International tourism has become a huge industry in the world. It has brought enormous benefits to many places. At the same time, there is concern about its impact on local inhabitants and the environment. Do the problems of international tourism outweigh its advantages?
Sample Response
At present, global tourism is an enormous industry and has affected even many remote partshas touched and changed even many distant parts of the world. This trend has created tremendous opportunities for many nations while also negatively affecting the traditions and environments of host nationsthe traditional aspects of the host nations and environment. This essay will focus on the advantages and disadvantages of global tourism and opine that the benefits of international tourisminternational tourism's beneficial aspects outweigh its disadvantagesexceed the disadvantages it brings.
Among the disadvantages of global tourism, non-biodegradable litter left behind by tourists is a big environmental issue. It poses a majorgigantic threat to the host country. This is why many famous tourist destinations often limittourist destinations, often limit the number of visitors they receivevisitors they allow to enter their country. Moreover, local culture and traditions are often negatively influenced by foreign culturesimpacted by the foreign culture when these areas are crowdedwhen this area is flocked with tourists from different countries. For instance, many tourist destinations in Asian countries such as ThailandAsian countries like Thailand and Cambodia do not resembledo not look and feel like the rest of the country due to their overexposure to foreign cultures and tourists. This has diminished the area's own culture and tradition, creating a culture perceived as foreigngiving birth to an alien culture.
By contrastOn the contrary, international tourism provides substantial benefits at several levelscreates transcendent benefits on different levels. First and foremost, it provides individuals with opportunities to see a different culture first-hand. Visiting another country is a broadening experience that enrichesa comprehensive experience, which enriches our understanding of the world. Additionally, international tourism boosts the economy of the host country. Take Macau as an example. International tourism has produced numerous employment opportunities, as high as 66%, in various sectors of this country.
In my opinion, international tourism brings significant benefits compared to the disadvantages it createsthe demerits it invites. By taking proper measures, local authorities can reduce the negative effects of international tourismthe negative impacts international tourism might bring with it.
To conclude, even though international tourism may damageimpede the environment of tourist destinations and negatively affectimpacts local culture, the advantages of international tourism, including economic benefits and cultural exchange, surely outweigh its disadvantages.
Why this response received Band 7.0
The essay presents a clear and consistent judgement that tourism’s advantages outweigh its problems, supported by a well-organised discussion of environmental damage, cultural change, cultural exchange, and economic gains. Its main limitation is evidential precision: several claims are broad or unclear, especially the unexplained Macau figure, while some ambitious vocabulary sounds exaggerated; prioritise specific causal explanation and measured, accurate academic wording.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response addresses both sides and maintains a clear position, with relevant examples, although some support is general or insufficiently explained.
Explain how the stated benefits outweigh the identified harms and clarify the source and meaning of the 66% employment figure for Macau.
Coherence and Cohesion
Ideas progress logically through disadvantages, advantages, the writer’s judgement, and the conclusion, though the separate opinion paragraph is repetitive and one contrast linker is inaccurate.
Integrate the evaluative paragraph into the advantages discussion and replace “On the contrary” with “On the other hand.”
Lexical Resource
The essay demonstrates a broad topic vocabulary, but choices such as “gigantic threat,” “alien culture,” “transcendent benefits,” and “impede the environment” are overstated or unnatural.
Use measured collocations such as “significant environmental harm,” “cultural homogenisation,” “substantial benefits,” and “damage the environment.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
A varied range of complex structures is generally well controlled, with occasional punctuation, agreement, article, and reference errors.
Remove the comma in “destinations often limit,” clarify pronoun references, and maintain parallel verbs in “may harm the environment and negatively affect local culture.”
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IELTS Writing Task 2
International tourism has become a huge industry in the world. It has brought enormous benefits to many places. At the same time, there is concern about its impact on local inhabitants and the environment. Do the problems of international tourism outweigh its advantages?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.