You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
International travel is becoming cheaper and cheaper, and more countries are now opening their doors to foreign visitors. Do you think that the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Sample Answer
It is true that it is now less expensive to travel to other countries than it was in the past. New travel destinations appear in tourist brochures to attract visitors from abroad. While there are advantages, I believe that these are outweighed by the disadvantages of these trends.
On the one hand, international travel has experienced phenomenal growth, and many people can now enjoy exploring places which in the past only the rich could visit. After all, many people on limited incomes have a thirst for seeing far-off destinations, and this should not only be the privilege of wealthy people. For example, many Asian countries now welcome foreign visitors who can book an affordable package holiday to experience the holiday of a lifetime. More and more people are able to go sightseeing along the Great Wall of China, discover the temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia or simply to get away from it all on a beach in Malaysia. So, now the many can enjoy experiences that in past only a few could afford.
On the other hand, there are two major disadvantages associated with these developments. Firstly, the green movement argues convincingly that there are environmental costs of the growth in international travel. It is necessary to fight climate change, but air travel pollutes the atmosphere, and the construction of new airports and tourist facilities such as hotels and roads inevitably results in habitat destruction. Secondly, international travel destinations are increasingly crowded. At the height of the tourist season, even remote beaches now swarm with tourists. The beauty of such places is now destroyed in the interests of moneymaking.
In conclusion, I would argue that the drawbacks of environmental degradation and overcrowding outweigh the benefits of these trends. 289 words
Vocab Highlights
brochure: a small magazine or book containing pictures and information about something or advertising something
to experience phenomenal growth: to experience an extremely successful or special development, especially in a surprising way
to have a thirst for something: to have a strong desire for something
far-off: a long distance away
privilege: a special right or advantage that a person or a group of people has
to book: to reserve something, such as a hotel room or a ticket
a package holiday: a holiday that is organized by a company at a fixed price, including the cost of a hotel, travel etc.
the holiday of a lifetime: a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat
to go sightseeing: to look around the places that tourists like to visit
to get away from it all: to have a holiday in a very quiet place where you can relax.
the green movement: all the organisations concerned with the protection of the environment
to fight climate change: to try to prevent changes in climate patterns, such as rainfall, temperature and winds.
habitat destruction: the process that occurs when a natural habitat, like a forest or wetland, is changed so dramatically by humans that plants and animals which live there.
the height of the tourist season: time of year when the greatest number of people visit a place and when the prices are at their highest level
to swarm with tourists: when people swarm somewhere, they move there in a large group or in large numbers.
moneymaking: producing or making a large profit
environmental degradation: the process or fact of the environment becoming worse