The Growth of Global Tourism · Advantages and Disadvantages
A complete IELTS General Training Writing Task 2 question with a model answer of 287 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 40 minutes. Write at least 250 words.
Every year more and more people travel abroad as tourists, with international visitor numbers reaching record highs in many countries. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this rapid growth in global tourism? Write at least 250 words.
How to approach it
- 01Note that this version only asks for advantages and disadvantages — no weighted verdict is required
- 02Still close with a balanced conclusion that summarises both sides
- 03Devote one body paragraph to advantages and one to disadvantages, with two developed points per paragraph
- 04Use concrete examples (Venice, cruise ships, specific industries) rather than vague claims
- 05Distinguish this format from 'discuss both views' — you are listing benefits and drawbacks of one trend, not two opposing opinions
- 06Use clear signposts such as 'a first advantage', 'a further drawback', 'however' to mark the structure
Model answer
287 words in 4 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.
Over the past two decades, international travel has expanded at an unprecedented rate, with destinations from Bali to Barcelona welcoming record numbers of visitors. This essay will examine both the advantages and the disadvantages of this rapid growth.
There are two main advantages to mass tourism. The first is economic. Tourism is now one of the largest industries in the world, supporting millions of jobs in hotels, restaurants, transport, and crafts, particularly in developing economies where alternative employment can be scarce. A small Cretan village, for example, may earn more from one busy summer than from a year of olive farming. A second benefit is cultural exchange. When visitors and hosts meet, both sides learn about different ways of life, languages, and traditions, which can reduce prejudice over time and create lifelong personal connections.
However, there are equally important disadvantages. The most pressing is environmental damage. Long-haul flights are a major source of carbon emissions, while crowded destinations suffer from polluted beaches, water shortages, and the destruction of fragile habitats by hotels and cruise ships. A second drawback is the impact on local communities. In popular cities such as Venice and Lisbon, short-term rentals have pushed up housing costs to the point that local residents can no longer afford to live in their own neighbourhoods, and the character of the city is gradually being lost. Heritage sites also wear out under the pressure of millions of visitors taking the same selfies in the same spots.
In conclusion, global tourism brings welcome income and cross-cultural understanding, but it also damages the environment and erodes the lives of the very communities visitors come to see. Governments must therefore manage tourism actively rather than allow numbers to keep rising unchecked.
What this answer actually does
Measured from the text above, and compared against the other 69 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.
4 fewer than the median answer for this task type
4 words at the shortest, 41 at the longest
the same as the median answer for this task type
carry a subordinate or relative clause
Sentence rhythm
Sentences average 17.9 words and vary by 10.9 words either side of that, running from 4 words to 41. 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. 3 of the 16 sentences here carry a subordinate or relative clause.
The cohesive devices it uses
6 in total, spread across 4 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.
however, while
therefore
for example, such as
in conclusion
Vocabulary and repetition
Ignoring grammar words, 89 per cent of the content words in this answer are distinct, and 79 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 5 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 Response
Cover both advantages and disadvantages with developed support and a coherent conclusion.
Coherence & Cohesion
Use a four-paragraph structure with clear topic sentences and signposting between advantages and disadvantages.
Lexical Resource
Use precise vocabulary for tourism, environment, and economics, with appropriate evaluative language.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy
Use a range of complex structures including relative clauses, passives, and concessive clauses accurately.
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