Plan this advantages and disadvantages essay about economy with the ideas and outline below, write it on a 40-minute timer, then compare it with a band-8 model answer.
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Many countries rely on tourism as a major source of income.
Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
GoPrep wrote this practice question in the style of the exam. It is not an official IELTS question.
Pick two or three points from one or both columns. You do not need all of them, and your own examples score better than memorised ones.
Spend the first few minutes planning, then write.
0 words of 250 minimum
Your answer stays on this page only. Copy it before you leave.
Write your own answer first, then compare: how it answers the exact question, what each paragraph does, and which phrases you could borrow.
Many countries depend heavily on tourism for income. In my view, the advantages of this industry outweigh the disadvantages, but only when it is managed responsibly.
The economic benefits are significant. Tourists spend money on hotels, restaurants, transport and souvenirs, creating jobs for people with a wide range of skills, from guides to chefs. The income also brings foreign currency and tax revenue, which governments can use to improve roads, airports and public services. In places such as the Maldives or parts of Greece, tourism supports a large share of the population, and small family businesses that might otherwise fail can survive by serving visitors. Tourism can also encourage countries to protect historic sites and traditions, because these attract visitors.
On the other hand, there are drawbacks. Excessive numbers of visitors can damage fragile environments and monuments, create pollution and push up prices so that local residents struggle to afford housing; some residents in Venice and Barcelona have protested for this reason. Jobs in tourism are frequently seasonal and poorly paid, and when a crisis such as a pandemic stops travel, an economy that relies on tourism can collapse almost overnight. Local culture may also be distorted when traditions are performed only to please tourists.
These problems can be reduced by limiting visitor numbers at sensitive sites, charging entry fees that fund conservation, encouraging visits outside peak season and developing other industries so that the economy is not dependent on one sector.
In conclusion, tourism generates jobs, income and pride in local heritage, and because most of its harms can be controlled with sensible planning, I believe the benefits outweigh the costs.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| tourist revenue | income from visitors |
| seasonal work | jobs available in part of the year |
| cultural heritage | traditions and monuments of a place |
| overdependence | relying too much on one thing |
| mass tourism | large numbers of visitors |
| foreign exchange | money from other countries |
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