International Tourist Arrivals by Region · 2000 vs 2019
A complete IELTS Academic Writing Task 1 question with a model answer of 210 words, plus a breakdown of the sentence structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary that answer uses. Write your own version first, then compare.
Written by Manish Sharma · CELTA and DELTA qualified · 8 years teaching IELTS
Score my answer to this questionThe question
You have 20 minutes. Write at least 150 words.
The bar chart below shows the number of international tourist arrivals (in millions) in five world regions in the years 2000 and 2019. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. [Chart Data] Region | 2000 (millions) | 2019 (millions) Europe | 386 | 744 Asia & Pacific | 110 | 360 Americas | 128 | 219 Africa | 26 | 70 Middle East | 24 | 61
How to approach it
- 01Begin with a clear paraphrase of the chart's title and units
- 02Write a strong overview covering both the dominant region and the biggest change
- 03Compare 2000 and 2019 within the same paragraph rather than describing each year separately
- 04Use a mix of multiplicative language: 'almost doubled', 'more than tripled'
- 05Highlight any change in ranking, such as Asia & Pacific overtaking the Americas
- 06Round figures sensibly — say 'just over 740 million' rather than listing every digit
Model answer
210 words in 5 paragraphs. Read it after you have written your own, not before: the point of a model answer is to show you what you missed, and you cannot miss anything you have not attempted.
The bar chart compares the number of international tourist arrivals, measured in millions, across five world regions in the years 2000 and 2019.
Overall, every region experienced a substantial increase in tourist numbers over the nineteen-year period. Europe remained by far the most visited region in both years, while the Asia & Pacific region showed the largest proportional growth.
In 2000, Europe attracted 386 million international arrivals, more than three times the figure for the Americas, which received 128 million, and Asia & Pacific, which welcomed 110 million visitors. The Middle East and Africa lagged considerably behind, recording just 24 and 26 million arrivals respectively.
By 2019, the picture had shifted dramatically in scale, though not in ranking. Europe almost doubled its arrivals to 744 million, retaining its position as the world's leading tourist destination. The Asia & Pacific region, however, more than tripled its figure, climbing from 110 to 360 million and overtaking the Americas, which grew more modestly from 128 to 219 million. Africa and the Middle East also saw their tourist numbers nearly triple, reaching 70 and 61 million respectively.
In summary, although the relative ranking of the top region remained unchanged, the gap between Europe and Asia & Pacific narrowed significantly, reflecting a clear eastward shift in global tourism patterns.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 38 answers of the same type in this library. These are counts, not band scores: they describe what the writing does, which is the part you can copy.
2.5 more than the median answer for this task type
13 words at the shortest, 30 at the longest
1 more than the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 21 words and vary by 6.1 words either side of that, running from 13 words to 30. Variation is the point. Grammatical Range and Accuracy rewards a mix of simple and complex sentences, and an answer where every sentence is the same length reads as flat no matter how correct it is. 5 of the 10 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
6 in total, spread across 2 different functions. Range matters more than count: an answer that opens every paragraph with a sequencer signals its structure but never signals a relationship between ideas, and Coherence and Cohesion is marked on both.
although, however, though, while
in summary, overall
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 72 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 57 per cent appear exactly once. Lexical Resource is where repetition costs the most marks, and the usual cause is not a small vocabulary but reaching for the same noun every time the topic is named.
The longest run of words copied straight from the question is 9 words. Examiners discount wording lifted from the question, so a short run here is the right outcome: the answer restates the topic in its own words rather than borrowing the question's.
What you are marked on
All four criteria carry equal weight, and your Writing band is their average rounded to the nearest half band.
Task Achievement
Identify key features and make meaningful comparisons across both years
Coherence & Cohesion
Organise by trend rather than region by region in isolation
Lexical Resource
Varied vocabulary for change and comparison
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Accurate past tenses and comparative structures
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