You should spend around 40 minutes on this task.
Tourism is becoming increasingly important as a source of revenue to many countries, but its disadvantages should not be overlooked. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.
Write at least 250 words.

MODEL ANSWER>>>

There is no doubt that tourism is a booming industry and is a crucial source of income for many countries. However, there exists an opinion that the industry possesses some serious concerns, which should not be underestimated. I too think in the same way.

Over the past decades, people around the world realized that there are numerous potentials in the tourism industry. As a result, a huge amount of money is being invested in this sector. Profits started rolling in, however accompanied by frequent troubles.

The first among these is the cultural dilution. Many orthodox cultures and prestigious traditions are seen disintegrated with the intrusion of foreign customs and culture. Consequently, many countries have lost their cultural identity. Another concern is the increase in crime rate. As tourism is a money-oriented industry, a considerable proportion of illegal activities are revolving around it, and this is evidenced by the hike in such activities like smuggling, abduction and drug trafficking.

The next major concern is the price hike. Though the industry brings a lot of money, this money gets concentrated among a small group of people, and they are often affluent. A large section of the local community hardly benefits from the tourism- related commercial activities and this creates imbalance in the economic status of the people. Conflicts between tourists and the indigenous population are becoming more frequent. There are risks of contagious diseases too with the expansion of tourism sector.

To conclude, though there are visible positive impacts in the tourism industry, I think it makes the local community vulnerable to several social-economic and cultural concerns.

Word count: 265