Tourists and selfies: IELTS essay ideas

Many visitors today seem more interested in taking photographs to post online than in enjoying the places they visit. I think this is a mainly negative development, although photography has some value.

On the positive side, photos and videos let people record and share their experiences. They create lasting memories that can be enjoyed years later, and posts can inspire friends and followers to visit places they had not considered. Photographs also capture details that fade from memory, such as colours, buildings or a child's expression, and some travellers use social media to document their trips and exchange tips with others.

Nevertheless, I believe the drawbacks are more serious. The first is that tourists who focus on their screens do not really see where they are. They are so busy arranging the perfect image that they miss the atmosphere, sounds and details, and they do not live in the moment. Second, the habit creates practical problems. Crowds form around popular photo spots, blocking paths and spoiling the view for others, and people sometimes put themselves in danger. Accidents have been reported of tourists falling from cliffs or being injured by wildlife while trying to take a selfie. Third, the pressure to produce a striking picture can damage sites. Some visitors climb on monuments, pick flowers or step on fragile plants to get the right angle, and the popularity of a place on social media can bring so many people that it can no longer cope.

Travellers could improve things by putting the phone away for part of the day, taking a few good photographs and then simply looking, and by respecting rules at sites. Authorities might designate viewpoints so that crowds are managed.

In conclusion, photography can preserve memories and inspire others, but obsession with posting images reduces enjoyment, causes crowding and risks harm to people and places.