

• Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end. Focus on a single main idea not a list of reasons.
• Begin your example as fast as possible and make sure it is relevant.
• Develop that example – don’t run away from it!
• Be specific – notice how I describe other diseases and types of deaths.
• Draw conclusions or results or make your specific more general at the end of the paragraph.

1. The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. 2. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. 3. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. 4. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. 5. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.

• Write another clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end again – single main ideas!
• For this one, I use a hypothetical example but it is still very specific.
• Continue developing your main idea. Here I use contrast to strengthen my point.
• Keep focusing on the same example with specfic detail.
• Conclude the paragraph by extending your support.

1. In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. 2. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.

• Repeat your opinion.
• Add an extra detail/final thought to get full marks from the examiner for your task achievement score.

Try to figure out what the key academic vocabulary in bold means:

Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions , tourism actually further strains relations between countries. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents , the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.

The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise . A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic . Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad . Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza , various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths . This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal .

The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding . The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials , chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating . The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories . The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures .

In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights . People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias .

of the belief feel that

easing tensions being friendlier

further strains relations make relationships worse

newsworthy incidents stories that make the news

vast majority most of

interactions back and forth

turned against no longer agree with

soft power influence without force

memorable disputes easy to remember arguments/fights

naturally arise bound to come up

recent outbreak new pandemic

Coronavirus virus emerging in Wuhan, China

resultant worldwide panic people all of the world scared

social media channels online through Facebook, Instagram, etc.

harassment bothering

chilly treatment abroad not friendly when they travel to other countries

reactions receptions

irrational no logic to it

tame threat not that dangerous

relative to compared to

strains of influenza different kinds of flu

fatalities deaths

vehicular deaths dying from car accidents

psychological bias prejudice

small-scale tourist interactions everyday communication between locals and tourists

marginal unimportant

overwhelming majority most of

local residents

conducive allows for/encourages

increased understanding getting along better

average person anyone

customs officials people in charge of goods/people at airports

amiably friendly

accommodating easy-going, helpful

stick out stand out/be memorable

make memorable stories make good anecdotes

common scenario happens a lot

curiosity wonder about

matched met

enthusiasm energy

good impression get off on the right foot

complimentary human drives desires that go hand in hand

re-enacted happens over and over

micro-interactions little moments between people

make headlines become news

foster empathy encourages understanding

otherwise diverse cultures contrasting national identities

cumulative impact overall effect

engendered provokes

outweigh exaggerated slights more important than little insults

keep this in perspective not over-react

rise above prejudice overcome biases

confirmation bias favouring what confirms what you already believe

Pronunciation

ɒv ðə bɪˈliːf   ˈiːzɪŋ ˈtɛnʃənz ˈfɜːðə streɪnz rɪˈleɪʃənz ˈnjuːzˌwɜːði ˈɪnsɪdənts vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti   ˌɪntərˈækʃənz   tɜːnd əˈgɛnst   sɒft ˈpaʊə   ˈmɛmərəbl dɪsˈpjuːts   ˈnæʧrəli əˈraɪz ˈriːsnt ˈaʊtbreɪk   kəˈrəʊnəˈvaɪərəs   rɪˈzʌltənt ˌwɜːldˈwaɪd ˈpænɪk ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə ˈʧænlz   ˈhærəsmənt   ˈʧɪli ˈtriːtmənt əˈbrɔːd ri(ː)ˈækʃənz   ɪˈræʃənl   teɪm θrɛt   ˈrɛlətɪv tuː   streɪnz ɒv ˌɪnflʊˈɛnzə fəˈtælɪtiz   vɪˈhɪkjʊlə dɛθs ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl ˈbaɪəs   smɔːl-skeɪl ˈtʊərɪst ˌɪntərˈækʃənz   ˈmɑːʤɪnəl ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmɪŋ məˈʤɒrɪti   ˈləʊkəl   kənˈdjuːsɪv   ɪnˈkriːst ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ ˈævərɪʤ ˈpɜːsn   ˈkʌstəmz əˈfɪʃəlz ˈeɪmiəb(ə)li   əˈkɒmədeɪtɪŋ stɪk aʊt   meɪk ˈmɛmərəbl ˈstɔːriz ˈkɒmən sɪˈnɑːrɪəʊ   ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪti   mæʧt   ɪnˈθjuːzɪæzm   gʊd ɪmˈprɛʃən   ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛntəri ˈhjuːmən draɪvz riː-ɪˈnæktɪd   ˈmaɪkrəʊ-ˌɪntərˈækʃənz   meɪk ˈhɛdlaɪnz   ˈfɒstər ˈɛmpəθi   ˈʌðəwaɪz daɪˈvɜːs ˈkʌlʧəz ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv ˈɪmpækt   ɪnˈʤɛndəd   aʊtˈweɪ ɪgˈzæʤəreɪtɪd slaɪts kiːp ðɪs ɪn pəˈspɛktɪv   raɪz əˈbʌv ˈprɛʤʊdɪs   ˌkɒnfəˈmeɪʃən ˈbaɪəs

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many people are ___________ that rather than ___________ , tourism actually ___________ between countries. In my opinion, despite some ___________ , the ___________ of tourist ___________ are positive.

The reason that many have ___________ tourism as a means of ___________ is the ___________ that ___________ . A good example of this would be the ___________ of ___________ in China and the ___________ . Chinese tourists have since reported on ___________ increased ___________ and ___________ . Such ___________ are ___________ because Coronovirus is a ___________ normal ___________ , various diseases and other ___________ over the period including ___________ . This ___________ applies to ___________ as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is ___________ .

The ___________ of interactions between tourist and ___________ are friendly and ___________ to ___________ . The ___________ taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly ___________ , chat ___________ with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very ___________ . The negative interactions are rare though they may ___________ and ___________ . The more ___________ is that a tourist’s ___________ will be ___________ by local ___________ to make a ___________ of themselves and their country. These ___________ from the tourist and local, ___________ in millions of ___________ daily, may not ___________ but they ___________ and understanding between ___________ .

In conclusion, the ___________ of friendly encounters ___________ by tourism far ___________ . People should ___________ when travelling and ___________ and ___________ .

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Listen and review the topic (use these ideas to practice):

Reading Practice

Read and further review the topic in case if it comes up on your test:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/mallorca-protests-the-spanish-island-telling-tourists-to-stay-home

Speaking Practice

Answer the related questions below from the real IELTS exam (you can upload them to my Facebook group for some feedback):

Where you Live

• Where is your hometown?
• Would you like to live there in the future?
• What don’t you like about your home?

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Do you have a question?

Hi, Can you make clear something, please? 1. “The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power are the memorable disputes that naturally arise” The reason IS the memorable disputes or the reason ARE…? 2. “The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating.” What does “THEIR” refer to? Should we change “the average person” into “the average people”? Thanks in advance.

1. Yes you are correct – I will fix that – thanks! 2. Their refers to the average person. It is very common in UK (but not US) English to use the plural pronoun their/them instead of say he or she to refer back to a singular person. 3. You should say the average person with the definite article. If you want to say ‘average people’ that is fine as well without the definite article.

Thank you very much. By the way, your website is very useful.

You’re welcome!

Forgive me, I have another question. 1. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. by locals’ enthusiasm or just local enthusiasm? 2. In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias. the cumulative impact (of encounters) OUTWEIGHS or OUTWEIGH exaggerated slights?

I am sorry if I bother you too much.

1. local enthusiasm because local is the adjective that describes enthusiasm, though you could also write the locals’enthusiasm 2. It could be either the impact that outweighs or the impact of friendly encounters that outweigh

no problem!

There is typo in the question. Between is written twice.

Thank you for pointing that out – I will fix it!

Nothing, never mind. great website

sorry for such a stupid question. Is it a band 9 essay?

I write them all so they are all band 9.

But I’m a native speaker and I put in a lot of fancy words for students to learn – they’re not a realistic standard. The are better for learning from.

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• INTELLIGENT TRAVEL

Is Tourism Destroying the World?

Travel is transforming the world, and not always for the better. Though it’s an uncomfortable reality (who doesn’t like to travel?), it’s something award-winning journalist Elizabeth Becker   devoted five years of her life to investigating. The result is Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism .

I caught up with the author to get the inside scoop on the book, what prompted her to write it, and what she learned along the way, and this is what she had to say.

Leslie Trew Magraw: You made a name for yourself as a war correspondent covering Cambodia for The Washington Post . What prompted you to write this book?

Elizabeth Becker: My profession has been to understand world events.   I reported from Asia and Europe [for the Post ] and later was the senior foreign editor at NPR.   At The New York Times ,   I became the international economics correspondent in 2002, and that is when I began noticing the explosion of tourism and how much countries rich and poor were coming to rely on it.

But tourism isn’t treated as a serious business or economic force. Travel sections are all about the best vacations. So I used a fellowship at Harvard to begin my research and then wrote this book to point out what seemed so obvious: Tourism is among the biggest global industries and, as such, has tremendous impacts—environmental, cultural, economic—that have to be acknowledged and addressed.

Which country can you point to as a model for sustainable tourism?

One of the more ambitious is France , which is aiming for sustainability in the whole country. The key, I think, is that the French never fully bought in to the modern obsession with tourist overdevelopment. They have been nurturing their own culture and landscape, cities, and villages for decades. Since they have tied their economy to tourism, they have applied a   precise and country-wide approach that mostly works.

All relevant ministries are involved, including culture, commerce, agriculture, sports, and transportation. Planning is bottom up, beginning with locals at destinations who decide what they want to promote and how they want to improve. The French obsession with protecting their culture—some would call it arrogance—has worked in their favor. The planning and bureaucracy required to make this work would try the patience of many governments.

Now, even though the country is smaller than the state of Texas, France is the most popular destination in the world. Tourism officials told me one of their biggest worries is becoming victims of their success: too many foreigners buying second homes or retirement homes in French villages and Parisian neighborhoods, which could tip the balance and undermine that sustainable and widely admired French way of life.

Many destinations are making impressive changes. Philanthropists are helping African game parks find their footing. I was lucky to see how Paul Allen , for instance, is helping in Zambia .

Which country is doing it all wrong?

Cambodia has made some bad choices in tourism. It is blessed with the magnificent temples of Angkor , glorious beaches in the south, cities with charming overlay of the French colonial heritage, and   a rural landscape of sugar palms, rice paddies, and houses on stilts.

Yet, rather than protect these gems, the government has allowed rapacious tourism to threaten the very attractions that bring tourists. Tourism is seen as a cash cow.

Some of the capital’s most stunning historic buildings are being razed to build look-alike modern hotels.   In Angkor, a thicket of new hotels has outpaced infrastructure and is draining the water table so badly the temples are sinking—and profits from tourism do not reach the common people, who are now among the poorest in the country.

In addition, Cambodia has become synonymous with sex tourism that exploits young girls and boys. The latest wrinkle is to encourage tourists on the “genocide trail” to see the killing fields and execution centers from the Khmer Rouge era.

With more than a billion people traveling each year, how can we see the world without destroying it?

That is the essential question.   Countries are figuring out how to protect their destinations in quiet, non-offensive ways. They control the number of hotel beds, the number of flights to and from a country, the number of tour buses allowed. Some have “sacrifice zones,” where tourists are allowed to flood one section of beachfront, for example, while the rest is protected as a wildlife preserve or [reserved] for locals. Most countries are heavily promoting off-season travel as the most obvious way to control crowds.

Countries are also putting more muscle into regulations [governing] pollution. The toughest problem is breaking the habit of politicians being too close to the industry to the detriment of their country. Money talks in tourism as in any other big business. Luxury chains wanting a store near a major tourist attraction will pay high rents to push out locals. Officials fail to enforce rules against phony “authentic” souvenirs.

One of the worst offenders are the supersize cruise ships that swarm localities, straining local services and sites and giving back little in return.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for 21st-century travelers?

Avoiding “drive-by tourism.” This is a phrase coined by Paul Bennett of   Context Travel ,   referring to the growing habit of people visiting a destination for a few hours—maybe a few days—and seeing only a blur of sights with little appreciation for the country, culture, or people.

One of the eureka moments in my five years of research was reading old guidebooks in the   Library of Congress.

The Baedeker Guides were written in consultation with historians and archaeologists who presumed the tourists wanted to immerse themselves in a country. They included a short dictionary of the language of the country and, only at the very end, short lists of hotels and restaurants.

Today it is the reverse: Guides have short paragraphs about history, culture, and politics and long lists of where to eat and sleep.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

My advice is to first be a tourist where you live. Explore the museums, the farms, the churches, the night life, the historic monuments—and then read up on local politics and history.

If you’re interested in volunteering overseas, first volunteer at home. Then when you’re planning your next trip abroad, use that experience as a template and study up on the destination you’re about to visit.

Don’t forget to try to learn something of the local language. It is a gift.

Q: Are there any tourism trends that give you hope for the future of travel?

A: People are again recognizing that travel is a privilege. Responsible tourism in its various forms—volunteer tourism, adventure tourism, slow tourism (where people take their time), agro-tourism (where visitors live and work on a farm), ecotourism , geotourism—all speak to tourists’ desire to respect the places they visit and the people they meet.   I think people are also recognizing that bargain travel has hidden expenses and dangers.

Costa Rica was an eye-opener for me; it deserves its reputation as a leader in responsible tourism that nurtures nature and society.

Finally, several groups including the United Nations World Tourism Organization have put together a global sustainable tourism council with a certification program to show tourists which places are genuinely making the effort.

Thoughts? Counterpoints? Leave a comment to let us know how you feel about this important topic.

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Overtourism: a literature review to assess implications and future perspectives.

1. Introduction

2.1. literature review, 2.2. cross-references and keywords, 3.1. overtourism: preliminary definitions and use of the term, 3.2. overtourism in the literature, 3.2.1. origin of the phenomenon, 3.2.2. implications of overtourism, 3.2.3. implications of overtourism in city destinations, 3.3. future perspectives, 4. limitations and caveats, 5. conclusions and discussions, author contributions, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest.

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Share and Cite

Capocchi, A.; Vallone, C.; Pierotti, M.; Amaduzzi, A. Overtourism: A Literature Review to Assess Implications and Future Perspectives. Sustainability 2019 , 11 , 3303. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123303

Capocchi A, Vallone C, Pierotti M, Amaduzzi A. Overtourism: A Literature Review to Assess Implications and Future Perspectives. Sustainability . 2019; 11(12):3303. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123303

Capocchi, Alessandro, Cinzia Vallone, Mariarita Pierotti, and Andrea Amaduzzi. 2019. "Overtourism: A Literature Review to Assess Implications and Future Perspectives" Sustainability 11, no. 12: 3303. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123303

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What Is Overtourism and Why Is It Such a Big Problem?

Travel destinations are becoming too popular for their own good.

• Chapman University
• Sustainable Fashion
• Art & Media
• Definition of Overtourism
• Consequences of Overtourism

Can Overtourism Be Reversed?

• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Maya Bay, Thailand
• Mount Everest
• Venice, Italy

Overtourism happens when the number of tourists or the management of the tourism industry in a destination or attraction becomes unsustainable. When there are too many visitors, the quality of life for the local community can diminish, the surrounding natural environment can be negatively affected, and the quality of the tourists' experience can decline.

According to the World Tourism Organization, there were 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2019, a 4% increase from the previous year. International tourist arrivals have continued to outpace the global economy, and the number of destinations earning $1 billion or more from international tourism has doubled since 1998. Tourism is growing, and some places just can’t seem to keep up.

Overtourism Definition

Although the term itself didn’t appear until around 2017 (a writer at media company Skift is often credited for first coining it in the summer of 2016), the problem of overtourism is hardly a new one. The "irritation index," known as Irridex, has examined the change between resident attitudes towards tourists throughout different stages of tourism development since 1975. According to the Galapagos Conservation Trust, tourist satisfaction rankings have been steadily decreasing since 1990 due to overcrowding; the official guidelines for visitor numbers set in 1968 when the Galapagos Island National Park first opened had risen 10-fold by 2015.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization has defined overtourism as "the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that excessively influences perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitors experiences in a negative way." Environmental consequences are a symptom of overtourism, and the recent boost in awareness surrounding the buzzword is simply because there are more destinations around the world experiencing it.

As for what exactly is to blame for overtourism, there are numerous factors at play. Cheaper flights are making travel more accessible, cruise ships are dropping thousands of tourists off to spend several hours at a destination without spending money locally, social media is inspiring users to get that perfect selfie at travel hotspots ... the list goes on and on.

Studies even show that television and movies can impact a place’s desirability. Episodes of Game of Thrones filmed in the historical Croatian town of Dubrovnik corresponded to 5,000 additional tourism overnights per month (59,000 per year) after they aired. Most of these tourists stayed under three days, packing the Old Town walls with day tours that increased pollution and put new strains on the 13th-century infrastructure.

Like so many others, the travel industry has focused too much on growth and not enough on environmental impacts. Rising awareness of overtourism consequences has inspired local and national governments to protect their commodities through sustainable tourism practices and ensure that tourism behavior isn’t damaging—or even better, can be beneficial—to the local environment.

The Consequences of Overtourism

Needless to say, the environmental consequences of overtourism can be catastrophic. Accumulation of trash, air pollution, noise, and light pollution can disrupt natural habitats or breeding patterns (baby sea turtles, for example, can become disorientated by artificial lighting when they hatch ). Both natural and local resources, like water, will degrade as destinations or attractions struggle to accommodate numbers they simply weren’t built to handle. And even as these spots begin increasing tourism development to keep up, they may turn to unsustainable land practices or deforestation to create more accommodations and other tourism infrastructure.

Sustainable tourism management is important since the number of visitors a destination is designed to handle is unique to each one. Short-term rentals may work for certain places, but they could raise rent prices for others and push out local residents to make more room for visitors. In Barcelona, 2017 saw 40% of tourist apartments rented out illegally, making it harder for the locals to find affordable accommodations—only one of the many reasons why the city’s residents organized protests against unregulated tourism over the following years.

It’s the same thing with the environment. Large crowds of tourists in natural destinations may drive wildlife to places outside of their natural habitats, disrupting the delicate ecosystem. In some cases, crowds can negatively influence fragile environments or create more opportunities for human-wildlife conflicts . 

That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of positive aspects to tourism, however. When tourism is sustainably managed, it can be an incredible tool for protecting the environment. Admission dollars to natural areas or animal sanctuaries often go directly towards conservation and environmental education. Tourism can also strengthen local economies and help support small, family-run businesses at the same time. It’s finding that delicate balance between using tourism to fuel the economy while keeping the surrounding environment protected that often presents the greatest challenge.

What Can We Do?

• Plan your trip during the off season or shoulder season .
• Dispose of your waste properly (don’t litter) and bring along your reusables .
• Show respect for local customs and attractions.
• Explore areas outside of the most popular spots.
• Prioritize family-owned and local businesses.
• Educate yourself on sustainable travel practices.

In most places, overtourism is not a hopeless case. Destinations all over the world have already demonstrated ways to overcome the obstacles presented by overcrowding and unsustainable tourism management.

East Africa, for example, has turned gorilla trekking into an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime experience by issuing limits on daily permits, all while maintaining conservation efforts inside native forests and steady employment for local guides. In Antarctica, the Antarctic Treaty restricts the size of cruise ships that land there as well as the number of people they can bring ashore at one time; it also requires a minimum guide-to-tourist ratio while tourists are off the boat.

Local governments and tourist organizations, of course, are largely responsible for maintaining sustainability in the tourism industry, but certain approaches to mitigate the negative effects of overtourism can come down to the individual traveler as well. One of the best ways to become a responsible tourist is by looking outside of the mainstream travel destinations. Consider outer cities or less-visited attractions, or head towards more rural spots to avoid crowds altogether while experiencing a glimpse of a destination’s daily culture outside of the popular areas. There are countless places that want and need more tourists just waiting to be explored.

However, if you just have to visit that bucket-list destination known for its large crowds, consider visiting during its off season or shoulder season instead of peak travel season. Residents who rely on tourism as a source of income need support during the off season more than any other time of year, plus it will save you money as a traveler since accommodations and flights tend to be cheaper. Even better, off season travel puts less pressure on the environment.

Overtourism in Machu Picchu, Peru

John van Hasselt - Corbis / Getty Images

The tourist industry surrounding the famed archaeological city of Machu Picchu in Peru has been largely responsible for the country’s economic growth since the early 1990s. The number of tourists who travel to the 15th-century citadel has quadrupled since the year 2000; in 2017, 1.4 million people visited, an average of 3,900 per day. The site, which sits on a series of steep slopes prone to heavy rains and landslides anyway, is being further eroded by the thousands of visitors who walk the ancient steps each day.

The sharp rise in visitors, combined with a lack of management strategies, prompted UNESCO to recommend that the Peruvian state redraft its overall vision for the site with conservation in mind rather than primarily tourism growth. UNESCO threatened to put Machu Picchu on the “List of World Heritage in Danger” in 2016 if the property didn’t clean up its act.

Beginning in 2019, a new set of tourist restrictions was put into place at Machu Picchu, including limitations on visitors, admission times, and lengths of stay. Tourists are now limited to two daily time slots to relieve pressure on the site and are required to hire a local guide on their first visit.

Overtourism in Maya Bay, Thailand

First made famous by the movie "The Beach," the stunning turquoise waters of Thailand’s Maya Bay have been attracting visitors ever since the film’s release over 20 years ago. Seemingly overnight, the small bay went from a quiet hidden beach on the island of Phi Phi Leh to one of the country’s most popular destinations, bringing hoards of beach-goers along.

According to BBC reports, Maya Bay went from seeing 170 tourists a day in 2008 to 3,500 in 2017, resulting in the death of a majority of its coral reefs. By June 2018, the environmental depredations from litter, boat pollution, and sunscreen had gotten so bad that the government decided to close the beach completely for four months to allow the bay to heal. After the initial four months were through, the government went on to extend the closure indefinitely .

The extreme measure has brought a few positive signs for the environment there. About a year after the initial closure, park officials shared footage of dozens of native black-tipped reef sharks re-entering the bay . A team of biologists and local residents are also working on an ongoing project to plant 3,000 corals in the bay to increase the number of fish and improve the ecosystem.

Overtourism on Mount Everest

While we tend to think of Mount Everest as a remote and unattainable adventure, the destination has actually been suffering from overcrowding for years. Images of hikers standing in line as they try to reach the summit from the Nepalese side aren’t uncommon, and in a high-altitude environment completely dependent on oxygen, long waits can get deadly fast.

Those crowds also accumulate a lot of waste. Between April and May 2019, nearly 23,000 pounds of garbage was collected from Mount Everest, a Guinness Book of World Records in terms of trash. The trash was spread out almost equally between the main basecamp, nearby settlements, high-altitude camps, and the most dangerous portion of the summit route.

One of the most challenging problems lies in the economic value of Mount Everest, which is Nepal’s most lucrative attraction. In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, Nepal received an estimated $643 million from tourism , accounting for 3.5% of its entire GDP.

Overtourism in Venice, Italy

Venice has become the poster child for overtourism in the media, and for good reason. Over the years, the government has been forced to set limits on the number and size of cruise ships that spill visitors into the city, as well as a proposed tourist entrance tax.

The tourism industry hasn’t just resulted in an increased cost of living, but in a decreased quality of life for Venice residents. The local population in Venice has declined by two-thirds over the last 50 years, its cruise ship industry accommodating several hundred ship departures and 1 million passengers each year. According to Bloomberg, there were a total of 5 million visitors in 2017 compared to the resident population of just 60,000 .

In late 2019, when the city experienced a series of floods from record-breaking high tides, some Venetians argued that cruise ships were to blame . The wakes from massive ships were literally eroding the city, while widening the canals to accommodate larger ships throughout the years had damaged coastal habitats for wildlife as well as the physical foundations of the city.

Most of these tourists stick to the city’s most famous landmarks, concentrating large numbers of crowds into small spaces that were not designed to hold them. Its historic buildings and watery ecosystem, already fragile, are certainly feeling the pressure, while the influx of temporary visitors continues to inhibit locals from living their lives. As one of the most active cruise ports in the whole of Southern Europe, Venice is on track to become a city with virtually no full-time residents.

" World Tourism Barometer ." United Nations World Tourism Organization , vol. 18, no. 1, 2020.

Pavlic, Ivana and Portolan, Ana. " Irritation Index, Tourism ." Encyclopedia of Tourism , 2015, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_564-1

" The Impacts of Tourism ." Galapagos Conservation Trust .

" 'Overtourism'? Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth Beyond Perceptions ." United Nations World Tourism Organization .

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11293-020-09673-3

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2014.09.001

" Are Tourists Still Welcome After Protests? " British Broadcasting Corporation .

https://doi.org/10.15640/jthm.v7n2a10

" Thailand: Tropical Bay from 'The Beach' to Close Until 2021 ." British Broadcasting Corporation .

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2018.01.011

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• What Is Sustainable Tourism and Why Is It Important?
• The World Doesn't Want Your Inukshuk
• Costa Rica’s Keys to Success as a Sustainable Tourism Pioneer
• 6 Common Travel Activities That Hurt Animals
• 10 Things Mechanics Do to Their Cars That You Should Do With Yours
• The Ins and Outs of Urban Camping
• 10 Great Places to Visit for Thanksgiving
• 10 Places to Appreciate Before They Vanish
• How to Pack the Best Food for Travel
• 10 Styles of Fishing Around the World
• How to Make Travel More Sustainable
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• What Is Experiential Tourism?

14 important environmental impacts of tourism + explanations + examples

The environmental impacts of tourism have gained increasing attention in recent years.

With the rise in sustainable tourism and an increased number of initiatives for being environmentally friendly, tourists and stakeholders alike are now recognising the importance of environmental management in the tourism industry.

In this post, I will explain why the environmental impacts of tourism are an important consideration and what the commonly noted positive and negative environmental impacts of tourism are.

Why the environment is so important to tourism

Positive environmental impacts of tourism, water resources, land degradation , local resources , air pollution and noise , solid waste and littering , aesthetic pollution, construction activities and infrastructure development, deforestation and intensified or unsustainable use of land , marina development, coral reefs, anchoring and other marine activities , alteration of ecosystems by tourist activities , environmental impacts of tourism: conclusion, environmental impacts of tourism reading list.

The quality of the environment, both natural and man-made, is essential to tourism. However, tourism’s relationship with the environment is complex and many activities can have adverse environmental effects if careful tourism planning and management is not undertaken.

It is ironic really, that tourism often destroys the very things that it relies on!

Many of the negative environmental impacts that result from tourism are linked with the construction of general infrastructure such as roads and airports, and of tourism facilities, including resorts, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and marinas. The negative impacts of tourism development can gradually destroy the environmental resources on which it depends.

It’s not ALL negative, however!

Tourism has the potential to create beneficial effects on the environment by contributing to environmental protection and conservation. It is a way to raise awareness of environmental values and it can serve as a tool to finance protection of natural areas and increase their economic importance.

In this article I have outlined exactly how we can both protect and destroy the environment through tourism. I have also created a new YouTube video on the environmental impacts of tourism, you can see this below. (by the way- you can help me to be able to keep content like this free for everyone to access by subscribing to my YouTube channel! And don’t forget to leave me a comment to say hi too!).

Although there are not as many (far from it!) positive environmental impacts of tourism as there are negative, it is important to note that tourism CAN help preserve the environment!

The most commonly noted positive environmental impact of tourism is raised awareness. Many destinations promote ecotourism and sustainable tourism and this can help to educate people about the environmental impacts of tourism. Destinations such as Costa Rica and The Gambia have fantastic ecotourism initiatives that promote environmentally-friendly activities and resources. There are also many national parks, game reserves and conservation areas around the world that help to promote positive environmental impacts of tourism.

Positive environmental impacts can also be induced through the NEED for the environment. Tourism can often not succeed without the environment due the fact that it relies on it (after all we can’t go on a beach holiday without a beach or go skiing without a mountain, can we?).

In many destinations they have organised operations for tasks such as cleaning the beach in order to keep the destination aesthetically pleasant and thus keep the tourists happy. Some destinations have taken this further and put restrictions in place for the number of tourists that can visit at one time.

Not too long ago the island of Borocay in the Philippines was closed to tourists to allow time for it to recover from the negative environmental impacts that had resulted from large-scale tourism in recent years. Whilst inconvenient for tourists who had planned to travel here, this is a positive example of tourism environmental management and we are beginning to see more examples such as this around the world.

Negative environmental impacts of tourism

Negative environmental impacts of tourism occur when the level of visitor use is greater than the environment’s ability to cope with this use.

Uncontrolled conventional tourism poses potential threats to many natural areas around the world. It can put enormous pressure on an area and lead to impacts such as: soil erosion , increased pollution, discharges into the sea, natural habitat loss, increased pressure on endangered species and heightened vulnerability to forest fires. It often puts a strain on water resources, and it can force local populations to compete for the use of critical resources.

I will explain each of these negative environmental impacts of tourism below.

Depletion of natural resources

Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce. Some of the most common noted examples include using up water resources, land degradation and the depletion of other local resources.

The tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and personal use of water by tourists. This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water.

In drier regions, like the Mediterranean, the issue of water scarcity is of particular concern. Because of the hot climate and the tendency for tourists to consume more water when on holiday than they do at home, the amount used can run up to 440 litres a day. This is almost double what the inhabitants of an average Spanish city use. 

Golf course maintenance can also deplete fresh water resources.

In recent years golf tourism has increased in popularity and the number of golf courses has grown rapidly.

Golf courses require an enormous amount of water every day and this can result in water scarcity. Furthermore, golf resorts are more and more often situated in or near protected areas or areas where resources are limited, exacerbating their impacts.

An average golf course in a tropical country such as Thailand needs 1500kg of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides per year and uses as much water as 60,000 rural villagers.

Important land resources include fertile soil, forests , wetlands and wildlife. Unfortunately, tourism often contributes to the degradation of said resources. Increased construction of tourism facilities has increased the pressure on these resources and on scenic landscapes.

Animals are often displaced when their homes are destroyed or when they are disturbed by noise. This may result in increased animals deaths, for example road-kill deaths. It may also contribute to changes in behaviour.

Animals may become a nuisance, by entering areas that they wouldn’t (and shouldn’t) usually go into, such as people’s homes. It may also contribute towards aggressive behaviour when animals try to protect their young or savage for food that has become scarce as a result of tourism development.

Picturesque landscapes are often destroyed by tourism. Whilst many destinations nowadays have limits and restrictions on what development can occur and in what style, many do not impose any such rules. High rise hotels and buildings which are not in character with the surrounding architecture or landscape contribute to a lack of atheistic appeal.

Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel wood collection and land clearing. For example, one trekking tourist in Nepal can use four to five kilograms of wood a day!

There are also many cases of erosion, whereby tourists may trek the same path or ski the same slope so frequently that it erodes the natural landscape. Sites such as Machu Pichu have been forced to introduce restrictions on tourist numbers to limit the damage caused.

Tourism can create great pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw materials that may already be in short supply. Greater extraction and transport of these resources exacerbates the physical impacts associated with their exploitation.

Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season.

A high demand is placed upon these resources to meet the high expectations tourists often have (proper heating, hot water, etc.). This can put significant pressure on the local resources and infrastructure, often resulting in the local people going without in order to feed the tourism industry.

Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: Air emissions; noise pollution; solid waste and littering; sewage; oil and chemicals. The tourism industry also contributes to forms of architectural/visual pollution.

Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the rising number of tourists and their greater mobility. In fact, tourism accounts for more than 60% of all air travel.

One study estimated that a single transatlantic return flight emits almost half the CO2 emissions produced by all other sources (lighting, heating, car use, etc.) consumed by an average person yearly- that’s a pretty shocking statistic!

I remember asking my class to calculate their carbon footprint one lesson only to be very embarrassed that my emissions were A LOT higher than theirs due to the amount of flights I took each year compared to them. Point proven I guess….

Anyway, air pollution from tourist transportation has impacts on a global level, especially from CO2 emissions related to transportation energy use. This can contribute to severe local air pollution . It also contributes towards climate change.

Fortunately, technological advancements in aviation are seeing more environmentally friendly aircraft and fuels being used worldwide, although the problem is far from being cured. If you really want to help save the environment, the answer is to seek alternative methods of transportation and avoid flying.

You can also look at ways to offset your carbon footprint .

Noise pollution can also be a concern.

Noise pollution from aircraft, cars, buses, (+ snowmobiles and jet skis etc etc) can cause annoyance, stress, and even hearing loss for humans. It also causes distress to wildlife and can cause animals to alter their natural activity patterns. Having taught at a university near London Heathrow for several years, this was always a topic of interest to my students and made a popular choice of dissertation topic .

In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem, contributing significantly to the environmental impacts of tourism.

Improper waste disposal can be a major despoiler of the natural environment. Rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides are areas that are commonly found littered with waste, ranging from plastic bottles to sewage.

Cruise tourism in the Caribbean, for example, is a major contributor to this negative environmental impact of tourism. Cruise ships are estimated to produce more than 70,000 tons of waste each year. 

The Wider Caribbean Region, stretching from Florida to French Guiana, receives 63,000 port calls from ships each year, and they generate 82,000 tons of rubbish. About 77% of all ship waste comes from cruise vessels. On average, passengers on a cruise ship each account for 3.5 kilograms of rubbish daily – compared with the 0.8 kilograms each generated by the less well-endowed folk on shore.

Whilst it is generally an unwritten rule that you do not throw rubbish into the sea, this is difficult to enforce in the open ocean . In the past cruise ships would simply dump their waste while out at sea. Nowadays, fortunately, this is less commonly the case, however I am sure that there are still exceptions.

Solid waste and littering can degrade the physical appearance of the water and shoreline and cause the death of marine animals. Just take a look at the image below. This is a picture taken of the insides of a dead bird. Bird often mistake floating plastic for fish and eat it. They can not digest plastic so once their stomachs become full they starve to death. This is all but one sad example of the environmental impacts of tourism.

Mountain areas also commonly suffer at the hands of the tourism industry. In mountain regions, trekking tourists generate a great deal of waste. Tourists on expedition frequently leave behind their rubbish, oxygen cylinders and even camping equipment. I have heard many stories of this and I also witnessed it first hand when I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro .

The construction of hotels, recreation and other facilities often leads to increased sewage pollution. 

Unfortunately, many destinations, particularly in the developing world, do not have strict law enrichments on sewage disposal. As a result, wastewater has polluted seas and lakes surrounding tourist attractions around the world. This damages the flora and fauna in the area and can cause serious damage to coral reefs.

Sewage pollution threatens the health of humans and animals.

I’ll never forget the time that I went on a school trip to climb Snowdonia in Wales. The water running down the streams was so clear and perfect that some of my friends had suggested we drink some. What’s purer than mountain fresh water right from the mountain, right?

A few minutes later we saw a huge pile of (human??) feaces in the water upstream!!

Often tourism fails to integrate its structures with the natural features and indigenous architecture of the destination. Large, dominating resorts of disparate design can look out of place in any natural environment and may clash with the indigenous structural design. 

A lack of land-use planning and building regulations in many destinations has facilitated sprawling developments along coastlines, valleys and scenic routes. The sprawl includes tourism facilities themselves and supporting infrastructure such as roads, employee housing, parking, service areas, and waste disposal. This can make a tourist destination less appealing and can contribute to a loss of appeal.

Physical impacts of tourism development

Whilst the tourism industry itself has a number of negative environmental impacts. There are also a number of physical impacts that arise from the development of the tourism industry. This includes the construction of buildings, marinas, roads etc.

The development of tourism facilities can involve sand mining, beach and sand dune erosion and loss of wildlife habitats.

The tourist often will not see these side effects of tourism development, but they can have devastating consequences for the surrounding environment. Animals may displaced from their habitats and the noise from construction may upset them.

I remember reading a while ago (although I can’t seem to find where now) that in order to develop the resort of Kotu in The Gambia, a huge section of the coastline was demolished in order to be able to use the sand for building purposes. This would inevitably have had severe consequences for the wildlife living in the area.

Construction of ski resort accommodation and facilities frequently requires clearing forested land.

Land may also be cleared to obtain materials used to build tourism sites, such as wood.

I’ll never forget the site when I flew over the Amazon Rainforest only to see huge areas of forest cleared. That was a sad reality to see.

Likewise, coastal wetlands are often drained due to lack of more suitable sites. Areas that would be home to a wide array of flora and fauna are turned into hotels, car parks and swimming pools.

The building of marinas and ports can also contribute to the negative environmental impacts of tourism.

Development of marinas and breakwaters can cause changes in currents and coastlines.

These changes can have vast impacts ranging from changes in temperatures to erosion spots to the wider ecosystem.

Coral reefs are especially fragile marine ecosystems. They suffer worldwide from reef-based tourism developments and from tourist activity.

Evidence suggests a variety of impacts to coral result from shoreline development. Increased sediments in the water can affect growth. Trampling by tourists can damage or even kill coral. Ship groundings can scrape the bottom of the sea bed and kill the coral. Pollution from sewage can have adverse effects.

All of these factors contribute to a decline and reduction in the size of coral reefs worldwide. This then has a wider impact on the global marine life and ecosystem, as many animals rely on the coral for as their habitat and food source.

Physical impacts from tourist activities

The last point worth mentioning when discussing the environmental impacts of tourism is the way in which physical impacts can occur as a result of tourist activities.

This includes tramping, anchoring, cruising and diving. The more this occurs, the more damage that is caused. Natural, this is worse in areas with mass tourism and overtourism .

Tourists using the same trail over and over again trample the vegetation and soil, eventually causing damage that can lead to loss of biodiversity and other impacts. 

Such damage can be even more extensive when visitors frequently stray off established trails. This is evidenced in Machu Pichu as well as other well known destinations and attractions, as I discussed earlier in this post.

 In marine areas many tourist activities occur in or around fragile ecosystems. 

Anchoring, scuba diving, yachting and cruising are some of the activities that can cause direct degradation of marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. As I said previously, this can have a significant knock on effect on the surrounding ecosystem.

Habitats can be degraded by tourism leisure activities.

For example, wildlife viewing can bring about stress for the animals and alter their natural behaviour when tourists come too close. 

As I have articulated throughout this post, there are a range of environmental impacts that result from tourism. Whilst some are good, the majority unfortunately are bad. The answer to many of these problems boils down to careful tourism planning and management and the adoption of sustainable tourism principles.

Did you find this article helpful? Take a look at my posts on the social impacts of tourism and the economic impacts of tourism too! Oh, and follow me on social media !

If you are studying the environmental impacts of tourism or if you are interested in learning more about the environmental impacts of tourism, I have compiled a short reading list for you below.

• The 3 types of travel and tourism organisations
• 150 types of tourism! The ultimate tourism glossary
• 50 fascinating facts about the travel and tourism industry

Tourism and Climate Change Problem Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Why increased tourism, implication of tourism on climate and environment, emission reduction strategies in tourism, reference list.

Tourism is regarded as one of the biggest industries of the modern world based on the amount of asset, money transacted and capital ownership. However the large infrastructural resources and resources that this industry requires like waste usage, waste management and energy have been having damaging impact on the communities around the facilities and the environment itself.

This is because many tourist facilities have not been implementing good waste management and energy policies. To have arrived at such stage is because the industry has undergone exponential increase in international tourist over the past five decades. This period has seen an increase from 25 million tourists traveling per year in the 1950s to 650 million tourists in 2000s. There are a number of factors that have contributed to the increased consumers of various attractions destinations across the world.

Over the two past decades the number of tourists has increased tremendously through it has been declining slowly in the past about seven years because of economic crunch.

There are a number of factors that propelled the growth of tourism and these factors include the improvement of the standards of living in many developed nations, good work polices allowing more time for vacations and handsome allowances as well as entitlement to holidays (Kalish 2001, p. 48). Besides, the cost of travelling has been slightly reduced to encourage travelling where holiday destinations and tourism companies package their services into affordable packages.

Consequently, tourism became a very viable export for many developing nations and about one third of the developing nations have tourism as their main export product (Kalish 2001, p. 48). Domestic tourism statistics are not well documented or recorded in many of these developing nations but the domestic tourism in Latin America and Asia has been shown to be increasing equally fast.

Natural environment forms the most important resource in tourism industry. Considering the increasing urbanization, tourist destinations in the developing nations and developed nations and having a bigger number of natural features, biodiversity, natural scenery, and cultural heritage as main attractions (Viner & Nicholls 2006, p. 42).

Because, scientist have indicated that energy use causes emissions that affect environment, and that the waste management is poor also contributing to environmental degradation, there have been efforts to try and preserve as well as enhance the natural environment in these tourist destination (Kalish 2001, p. 49). This means that the needs to be increased and high spirited endeavor to preserve environment by government agencies.

Despite the fact that, many people are aware of the amount of damage these activities are having on the environment, governments still move with laxity in implementing regulatory means. The environments where there have been very little human activities are now becoming the most vulnerable environments (Mowforth & Muntsd 2003, p. 94).

For instance, coastal areas, mountains, islands, deserts and wetlands all which form the most popular tourist attractions today. These also fall under the most fragile ecosystems in the world because of the way they are designed.

Their biophysical characteristics are susceptible hence making them prone to damage by human activities like diving at coastal shores. This causes erosion and disposal of liter which sometimes is not properly managed. When a tourist destination is physically degraded, the destination eventually will lose its intrinsic attraction to tourists (Mowforth & Muntsd 2003, p. 94).

Tourists move away to new destinations which could be even more fragile. This has inspire ecotourism or sustainable tourism which is a strategy to practices tourism activities that are self sustaining or are efficient in terms of resource utilization energy and water, waste management and lesser disposal or emission to environment (Becken 2004, p. 337).

The implications of tourism on the environment are many and most of them are negative. Because of tourism activities, the ecosystem and natural biodiversity is in danger. The world life face risk of loss and rare species could become extinct while the natural habitat are destroyed and degraded. The coastal lines are degraded and disrupted (Mowforth & Muntsd 2003, p. 95). Activities like coastal diving, fish spawning, and other marine tourism activities have been seen to have a negative impact on the shoreline.

There is pollution by liter and wastes, the shoreline are slowly eroded away and the coral reefs are lost. Tourism activities are also associated with deforestation around the coast and other forests around. This is experienced when the operators are seeking for wood fuel, timber for construction and clearing areas for their construction of building (Fennell 1999, p. 198). The impact of deforestation is often evident on the soil quality and water, reduced biodiversity and decreased forest products.

The use of the natural resources like water in recreation activities like for swimming pools, use in accommodation and hospitality destinations, uses in golf courses and so on needs a lot of water. The end result is overuse of water and therefore detrimental to environment.

From congestions, transport, use of fossil fuel in cooking and lighting, noise and air pollution because of emissions, the environment is degraded at a very fast rate (Mowforth & Muntsd 2003, p. 95). The global warming phenomenon is exacerbated by increasing tourism activities. Because of water overuse and the fact that fossil fuels are nonrenewable, the industry is considered to be causing serious damage and it is unsustainable and inequitable (Fennell 1999, p. 198).

There still needs to be extensive research on the connection between tourism and impact on the environment. However, there is substantial evidence that tourism has had an impact on the climate change.

The word today has to engage in proactive environmental conservation measures and develops strategies to employ in businesses so as to be able to interact positively with the public (Becken 2004, p. 335). Without this, then the danger of the industry becoming a bystander when policies regarding environment and climate are being developed would have great impact on the industry probably collapsing it (Viner & Nicholls 2006, p. 42).

Some climate sustainable strategies or the costs the tourism industry will have to pay include the following:

Responsible Tourism for domestic consumers: the goals of sustainable tourism are to make sure that there is environmental integrity, economic development and social justice even as the tourism industry investors continue to exploit other environments (Fennell 1999, p. 198).

This strategy is informative as tourism are able to learn some new knowledge concerning the destinations they are visit and also how they can contribute in helping the destinations remain sustainable. The residents of the areas in which the tourism facilities are located are taught simple and familiar ways of sustaining their environment which could not make sense to outsiders.

Addressing the impact of transport in tourism is another ways of dealing with the problem of climate change in the modern tourism sector. Research has shown that tourism transport both the outbound and inbound are accountable for up to 8 of the carbon-dioxide emission in European continent alone (Becken 2004, p. 335). Daily revelations concerning the advance and implication of climatic change in relation to transport emissions have been the reason for this fundamentally high profile (Viner & Nicholls 2006, p. 44).

The tourism sector should be able to respond aggressively, promptly and responsible to the challenge of preserving the environment by ensuring lesser emissions. This process of dealing with the environment and climate changes entails carbon-offsetting to the visitors with help of operators and encouraging use of alternative transport (Fennell 1999, p. 199).

Reducing the resource utilization and wastage – sometimes tourism operators seek to exploit new resources and get more fragile environment which are more attractive to clients so as to increase their revenue (Amuleng 2007, p. 285).

Tourism is very significant in the economy of many countries and sometimes it makes extravagant use of the natural resources available. Much of the actions that are necessary for addressing this and related challenges are vested in the process of strengthening environmental management of the tourism sector (Amuleng 2007, p. 285).

Reduction of energy consumption in tourism and encouraging the use of the renewable energy sources and more sophisticated technology as some of the ways suggested for ensuring that tourism activities have very little emissions as much as possible (Viner & Nicholls 2006, p. 45).

The technologies that allow reuse and recycling of the materials being used in the tourism sectors can greatly reduce the need to aggressively exploit new resources that are gradually being depleted. The tourism activities often overuse water and any process that can promote better utilization of water is recommended (Amuleng 2007, p. 285). This includes effective treatment of the sewage and the government should ban the discharge of liquid wastes marine and river environment.

The tourism industry is one of the world’s largest economic sectors that serve people who travel from one place to another just for fun or for recreation while earning host nations some revenue. There is a growing concern on the international scene over issues like global warming, energy crises and climate changes (Gossling 2000, p. 412). This influences personal choices such as travel destination, lengths of journeys and other issues like environmentally friendly services.

To retain international competitiveness, nations are ensuring that they considerably decrease carbon emission and waste management. Currently, the world is faced with serious problems of environmental degradation due to tourism activities like diving tourism or emission from transport. The problems or rather negative implications of tourism are evident in many parts of the world.

For such reasons, there has been a call from international bodies compelling countries to practice tourism that will be self-sustaining so that future generations would be protected and would still have better environment to live in. Sustainable driven tourism is a way for nations to show their commitment to conserving the environment and local traditions while still earning an income and creating job opportunities.

The reason why sustainable tourism is being encouraged all over the world is due to the fact that there is dire need to have positive development. Currently, diving as part of the tourism sector is a booming business. Many nations which have reef lined coasts are making a lot of money from dive tourism activities. However, the problem that is going to affect the economies of such booming business is the mechanical damage that is consequential of these activities.

Amuleng, B., 2007. Implications of Global Climate Change For Tourism Flows and Seasonality. Journal of Travel Research , Vol. 45 No. 3, pp. 285-296

Becken, S., 2004. How Tourists and Tourism Experts Perceive Climate Change and Carbon-offsetting Schemes. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , Vol. 12, Issue 4, pp. 332-345

Fennell , D. A., 1999, Ecotourism : An Introduction. Routledge: London

Gossling, S., 2000. Sustainable Tourism Development in Developing Countries: Some Aspects of Energy Use. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , Vol. 8, Issue 5, pp. 410-425

Kalish A., 2001. Tourism as Fair Trade: NGO Perspectives. London: Tourism Concern:

Mowforth, M., & Muntsd, I., 2003, Tourism and Sustainability: Development, Globalization And New Tourism In Third World. London: Taylor And Francis:

Viner, D., & Nicholls, S., 2006, Climate Change and Its Implication for International Tourisms , Tourism Management Dynamics. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

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IvyPanda. (2018, December 27). Tourism and Climate Change Problem. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tourism-and-climate-change-problem/

"Tourism and Climate Change Problem." IvyPanda , 27 Dec. 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/tourism-and-climate-change-problem/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Tourism and Climate Change Problem'. 27 December.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Tourism and Climate Change Problem." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tourism-and-climate-change-problem/.

1. IvyPanda . "Tourism and Climate Change Problem." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tourism-and-climate-change-problem/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Tourism and Climate Change Problem." December 27, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/tourism-and-climate-change-problem/.

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Tourism Essay Titles

IELTS Essay Questions for the Topic of Tourism and Travel. All essay questions below are reported by IELTS candidates and seem to have been repeated over the years. Regardless of the years the questions were reported, you could get any question below in your test. You should, therefore, prepare ideas for all questions given below. The topics below could appear in both GT and Academic IELTS Writing Task 2.

Tourism and Travel IELTS Essay Questions

Tourism is an important industry in many countries. What benefits do you think tourism brings to individuals and society? (2017, 2021 reworded)

As a result of tourism and the increasing number of people travelling, there is an growing demand for more flights.

What problems does this have on the environment? What measures could be taken to solve the problems? (2020, 2023)

Eco-tourism usually involves people visiting remote areas. Some people think this will have a negative impact on local cultures and communities. What problems can result from eco-tourism?  What measures can be taken to protect local culture and communities? (2024)

With more people choosing to watch travel programs on TV and social media, fewer people will be willing to pay the costs of traveling abroad. To what extent do you agree?

Some people believe that to protect local culture, tourism should be banned in some areas, while others think that change is inevitable and banning tourism will have no benefits. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. (2022, 2023)

As a result of tourism, some historical buildings and sites are being damaged beyond repair. What could be done to prevent this? (2019, 2021)

Some people think that when a person travels into a different culture they should adapt to the local practices and customs. To what extent do you agree? (appears most years in the test)

The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only language to be spoken globally. What are the advantages and disadvantages to having one language in the world? (most years – this also appears under the category of languages)

Many people around the world now take regular international flights. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages to the environment? (2022)

Raising the cost of international flights is the best way to reduce air pollution. Do you agree?

Reported essay questions are from students who have taken their IELTS test. That means questions may have appeared more frequently than have been reported. These questions may vary slightly in wording and focus from the original question. Also note that these questions could also appear in IELTS speaking part 3 which is another good reason to prepare all topics thoroughly.

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Tourism Essay IELTS – Writing Style and Samples

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Updated on 03 September, 2024

Sunita Kadian

Ielts expert.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is a  language test for study abroad aspirants. Candidates appearing for IELTS may be asked a question on tourism essay IELTS in Writing Task 2. Candidates will have to write IELTS essay on tourism   in a minimum of 250 words. 

The examiner will assess your abilities to respond to the topic by providing an opinion and justifying it with arguments. The essay may require you to summarize information, outline any problems, discuss the premise, or identify solutions. You will have to be logical while giving reasons and examples in the essay. 

IELTS Writing task 2 section has more weightage compared to IELTS Writing Task 1. Certified and trained examiners evaluate the essays. Make sure that you do not copy the question in your essay. Paraphrasing the same in your introduction is necessary for avoiding any penalties. You should not spend more than 40 minutes on the assignment. 

Table of Contents

Types of ielts essays, common themes in tourism essays, effective writing style for tourism essays, structuring your tourism essay, language and vocabulary for tourism essays, tourism essay sample - 1, tourism essay sample - 2, download e-books for ielts preparation, tourism essay sample - 3, common mistakes to avoid.

In IELTS Writing Task 2, there are 5 different types of essays:

• Discussion essay 
• Agree/disagree essay 
• Advantages/disadvantages
• Problem/solution essay
• Two-part question essay (Direct question essay)

How Tourism Essays Fit Into Task 2's Various Formats 

Travel and tourism essay is a versatile topic for IELTS tourism writing task 2 and can be adapted to fit various essay formats.

• Argument-Based Essay : Discuss the pros and cons of the travel and tourism impact on the economy and culture, and present your opinion.
• Opinion-Based Essay : State and support your view on a tourism-related issue.
• Problem-Solution Essay : Identify issues caused by tourism and suggest solutions.
• Discussion Essay : Examine the tourism essay for IELTS by presenting both sides of an argument and conclude with your view.
• Two-Part Questions : Answer why a trend is occurring and how it can be managed.
• Advantages and Disadvantages Essay : Analyze the positives and negatives of tourism as an economic strategy.
• Cause and Solution Tourism Essay IELTS : Explore the causes of a problem related to tourism and propose solutions.

Common topics and themes related to tourism writing include:

• Economic impacts (positive and negative) of tourism.
• Environmental effects (sustainability, wildlife preservation).
• Cultural impacts (effects on local communities, commodification of culture).
• The balance between tourism and conservation.
• The role of technology in tourism (e.g., virtual reality tours, online bookings).

Here’s how you can approach common tourism writing themes in an IELTS essay:

Before you start writing, take some time to read and understand the instructions provided carefully. It's crucial to grasp the IELTS essay on tourism tasks fully.

• Begin by thoroughly reading and understanding the instructions.
• Brainstorm and jot down keywords and main ideas.
• Introduction: Paraphrase the topic of tourism IELTS essay or question.
• Essay Body: Organize your tourism in India essay into 2-3 body paragraphs. Develop your ideas with supporting points and examples.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main points without introducing new ideas.
• Ensure your essay flows logically, using clear language and cohesive linking words.
• Check for grammatical accuracy and alignment with the tourism IELTS essay prompt.

The three main key principles of a strong IELTS writing task on tourism are clarity, coherence, and varied vocabulary.

• Clarity : Make sure your thoughts are presented clearly and thoroughly. Avoid using jargon or too complicated language, which may confuse readers. 
• Coherence : Make logical connections between your thoughts throughout the tourism essay IELTS. Use cohesive techniques like transitional words and phrases to ensure paragraphs flow smoothly.  
• Vocabulary : Use a wide range of words to minimize repetition and increase the depth of your work.

The following tourism writing task 2 essay structure indicates your coherence skills - 

• Introduction: Begin by rephrasing the essay question and clearly state your thesis or main argument.
• Body Paragraph 1: Start by exploring one of the benefits, aspects or points related to tourism.
• Body Paragraph 2: You may choose to present another advantage (optional). 
• Body Paragraph 3: Discuss one of the drawbacks. 
• Body Paragraph 4: You can include another disadvantage (optional).
• Conclusion: Summarize your points and reiterate your viewpoint.

Techniques for Tourism Writing Task 2 Engaging Introductions and Impactful Conclusions:

• Engaging Introductions: Grab the reader's attention with stories, facts, or thought-provoking questions.  
• Impactful Conclusions: Conclude with a compelling remark that reinforces the major point of your argument. Depending on the topic, you can encourage readers to take action or make further implications.  

These are some of the essential words for travel and tourism essays:

• Accommodation : Places where tourists or visitors stay. Examples include hotels, hostels, and so forth.
• Acculturation : the process of integrating ideas from various cultures. For example, a resort may adapt to its tourists' cultural preferences.
• Backpacking : Traveling frequently to many destinations with your stuff in a backpack.
• Camping : a holiday spent in a tent or camper van.
• Infrastructure : The basic organizational structures in a place, such as roads, transport 
• Cruise : a sea-based journey that follows a pre-planned path and visits multiple ports.
• Excursion : Excursions are brief excursions generally taken while on vacation.
• Heritage : Objects and attributes prized for their cultural or historical significance.
• Homeland : Homeland refers to the nation where you were born or raised, whereas infrastructure refers to the underlying organizational framework.

Tips for using synonyms and avoiding repetition for tourism IELTS essay:

• Choose synonyms that fit the context.
• Use a thesaurus for variety.
• Maintain the tone of your writing.
• Use synonyms sparingly.
• Vary sentence structures.
• Focus on key terms.
• Use different word forms.
• Include transitional phrases.
• Proofread your content for effectiveness.

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Question- Some people believe that tourism contributes more towards creating tension amongst countries instead of helping travelers better understand new cultures and traditions. 

To what extent do you agree or disagree? 

Answer:  

Several individuals still feel that tourism leads to strained relationships between countries instead of helping visitors get acquainted with new regions and cultural aspects. In my opinion, tourism is still a harbinger of positive experiences and strengthens shared empathy and cross-cultural bonds despite a few unfortunate incidents hogging newspaper headlines at times.  The main reason behind people advocating against tourism as a means of global peace and understanding is linked to sudden issues that snowballed into major controversies. Let us take a fictional example. Suppose residents belonging to a particular country get ridiculed and culturally attacked in the country where they live and work. In these cases, the percentage of such incidents, if mapped closely, would be overwhelmingly low to justify mass protest. Yet, some of these unfortunate incidents often mushroom into bigger problems.  Several organizations may call for a boycott of the country, while some countries may stop sending tourists altogether. These reactions, while natural, prove to be irrational, since the host country will always deal strongly with perpetrators of violence. After things settle down and positive steps are taken by the authorities towards boosting health and safety, tourists will return in higher numbers. This is just an illustrative example and shows that irrational and bigoted reactions can never take away from shared empathy, mutual trust, and the power of good relationships between countries. Visitors’ experience and interactions with local citizens in other countries are mostly based on discovery, warmth, and friendliness. This contributes immensely to building knowledge and insights regarding new cultures, traditions, habits, daily life and beliefs, and the history and development of any nation.  Tourism is the biggest driver for global cooperation, interaction, mutual understanding, and cultural exchange. Every country and its citizens wish to create a positive impression or image of themselves in the minds of visitors. To conclude, I will state that people should keep these aspects in mind when they are traveling or considering the relevance of tourism. Rising above prejudices is the need of the hour.

Question- Most nations feel that global tourism has a harmful impact. What are the problems arising from tourism? What are the solutions for changing these perceptions? 

There are many reasons behind the prevalent feeling amongst nations that tourism may have a negative impact. Yet, these mindsets can be tackled through a few solutions, which have been discussed below.  Firstly, the growing visits by global travelers are often perceived as a major contributor to pollution levels. Many countries get offended with the way tourists litter irresponsibly, contaminating the soil, water and air. Furthermore, demand for transportation goes up sizably, leading to a sharp plunge in air quality levels at popular cities/regions.  Secondly, global tourists also come with risks of spreading contagious and infectious ailments throughout the country. Several viruses often spread in this manner in several nations. Suppose there is an outbreak of any infectious disease in a particular country and this coincides with the arrival of tourists in large numbers from another nation.  People may start blaming these people and their government for their woes, however unjustified it is. This example illustrates why many nations are firmly against the development of global tourism any further.  Yet, several solutions may help in bettering the current scenario. Governments should continue awareness measures for enlightening tourists on their visits to various countries. They should release stringent dos and don’ts or codes of conduct while making provisions for health tests and documentation to minimize infections risks.  Travelers should be incentivized for responsible waste disposal, usage of public transport, and undergoing medical check-ups at airports and international borders. A travel pass or some other rewards can be given to ensure that most international travelers adhere to these new regulations.  To conclude, negative perceptions about global tourists are still widespread in mainstream society. However, the situation can be turned around with the above solutions.

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Question: Several global destinations depend on tourism as their central income source. Unfortunately, tourism may lead to several problems in the absence of suitable management. Describe the pros and cons of modern tourism. Do you think that the pros outstrip the cons? 

Tourism is the main income driver for several global regions today, although it may create some issues. This essay will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of tourism before concluding.  The biggest benefit of global tourism is income generation and a boost for the economy of the country. Tourism automatically means transportation and accommodation and accompanying services including food and beverages, nightlife, entertainment, guides, local transport, and a lot more.  These help in churning out extra income for the nation in question while increasing overall growth in GDP as well. The second benefit is that tourism leads to full-scale employment, creating job opportunities in the travel and transportation, hospitality, restaurants, entertainment and cultural sectors. Tourism also has a third benefit, i.e., fostering global relationships with other countries and building a platform for mutually beneficial cross-cultural exchange.  Yet, there are some problems caused by global tourism as well. They include littering across tourist landmarks, an increase in unlawful activities, and also damages to historical landmarks and centers of pilgrimage. National resources are also strained while coping with the influx of global tourists in large numbers. At the same time, there are always instances of rising crime or thefts with a rise in international tourism.  To conclude, despite the numerous cons of tourism, including damages to historical structures, pollution, crime, and over-extension of natural resources, the pros far outweigh them. Tourism contributes towards cross-cultural exchange and global harmony along with contributing massively towards the national economy. It also generates employment for a sizable chunk of the local population. 

These are the frequent errors in IELTS writing tourism essay:

• Using contractions in an IELTS essay on tourism (e.g., I don't instead of I do not)
• Being overly personal (for example, using I, me, my)
• Employing emotive language in tourism in India essay (e.g., disgusting, fabulous)
• Relying solely on personal examples 
• Using colloquial expressions
• Using simple vocabulary (e.g., say, think, bad) and basic linking words in the IELTS essay (e.g., and, but, also)
• Repeating the same vocabulary excessively
• Writing only simple sentences (e.g., Everyone thinks it's true. I disagree.)
• Making over-generalizations (e.g., everyone, always, never, all)

These are the tips to correct these mistakes for tourism writing task 2:

• To retain formality, always use whole words rather than abbreviations.
• Limit the usage of personal pronouns to keep the conversation focused on the tourism essay for IELTS rather than yourself.
• Use neutral language to retain impartiality and prevent emotional bias.
• Use various examples, not just personal ones, to back up your claims.
• Expand your vocabulary to avoid repetition in the tourism writing task 2.
• Provide nuanced arguments instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to promote tourism in india essay.

Tourism is the lifeblood for any nation, not just from an economic and employment perspective, but also from a socio-cultural point of view. India, in particular, has a thriving tourism sector, while boasting of immense diversity and a rich historical and cultural legacy that has charmed the entire world. Tourism also adds considerably to our GDP as a nation, increasing our economic capabilities, adding to community income, enhancing employment and entrepreneurship and facilitating invaluable cultural exchange with people from other countries. However, I believe, that there should be a four-pronged strategy towards promoting tourism in India, with a view towards retaining its appeal for foreign travellers. 

I suggest a renewed emphasis on digital marketing. Governments can consider new-age technologies like virtual walkthroughs and 3D views in order to promote major landmarks. More marketing initiatives digitally will help us reach out to wider audiences, thereby giving the tourism industry a major boost. 

I also suggest a more localized focus where States and regions have the autonomy to market their landmarks, cultures and cuisines. This will help them come up with innovative offerings for tourists. 

I feel that heritage structures, monuments, parks, forts, water bodies, etc. may be outsourced to responsible government/private agencies or companies for maintenance. It can be made a part of the CSR activities of companies, thereby ensuring their preservation. We also need to build better infrastructure including roads, washrooms and other public amenities. 

Tourism is one of the most important facets to our nation and also ensures how we are perceived globally. With the latest technology, an innovative mindset and zeal to excel, we can certainly promote our tourism sector more effectively.

Why tourism is important essay?

Tourism is one of the most essential economic and cultural pursuits for any country. It not only adds to the country’s revenues but also fosters knowledge exchange and helps countries get global exposure in turn. I believe that tourism is not only important but indispensable for the continued progress of any country.

Tourism is a big contributor to the GDP of the nation. It ensures higher revenues for the Government and local communities alike. It puts more money into the hands of local communities who are dependent upon the sector. Tourism also ensures the creation of more employment opportunities, while boosting sectors like hospitality, travel, transport, culture, food and beverages and more. Tourism is also a big stimulant of entrepreneurship in the country.

Tourism builds positive relationships between countries. It facilitates cultural exchange and exposure. It enables the growth of infrastructure, cultural activities and ensures the continued preservation of priceless treasures and natural landmarks which are big draws in a country.

I would like to conclude by stating that tourism is immensely important for any country. Governments and authorities should encourage tourism in order to be a part of a peaceful and united global community of nations.

Should countries encourage tourism essay?

Tourism is one of the biggest global sectors today, accounting for a major chunk of global revenues, employment and socio-cultural events or experiences. The question is, should countries encourage tourism? I would like to opine that they should encourage the growth of tourism for multiple reasons, which are enumerated below.

First and foremost, tourism enables cultural exchange and bonds between nations. The world gets to know more about a country’s cultures, unique experiences and heritage. This enables more knowledge gathering and dissemination, while contributing immensely towards scholarship and research at the same time.

Second, tourism contributes significantly to the country’s coffers by way of revenues. It also contributes towards generating more employment and entrepreneurship opportunities while driving various product and service-based industries alongside. Tourism also has the potential to transform entire communities and help them embrace sustainability.  It is with these opinions that I would like to conclude by saying that in today’s fragmented and increasingly digitized world, the age-old adage Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam holds greater relevance. It means the World is a Family. Tourism is the biggest enabler of global peace, friendships and knowledge exchange. All countries should encourage the same.

What kind of vocabulary is used in tourism essay?

There is a need to enhance your vocabulary for writing the IELTS tourism essay. The terms used in these essays often include passenger, traveler, tourist, transportation, travel, airport, check-in, landing, fly, flying, plane, camping, destinations, heritage, culture, landmarks, sightseeing, community, hospitality, hotels, routes, tours, voyage, and more. You should also focus on words related to global cultural exchange, historical sites, tourist attractions, local economies, entrepreneurship and job creation for writing your essay.

What are some common themes in tourism essays for IELTS?

Common themes in tourism essays for IELTS often revolve around:

• Cultural Exchange
• Sustainability
• Economic Impact
• Heritage Preservation
• Tourism Promotion
• Community Involvement
• Tourism Trends
• Cultural Immersion
• Tourism Infrastructure

What key vocabulary should I use in a tourism essay?

Key Vocabulary for Tourism Essay IELTS: Tourism; Accommodation; Attractions; Cultural Exchange; Sustainability; Heritage; Infrastructure; Ecotourism; Cuisine; Visitors.

Sunita Kadian, co-founder and Academic Head at Yuno Learning is an expert in IELTS and English communication. With a background in competitive exam preparation (IELTS, GMAT, CAT, TOEFL), interview prep, and corporate soft skills training, she has adapted these programs for the Yuno platform. Her dedication and commitment earned high praise from students, especially for her public speaking and advanced speaking English courses. Sunita's mastery of language nuances and articulation makes her a favorite among IELTS students. She holds a Postgraduate degree in English Literature, a B.Ed., and a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations.

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Tourism and problems it brings about (causes) and what are the solutions.

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Fully explain your ideas

To get an excellent score in the IELTS Task 2 writing section, one of the easiest and most effective tips is structuring your writing in the most solid format. A great argument essay structure may be divided to four paragraphs, in which comprises of four sentences (excluding the conclusion paragraph, which comprises of three sentences).

For we to consider an essay structure a great one, it should be looking like this:

• Paragraph 1 - Introduction
• Sentence 1 - Background statement
• Sentence 2 - Detailed background statement
• Sentence 3 - Thesis
• Sentence 4 - Outline sentence
• Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
• Sentence 1 - Topic sentence
• Sentence 2 - Example
• Sentence 3 - Discussion
• Sentence 4 - Conclusion
• Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
• Paragraph 4 - Conclusion
• Sentence 1 - Summary
• Sentence 2 - Restatement of thesis
• Sentence 3 - Prediction or recommendation

Our recommended essay structure above comprises of fifteen (15) sentences, which will make your essay approximately 250 to 275 words.

Discover more tips in The Ultimate Guide to Get a Target Band Score of 7+ » — a book that's free for 🚀 Premium users.

• Check your IELTS essay »
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In many countries, people are now living longer than ever before. Some people say an aging population creates problems for governments. Other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people.  To what extent do the advantages of having an aging population outweigh the disadvantages?

Some people think that the parents of children who commit crime should also receive a punishment . to what extend do you agree or disagree , whether or not someone achieves their aims is mostly by a question of luck. to what extent do you agree or not agree, nowadays more and more young people hold the important positions in the government.some people think that it is a good thing, while others argue that it is not suitable. discuss both these views and give your opinion, in many countries around the world, rural people are moving to cities, so the population in the countryside is decreasing. do you think this is a positive or negative developmen.

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A tourism policy ill-suited for Jammu and Kashmir Premium

The damage being caused to the region’s fragile environment highlights the need for a resilient and sustainable tourism model.

Updated - September 07, 2024 11:22 am IST

‘The influx of tourists is causing great stress to the Valley’s delicate ecological equilibrium’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu

In the collective consciousness, Kashmir remains an Eden, but time has changed its environment. The relentless march of urbanisation and commercialisation has inflicted grievous wounds on this once pristine sanctuary. The manifestations of climate change are also evident.

Effects of new policy

The influx of tourists is causing great stress to the Valley’s delicate ecological equilibrium. The Jammu and Kashmir government’s recent tourism policy efforts, ostensibly to project an image of tranquillity and normalcy after the dilution of the region’s special status, have had significant environmental repercussions. According to official data, over four crore tourists have visited Kashmir since the announcement of a new tourism policy in 2020. In the first half of 2024, 1.2 million tourists arrived in Kashmir.

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The unbridled escalation in tourist activities, propelled by the administration’s endeavours to showcase the Valley’s newfound stability, is causing an array of ecological disturbances. Additionally, inadequate waste management systems are worsening pollution levels in waterbodies, further compounding the ecological degradation. The promotion of pilgrimage tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in areas such as Pahalgam and the Trikuta ranges where the Mata Vaishno Devi temple is located, has significantly strained the fragile ecosystem. The influx, often exceeding the region’s carrying capacity, has led to deforestation, waste accumulation, and unregulated construction. Experts believe that it was unchecked tourism that was a key factor contributing to the catastrophic floods in 2014.

The influx of visitors necessitates the expansion of infrastructure from hotels, roads, and recreational facilities, that invariably encroach upon natural habitats. The construction boom not only disrupts wildlife corridors but also leads to deforestation, exacerbating soil erosion and affecting the landscape. Moreover, the heightened demand for water and electricity strains local resources.

Unchecked withdrawal of groundwater is depleting aquifers at an alarming rate, while increased electricity consumption necessitates greater reliance on hydroelectric projects. These projects, though renewable in nature, can devastate local aquatic ecosystems and alter the hydrological balance.

There is an acute shortage of drinking water in many areas of Kashmir. The depletion of glaciers at a faster rate due to climate change has led to water scarcity. The Valley is facing an imminent agricultural drought, a situation exacerbated by below-average rainfall and erratic weather patterns. The region is witnessing less water in rivers and streams, in turn affecting irrigation. Drought also threatens crop yields, which could lead to economic distress for farmers and potential food shortages. Climate change poses long-term challenges to Kashmir’s agricultural sustainability and food security.

A fragile region

Jammu and Kashmir is a region that is affected by natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, and avalanches. The region also lies in a seismically active zone. The catastrophic floods of 2014 caused widespread destruction, submerging large parts of the Kashmir Valley, damaging infrastructure, and displacing thousands of people. Around five million people were affected — around 4.5 million in the Valley and half a million in the Jammu region. The State’s economy suffered an estimated loss of ₹5,400 crore-₹5,700 crore. In 2022, flash floods caused by a cloudburst near Amarnath killed 16 people and left 40 missing. The construction of roads to unexplored tourist destinations, where the intent is to boost accessibility and economic growth, often ends up disrupting fragile ecosystems.

The landslide in Wayanad, Kerala , which claimed over 200 lives, is a stark reminder of the grave dangers posed by unchecked commercialisation in ecologically sensitive regions. It is a moment of caution in regions such as Kashmir, which have a delicate ecosystem.

Have a new model

The natural beauty of Kashmir is a significant draw for tourists, but the push for commercialisation through the construction of hotels, resorts and other infrastructure can have catastrophic consequences if not managed sustainably. The region’s fragile environment necessitates the adoption of a resilient and sustainable tourism model. In Jammu and Kashmir, this would involve promoting eco-friendly practices that minimise environmental degradation such as reducing waste, conserving water, and protecting biodiversity. It also requires the inclusion of local communities in tourism planning and decision-making.

Building resilience requires infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather, diversifying tourism offerings beyond just the peak seasons, and creating policies that protect the interests of both tourists and locals. By adopting a resilient and sustainable tourism model, Jammu and Kashmir can safeguard its natural beauty, support local communities, and ensure that tourism remains a viable economic driver for generations to come. This shift is not only necessary but also urgent in order to balance economic development with environmental conservation and social equity in the region.

Bilal Ahmad Wagay is an Assistant Professor of political science in Jammu and Kashmir higher education, and a researcher and literary critic

Published - September 07, 2024 12:08 am IST

Related Topics

Jammu and Kashmir / Jammu and Kashmir Floods / tourism / environmental pollution / environmental issues / water pollution / religion and belief / deforestation / waste / hotel and accommodation / road transport / tourism and leisure / water supply / climate change / food security / agriculture / earthquake / Kerala / economy (general)

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Majorca sends urgent message to UK tourists amid sharp decline and local protests

Balearic Islands' tourism agency is stepping up its efforts to attract UK holidaymakers after statistics revealed a 10 per cent drop in British tourism in July

• 09:17, 7 SEP 2024

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The Spanish islands have issued a plea as tens of thousands of UK tourists depart. The Balearic Islands' tourism agency is ramping up its efforts to draw in British holidaymakers, following a 10% decrease in UK tourism in July, as revealed by recent statistics.

The Majorca Daily Bulletin published the July tourism figures on Monday, showing a year-on-year decline of 10% in UK tourism in the Balearics. However, the situation for German tourists was quite different.

There was a 12% increase in German tourist numbers. Among smaller markets than the UK and Germany, France saw a rise of 22%, while Italy experienced an 11% drop.

The Spanish market declined by 13%. Overall foreign tourism increased by 4.3%.

Regarding the UK market, monthly figures since April indicate a slight increase of 0.3% (in April), a fall of 5.9% in May, and a rise of 2.4% in June before the 10% drop in July to 559,040 tourists. This comes as the Balearic government's AETIB tourism strategy agency liaises with its UK marketing communications agency, Lotus, about a media campaign aimed at offsetting potential negative impacts of the protests, reports Birmingham Live .

The tourism industry in the Balearics may have embraced the recent media campaign with open arms, but doubts linger within the holiday rentals sector about its impact. An insider voiced concerns, expressing, "No matter how much they tell them that everything is fine, if potential visitors see an image on television with a slogan saying kill a tourist, they will think twice."

This scepticism follows events where demonstrators flooded the streets bearing signs urging tourists to 'go home' and obstructed their access to renowned beaches. These protests chiefly called for tighter regulations on tourist accommodations, aiming to enhance housing conditions for residents.

• Most Recent

The Problem With Saying Suicide Is Preventable

W hen I left my father’s condo for the airport on a sunny March day in 2018, I did not once think that he might kill himself. Yes, his depression had returned, dense and unsteadying. But he had just come home from a week of voluntary inpatient care at the psychiatric hospital. He had a psychiatrist, an acupuncturist, and a sunlamp. During my visit, I drove him to his outpatient group therapy. We played Scrabble and listened to 80s dance hits.

What I saw when I spent that week with my father was a man doing everything he could to shrug the mantle of depression from his shoulders. But within 48 hours of me leaving, my father ended his life.

He was one of more than 48,000 Americans who died by suicide in 2018, a then-record that has since been surpassed by steadily rising suicide rates in the midst of a mental health crisis the surgeon general called “ the defining public health crisis of our time .”

As this crisis rages on, we have made strides in fighting suicide, like the 988 lifeline and increased barriers on bridges and high structures throughout the United States. This spring, the Biden administration released a new 10-year strategy for suicide prevention . These improvements bolster the declaration that now feels ubiquitous in mental health messaging: suicide is preventable . But that phrase masks a nuanced, persistent reality of suicide that we must acknowledge.

Read More: America Has Reached Peak Therapy. Why Is Our Mental Health Getting Worse?

Though well-intentioned, the truth is that not all suicides can be stopped, even with the best efforts. But right after my father’s death, everywhere I looked I read that suicide is preventable. This instilled an immediate, unconscious conviction in me of a double failure: my father, who had not done enough to save himself, and those of us who loved him most, who had not done enough, either. Collectively we could have deterred his death. But we did not.

In the months following my father’s death, I channeled my guilt into an obsessive energy toward understanding and advocating for suicide prevention. I fundraised for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention , lobbied for policy change in Tennessee, and charted my father’s risk factors against his protective factors , certain I would find the tipping point where he should have gone left instead of right—where I should have stayed, instead of left him.

Alongside the insistence that suicide can be stopped lie reminders for survivors not to feel guilty or blame themselves, a request that feels impossible, as you’re handed checklists of preventative measures. But it is not only for the sake of those left behind that we should add nuance to what we mean when we say suicide is preventable.

The crux of the issue with blanketing suicide as something that can be stopped is that it flattens one of the most confounding psychological, medical, and philosophical questions of being human into something simpler than its reality. Perhaps one day we will be able to say that, with the right blueprint, suicide is preventable. But we do not have the knowledge, let alone the resources, to make that true now.

Today I imagine my father on a precipice, teetering between life and death. I will never know exactly why he fell one way and not the other, in the same way we do not know what causes one person to take their life and another to not. We do not know whether the seeds of suicidality are planted moments before a person decides to die, or decades. For each individual, it is different. But it is not something we can cut open on the autopsy table, tracing its progression and tearing it out at the root.

This does not mean suicide prevention efforts are futile. One of the few, but most encouraging, empirically backed strategies to reduce suicide deaths is limiting access to lethal means —hence the importance of bridge barriers, firearms safety, and safe medication storage. But as my therapist reminded me after my father’s death, people have still found ways to end their lives while in the middle of inpatient mental health treatment. There were no guarantees that anything I might have done would have stopped my father’s death. 

At first, I interpreted his reminder as bleak. But over time, I started to see the way that my obsession with what could have gone differently dehumanized my father. It was both more painful and more honest when I began to accept that my father’s reality was different from my own. I would have given anything for him to still be alive, but I also did not want to deny what life was like for him. In a world still riddled with stigma against mental illness, those who die by and attempt suicide deserve the dignity of us acknowledging their pain as real.

This is a scary thing to admit, to both validate the severity of psychological crisis without dismissing suicide deaths as inevitable. And though I want us to add nuance to our language around suicide prevention, I do not believe the suicide epidemic is unstoppable. But we need more than better quality and access to mental health care (which, we do need)—we also must frame mental health as something inclusive of trauma, poverty, substance abuse, and economic, food, and housing insecurity. We need to intercept suicide far before the crisis moment.

Take, for instance, Italy’s community-centered Trieste model , where people in mental health crisis are directed to short-term stays in peer-managed housing that is more similar to a home than a hospital. The Trieste model also focuses on meeting patients’ basic needs, like food, clothing, housing, and jobs. In the U.S., California awarded $116 million to launch a pilot program replicating the Trieste model in Los Angeles. But the program has been stalled since it received funding in 2019, and remains under revision. More concentrated efforts, like free school lunch programs that have been shown to improve student mental health, can help address some destabilizing factors with more immediacy as larger systemic changes take hold.

We can also expand therapeutic interventions in a system that does not have enough clinicians to meet the needs of a worsening mental illness epidemic. Earlier in 2024, Alaska passed a law requiring mental health curricula in public schools, following in the wake of states like New York and Virginia. Alabama high-schoolers have been testing a self-guided pilot program to improve mental health literacy before crisis, which research has shown works .  These kinds of approaches contribute to a broader ecosystem of knowledge and resources that help reduce how many people reach a crisis point to begin with.

Acknowledging that, currently, suicide is not always preventable alleviates the burden for survivors wondering what we did wrong. It also honors that what the world is like for those who die by suicide is real to them, rather than implying that they failed in not doing more to help themselves. And it allows us to admit how much we still don’t know, giving us space to create more holistic, expansive solutions for all that mental health care can be.

When I stopped focusing over what might have prevented my father’s suicide, my perception of his life burst open into so much more than how he died. His death had made me question whether any of the joy and laughter and car sing-a-longs I’d shared with him in the days before were real. But once I accepted that his suicide was both his choice to make, and just one part of his story, I recognized that his depression did not invalidate all the other things that drove him. Like showing up for the people he loved, solving problems, and creating beauty around him. The way he died does not diminish how dedicated he was to growth and evolution, and it does not invalidate the countless ways he chose to live.

I have hope that, with continued research, interventions, and destigmatization, suicide deaths will decline. But I also have peace knowing that my father’s death is not defined by what he or I did wrong, but instead is one of the many continuing unknowns we must make space for in how we speak about mental health.

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