Tourism Today Creates a Variety of Problems - IELTS Writing Task 2

IELTS Opinion essays, like ‘Tourism Today Creates a Variety of Problems’, are the most common type of question in IELTS Writing Task 2. In this Writing task, you will be given an IELTS Opinion Essay prompt, wherein you are presented with a statement or opinion. You are expected to either agree or disagree with it.

Since the Writing Task 2 can be challenging for many IELTS students, practising topics like the ‘Tourism Today Creates a Variety of Problems’, will help you enhance yourself with the format to structure an IELTS Opinion essay. 

Let us begin to learn all about this IELTS Writing Opinion essay now and boost your preparation for the IELTS exam! 

Question

Tourism today creates a variety of problems, such as pollution due to flights. transport and dirty water. Do you think that governments should impose extra taxes on flights or accommodation to restrict today’s tourism industry?

Outline

Band 8 Sample Answer - Tourism Today Creates a Variety of Problems - IELTS Writing Task 2

Nowadays, environmental hazards created by visitors and tourism-related activities are so severe that many individuals advocate for placing high tariffs on air travel and hotels in order to reduce tourist influx. However, I disagree with this approach and feel that the authorities should find better ways to solve this issue than burden the tourism business with further taxes. In the following paragraphs, I shall discuss my opinion and give supporting reasons.

I believe governments should avoid levying more taxes on flights and lodgings because tourism provides jobs and economic mobility in various regions. It also brings in a large number of overseas remittances to the country. Many countries rely substantially on the consistent profits of their tourist business. It also teaches individuals to be tolerant of other cultures and allows them to learn about various civilizations and traditions. More levies on visitor movement and accommodation will have disastrous consequences for these countries. As a result, initiatives that might result in a decrease in visitor numbers should be avoided.

Moreover, regulations to improve visitor behaviour should be implemented. When tourists visit any location, they buy souvenirs that remind them of the rich traditions of that location. People will be less interested if they are afraid of having to spend more money, and they will be unable to quench their need to learn about different cultures. As a result, there is a risk of losing cultural heritage. If a large number of people do not visit these locations, the money and labour invested will be useless. As a result, the additional sum will discourage individuals rather than stimulate them to widen their horizons of knowledge.

In contrast, when residents fly out of the nation, they undoubtedly generate a large quantity of pollution and a large number of traffic jams. A good example is when the Canadian government began charging an extra 20% tax on all luxurious hotels in tourist areas, which reduced tourism by 15% and curtailed water pollution. As a result, the government’s severe measures can reduce the negative consequences of tourism.

To recapitulate, further taxes on tourist transportation and lodging will reduce the influx of tourists, threatening the lives of local inhabitants, particularly in tourism-dependent nations. On the other hand, the development of the tourist business offers various undeniable advantages.

Band 9 Sample Answer - Tourism Today Creates a Variety of Problems - IELTS Writing Task 2

In recent years, a rapid growth in global tourism has raised concerns about its negative environmental impact, mainly pollution from airways, increased transport emissions, and the contamination of the local water sources. Some individuals argue that governments should impose extra taxes on air travel or accommodation to limit the increase in tourism. In my opinion, when such taxes could help reduce environmental damage, they should be implemented straight away alongside broader and more sustainable policies.

To start with, introducing additional taxes on flights and hotels can mainly discourage unnecessary travel and reduce the number of tourists visiting environmentally fragile places. Air travel is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions, and by increasing the price of air fares, governments could make the people who love to travel think twice before flying frequently. Similarly, the accommodation taxes could help generate a good amount of revenue that can be reinvested into environmental protection, like improving waste-management systems or supporting an eco-friendly infrastructure. In this context, taxation can be both a deterrent and a financial resource for sustainability.

However, just relying solely on taxes may not be the most effective or fair solution. A higher travel cost could excessively affect lower-income travellers and thus make tourism accessible only to wealthy people. Adding on, many of the local communities rely heavily on tourism for their livelihoods, and restricting tourist numbers could harm the local economy. Instead of focusing mainly on taxes, all governments should also promote greener alternatives, just like investing in electric transportation, encouraging eco-tourism, and supporting all of the airlines that use sustainable aviation fuel. Public awareness campaigns will also play a crucial role in directly promoting responsible travel behaviour.

To conclude, imposing extra taxes on flights and accommodation could help address some environmental problems caused by tourism. All of these measures should be a part of a broader strategy that is aimed at creating a more sustainable tourism industry. By just combining financial incentives with education and innovation, the governments can protect our environment without placing a burden on travellers or local communities.

Vocabulary to Use in ‘Tourism Today Creates a Variety of Problems’ Essay

• Hazards

Meaning: (noun) a danger or risk.
Eg.: Playing with sharp objectives is a health hazard for children.

• Influx

Meaning: (noun) an arrival of a large number of people or things.

Eg.: The hotel has received a large influx of tourists.

• Mobility

Meaning: (noun) the ability to move or be moved freely and easily.
Eg.: Shashank has limited mobility in his arms.

• Remittances

Meaning: (noun) a sum of money in payment or as a gift.
Eg.: There are no remittances or help of any kind from their parents.

• Levies

Meaning: (verb) impose (a tax, fee or fine).
Eg.: Danish wants to levy a fine on landfill waste.

• Initiatives

Meaning: (noun) the ability to assess and initiate things independently.
Eg.: Anita did it on her own initiative.

• Souvenirs 

Meaning: (noun) a thing that is kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event.
Eg.: Shivalika brought beautiful souvenirs from Thailand.

• Quench

Meaning: (verb) satisfy.
Eg.: The group stopped to quench their thirst at a shop.

• Stimulate

Meaning: (verb) encourages the development of or increased activity in (a state or process).
Eg.: Bhavya questioned whether it was feasible to stimulate investment in these regions.

• Curtail

Meaning: (verb) reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on.
Eg.: Gagan had to curtail his speech when time ran out.