In this lesson we’re looking at five short text using lots of tourism vocabulary in English.
We’re looking at five famous tourist destinations that are being negatively affected by their popularity. We’re learning a few new words, and perhaps a few conversation topics too.
Have fun with the lesson, and don’t forget to try the quizzes.
– James.
Lesson Contents
Machu Picchu, Cusco, Peru
The problem: The ancient Inca village of Machu Picchu attracts about 4,000 visitors daily — far more than the 2,500 limit set by UNESCO in 2011. However, this massive influx of tourists is putting the site in danger, causing irreparable damage.
The solution: The Peruvian government are planning new rules and regulations that would require tourists to hire guides and follow specific paths, and should be implemented by next year.
Santorini, Greece
The problem: Santorini is a beautiful island off the coast of Greece, although it’s often packed with tourists during the summer. A whopping 790,000 people from 636 cruise ships visited Santorini in 2015, while the entire island only has a population of just over 15,000.
The solution: Due to the seasonal surge of tourists, the island imposed a cap on visitors from cruise ships to 8,000 per day.
Rome, Italy
The problem: Rome is a beautiful city full of ancient ruins, but too many tourists fail to respect their history. The latest example of tourists defacing a Roman monument occurred in August, when a tourist from Ecuador was caught carving his family’s names into the Colosseum. He faced fines up to $23,000 for vandalising the 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater.
The solution: The Italian courts are now streamlining cases like this, in the hope that such behaviour happens less frequently.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
The problem: Amsterdam has long been a popular vacation destination for party-loving travellers, but chief marketing executive of Amsterdam, Frans van der Avert, told us, “A lot of smaller historic cities in Europe are getting decimated by visitors.” Holiday rental sites, like Airbnb, have had negative effects on the city, according to van der Avert, who said that the city’s canal district is now void of locals.
The solution: In response to this staggering rise in tourism, the city has put restrictions on Airbnb in place so that a rental listing cannot have more than four people at a time, and flats cannot be rented out for more than 60 days per year.
Barcelona, Spain
The problem: Locals in Barcelona aren’t shy about their disdain for tourists. Earlier this year, a protest against tourism in the city turned violent when protesters attacked a tour bus and hotel. One common problem occurs when large groups of holiday makers block foot traffic while taking photographs, causing disruption for vendors and regular customers.
The solution: Popular attractions have modified their rules as a result of tourist activity. La Boqueria, a large public market, banned tourist groups of more than 15 people.
Match the vocabulary to their definitions.
Read the short texts again, and tick the correct sentences. There will be multiple correct answers per question.
Order the sentences to recreate the texts that you read in the lesson.
