.Tourism

1. If modern holiday-makers have benefited so much from the growth of the tourist industry, what of the countries that attract visitors in the first place? On the face of it, local people are sharing the new-found wealth of the foreign traveller. Whereonce there were only undeveloped stretches of coastline, hotels have sprung up, creating employment for the local population. The visitors, with money to spend, encourage business, in particular the restaurant trade, while craftsmen can find aready, though seasonal, market for their products. Whereas the local people oncehad to work hard on the land or at sea to earn a slender wage, tourism now providesa more substantial income.

2. One might expect that the ever-growing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but. good for the countries that receive the holiday-makers. Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the long-term future of the holiday industry. Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere, and every month another rock-bound Pacificisland is advertised as the 'last paradise on earth'. All this means more jobs for yet

more people. 3. However, the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things

tourists want to enjoy. In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of sea-side holidays, over-crowded beaches and the concrete jungles of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal. Besides, the holiday towns cannot support the massive influx of visitors. Sewage spills untreated into the sea and this soon becomes known; visitors begin to look elsewhere for safer beaches and safer waters to swim in. Nor are the sea-side resorts the only places to suffer from the stranglehold of tourism. Such is the magical appeal of winter sports for tourists that hundreds of square kilometres of forest have been destroyed in the mountains of Austria and Switzerland to make way for hotels, roads, ski lifts and ski runs. But a series of mild winters and frequent rain has seen severe flooding and caused landslides; the trees that would have kept the earth intact are no longer there.

4. Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most. In recent years,Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund developments in health and education. Its mountains and valleys, its forests full of wildlife and rare flowers, were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise. In fact, the landscape all too soon feltthe effects of thousands of holiday-makers trekking through the forest land. Ancienttrails became major routes for the walkers, with the consequent destruction ofprecious trees and plants. One area of Nepal is invaded by 36,000 walkers a yearand their demands for daily provisions and accommodation have quickly outstripped the natural resources of the countryside and us inliablidius. Nor have. these inhab-itants benefited financially from the tourists. Only a small amount of the visitors money comes their way, since the bulk of what the tourists spend is on goods and

food imported from outside Nepal.

5. Not only the environment of a country can suffer from the sudden growth of tourism. 40The people as well rapidly feel its effects. Farmland makes way for hotels, roadsand airports; the old way of life goes. If earning a living from the soil was hard, atleast it gave a man independence. Also, the higher wages that can be earned in thenew luxury hotels have to be paid for. The one-time farmer is now the servant ofsome multi-national organisation; he is no longer his own master. And he must smile 45at all times. Once it was his back that took the strain; now it is his smile that isexploited. No doubt he wonders whether he wasn't happier in his village working

his own plot of land.

Section: Reading for Ideas

I. (a) Notes

Identify and write down the benefits and disadvantages of tourism, as described inthe passage.

USE ONLY THE MATERIAL FROM PARAGRAPH I TO PARAGRAPH 4INCLUSIVE

At this stage, you need NOT use your own words. To help you get started the firstpoint in your column of notes is done for you. You will be awarded upto 15 marks forcontent points.

Main PointsBenefits

1- Countries benefit from the growth of tourism for local people are sharing the new found wealth.

Disadvantages

1- Tourism seems to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy.[15]

(b) Summary

Now use your notes to write a summary, in which you explain benefits and disadvantages of tourism, as described in the passage.

This time, you will be awarded up to 5 marks for using your own words wherever possible and for accurate use of language.

Your summary, which must be in continuous writing (not note form), should be around 160 words, including the 10 words given below. Begin your summary as follows: Countries benefit from the growth of tourism for local people....

Main ideas: Fact/Opinion

From paragraph 5, select one fact and one opinion.

FACT _________________

OPINION __________________[2]

Which of the following statements is correct? Tick the box you have chosen. I. The writer is in favour of tourism, 2. The writer is against tourism. 3. The writer is stating facts about tourism.

4. "Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the long term future of the holiday industry". From your own knowledge or experience suggest two ways in which the picture can be rosier Do not refer to examples from the passage.

[2]