What are the main factors driving the growth of global tourism?

The growth of global tourism is driven by several interrelated factors. Rising disposable incomes, especially in emerging economies, allow more people to afford travel. Advances in transport, such as low-cost airlines and high-speed rail, have made destinations more accessible. Technology, including online booking platforms and social media, simplifies trip planning and inspires travel. Additionally, changes in lifestyle, like longer holidays and early retirement, have increased leisure time. Finally, globalisation has reduced cultural barriers and fostered a 'travel culture' where holidays are seen as a necessity.

How does global tourism affect local cultures?

Global tourism can have both positive and negative socio-cultural impacts. On the positive side, it can revive traditional crafts, festivals, and languages as they become tourist attractions. It also promotes cross-cultural understanding. However, negative effects include cultural commodification, where sacred rituals are performed for profit, and the demonstration effect, where locals adopt tourist behaviours, eroding traditional values. Overtourism can lead to resentment among residents. Successful management involves community involvement and cultural education for tourists.

What is the difference between ecotourism and sustainable tourism?

Ecotourism is a niche form of sustainable tourism that focuses on responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of local people. It often involves small groups, low-impact activities, and education. Sustainable tourism is a broader concept that applies to all forms of tourism, aiming to minimise negative economic, environmental, and social impacts while maximising benefits for all stakeholders. In short, all ecotourism should be sustainable, but not all sustainable tourism is ecotourism.

Why is tourism important for developing countries?

Tourism is a vital source of foreign exchange earnings for many developing countries, helping to balance trade deficits. It creates jobs in sectors like hospitality, transport, and handicrafts, often providing employment for women and young people. Tourism can also stimulate infrastructure development, such as airports and roads, which benefits local communities. However, reliance on tourism can be risky due to seasonality and external shocks (e.g., natural disasters). To maximise benefits, countries should adopt sustainable practices and diversify their economies.

How has COVID-19 changed global tourism patterns?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented collapse in international travel, with global tourist arrivals falling by 74% in 2020. This led to a shift towards domestic tourism, as travel restrictions made international trips difficult. Health and safety protocols, such as vaccine passports and enhanced cleaning, became standard. The pandemic also accelerated digitalisation, with contactless payments and virtual tours gaining popularity. Many destinations are now focusing on sustainable recovery, aiming to avoid overtourism and build resilience against future crises.

What is overtourism and how can it be managed?

Overtourism occurs when a destination receives more visitors than it can sustainably handle, leading to congestion, environmental degradation, and a decline in quality of life for residents. Examples include Barcelona, Venice, and Machu Picchu. Management strategies include implementing visitor caps (e.g., limiting cruise ship arrivals), promoting off-peak travel, dispersing tourists to lesser-known attractions, and raising prices to reduce demand. Successful management requires collaboration between governments, businesses, and local communities.

How to Revise Global Tourism — WJEC-CBAC A-Level Travel & Tourism

Analyse the impact of major global events on tourism. Evaluate the role of mega-events in destination promotion. Discuss the long-term legacy of events

Examiner Tips for Global Tourism

Always structure answers to compare and contrast, especially when discussing legacy.
Use specific data and examples from at least two contrasting global events.
For higher marks, critically evaluate the sustainability of event-led tourism strategies.
Reference key concepts like 'hallmark event', 'destination branding', and 'trickle-down effect'.
In essay questions, structure your evaluation by presenting both strengths and weaknesses of certification, using specific examples like the Green Key or EarthCheck, and always relate back to the learning objectives.
For coursework, include primary research or case studies where tourists, operators, or communities discuss ethical dilemmas, as this demonstrates higher-order analytical skills.
When defining ethical tourism, avoid generic phrases; instead, use academic terminology like 'pro-poor tourism', 'commodification of culture', and 'biodiversity offsetting' to show depth.
In exams, read questions carefully: if asked to 'evaluate the role of codes of conduct', do not just describe them—weigh their impact against other voluntary or legislative measures, noting challenges of implementation in different cultural contexts.

Common Mistakes in Global Tourism

Failing to distinguish between short-term and long-term impacts.
Over-generalising from one case study without considering contextual factors.
Confusing correlation with causation when linking events to tourism growth.
Ignoring the role of displacement and substitution effects in impact analysis.
Confusing ethical tourism with sustainable tourism, failing to recognise that ethical tourism specifically emphasises moral obligations and human rights, whereas sustainable tourism is broader and includes environmental management.
Providing superficial analysis of ethical issues, such as merely stating that animal tourism is 'bad' without exploring the complexity of conservation efforts versus exploitation.

Key Marking Points

Award credit for demonstrating clear understanding of the multiplier effect in relation to event tourism spending.
Credit should be given for using relevant case studies (e.g., Olympics, World Cup) to illustrate points.
Look for balanced evaluation of both positive and negative legacies, supported by evidence.

Global Tourism

WJEC-CBAC

A-Level

This subtopic explores how major global events, ranging from sporting spectacles to cultural festivals, can dramatically alter tourism flows and destination image. Students examine the immediate effects on visitor numbers and infrastructure, as well as the long-term legacy benefits and challenges, including economic return, social change, and environmental impact. Through case studies, learners evaluate the strategic use of mega-events to reposition destinations in the competitive global tourism market.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Subtopics in this area

The impact of global events on tourism

Ethical tourism

Emerging destinations

Factors affecting global tourism demand

Topic Overview

Global Tourism is a core component of the WJEC-CBAC A-Level Travel & Tourism syllabus, focusing on the scale, patterns, and impacts of tourism worldwide. This topic examines how tourism has evolved into a global industry, driven by factors such as increased disposable income, technological advancements, and improved transport links. Students explore the geographical distribution of tourist flows, the rise of emerging destinations, and the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental consequences of tourism on a global scale. Understanding global tourism is essential for analysing contemporary issues like overtourism, sustainable development, and the effects of global events (e.g., pandemics) on travel patterns.

This topic builds on foundational concepts from earlier modules, such as the components of the travel and tourism industry and the factors influencing demand. It also connects to other A-Level themes like sustainable tourism and destination management. By studying global tourism, students gain insights into the interconnectedness of destinations, the role of multinational corporations, and the challenges of balancing economic benefits with environmental stewardship. Mastery of this topic is crucial for exam success, as questions often require students to evaluate trends, apply case studies, and propose solutions to real-world problems.

In the wider subject, global tourism provides a macro-level perspective that complements more localised studies. It encourages critical thinking about the power dynamics between developed and developing nations, the ethics of tourism consumption, and the long-term viability of the industry. Students who grasp these concepts will be better prepared for careers in tourism management, policy-making, or academic research, as the topic equips them with a holistic understanding of the forces shaping modern travel.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Global tourism flows: The movement of tourists from generating regions (e.g., Europe, North America) to receiving regions (e.g., Asia-Pacific, Caribbean), influenced by push and pull factors.
→Economic impacts: Tourism's contribution to GDP, employment, and foreign exchange earnings, but also issues like leakage (money leaving the local economy) and seasonality.
→Socio-cultural impacts: The effects on local communities, including cultural commodification, the demonstration effect, and the preservation of heritage.
→Environmental impacts: Resource consumption (water, energy), pollution, carbon emissions from air travel, and habitat degradation, alongside conservation efforts.
→Sustainable tourism: Principles of minimising negative impacts while maximising benefits, including ecotourism, community-based tourism, and certification schemes (e.g., Green Key).

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Award credit for demonstrating clear understanding of the multiplier effect in relation to event tourism spending.
Credit should be given for using relevant case studies (e.g., Olympics, World Cup) to illustrate points.
Look for balanced evaluation of both positive and negative legacies, supported by evidence.
Marks for linking event impacts to Butler's destination lifecycle model or similar theoretical frameworks.
Award credit for demonstrating accurate and contextualised definitions of ethical tourism, referencing key principles such as beneficence, justice, and sustainability.
Award credit for analysing ethical issues with clear cause-and-effect reasoning, linking specific cases (e.g., orphanage tourism, all-inclusive resorts) to impacts on host destinations.
Award credit for evaluating certification schemes by comparing at least two recognised programmes (e.g., Green Globe, Travelife) and critically assessing their effectiveness, limitations, and stakeholder perspectives.
Award credit for explicitly connecting codes of conduct (e.g., UNWTO Global Code of Ethics) to real-world tourism operations and evidencing research beyond provided course materials.

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Award credit for demonstrating clear understanding of the multiplier effect in relation to event tourism spending.
Credit should be given for using relevant case studies (e.g., Olympics, World Cup) to illustrate points.
Look for balanced evaluation of both positive and negative legacies, supported by evidence.
Marks for linking event impacts to Butler's destination lifecycle model or similar theoretical frameworks.
Award credit for demonstrating accurate and contextualised definitions of ethical tourism, referencing key principles such as beneficence, justice, and sustainability.
Award credit for analysing ethical issues with clear cause-and-effect reasoning, linking specific cases (e.g., orphanage tourism, all-inclusive resorts) to impacts on host destinations.
Award credit for evaluating certification schemes by comparing at least two recognised programmes (e.g., Green Globe, Travelife) and critically assessing their effectiveness, limitations, and stakeholder perspectives.
Award credit for explicitly connecting codes of conduct (e.g., UNWTO Global Code of Ethics) to real-world tourism operations and evidencing research beyond provided course materials.
Award credit for demonstrating a clear understanding of the criteria used to classify an emerging destination, such as rapid growth in visitor numbers, rising investment, and increasing media attention.
Credit should be given for explaining the reasons for growth using relevant push and pull factors, including improved safety, unique attractions, competitive pricing, and effective destination marketing campaigns.
Look for evidence of evaluating opportunities and challenges with specific, contemporary examples, such as balancing job creation with cultural commodification, and assessing the role of tourism in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Reward the application of theoretical models (e.g., Butler's Tourism Area Life Cycle) to analyze the emergence stage, with insights on how destinations can avoid stagnation or decline.
Award credit for accurately categorising influencing factors as push or pull in written responses
For analysis tasks, marks are given for explaining the causal mechanism by which a change in exchange rates affects tourism flows, using appropriate economic terminology
In evaluation, credit is awarded for discussing both the transformative (e.g., disintermediation) and limiting (e.g., digital divide) aspects of technology, supported by real-world examples
Look for evidence of linking multiple factors together, such as how economic downturns combine with health crises to suppress demand

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Always structure answers to compare and contrast, especially when discussing legacy.
💡Use specific data and examples from at least two contrasting global events.
💡For higher marks, critically evaluate the sustainability of event-led tourism strategies.
💡Reference key concepts like 'hallmark event', 'destination branding', and 'trickle-down effect'.
💡In essay questions, structure your evaluation by presenting both strengths and weaknesses of certification, using specific examples like the Green Key or EarthCheck, and always relate back to the learning objectives.
💡For coursework, include primary research or case studies where tourists, operators, or communities discuss ethical dilemmas, as this demonstrates higher-order analytical skills.
💡When defining ethical tourism, avoid generic phrases; instead, use academic terminology like 'pro-poor tourism', 'commodification of culture', and 'biodiversity offsetting' to show depth.
💡In exams, read questions carefully: if asked to 'evaluate the role of codes of conduct', do not just describe them—weigh their impact against other voluntary or legislative measures, noting challenges of implementation in different cultural contexts.
💡Use the ‘evaluate’ command word to structure your response, ensuring you weigh up both opportunities and challenges with equal depth, and support points with quantitative data where possible.
💡Integrate current case studies that demonstrate a clear narrative of emergence, referencing specific government policies, investment figures, or visitor statistics.
💡Demonstrate synoptic links by connecting the topic to other units, such as global economic shifts, transport networks, or destination management strategies.
💡For high marks, critically assess the sustainability of growth and propose mitigating strategies, showing awareness of the destination's long-term resilience.
💡Use the PEST (Political, Economic, Social, Technological) framework to structure your analysis of influencing factors
💡Support arguments with concrete examples and statistical evidence, such as UNWTO data on international arrivals or WTTC economic impact reports
💡When evaluating, always consider counter-arguments and address any limitations of the factor being discussed, reaching a justified overall judgement
💡Use specific, named examples in your answers. For instance, when discussing overtourism, reference Barcelona or Venice; for sustainable tourism, cite Costa Rica or Bhutan. Generic answers lose marks.
💡Structure evaluation questions using a balanced argument: present both positive and negative impacts, then conclude with a justified judgement. Use phrases like 'on one hand... however... ultimately...'.
💡Link global tourism to wider themes like globalisation, climate change, or geopolitics. Examiners reward answers that show synoptic understanding, e.g., how a recession in Europe affects tourism demand in the Caribbean.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Failing to distinguish between short-term and long-term impacts.
Over-generalising from one case study without considering contextual factors.
Confusing correlation with causation when linking events to tourism growth.
Ignoring the role of displacement and substitution effects in impact analysis.
Confusing ethical tourism with sustainable tourism, failing to recognise that ethical tourism specifically emphasises moral obligations and human rights, whereas sustainable tourism is broader and includes environmental management.
Providing superficial analysis of ethical issues, such as merely stating that animal tourism is 'bad' without exploring the complexity of conservation efforts versus exploitation.
Describing certification logos without evaluating how they are monitored, enforced, or whether they genuinely change industry behaviour, leading to a descriptive rather than evaluative answer.
Ignoring the economic dimension of ethical practices, such as the concept of fair trade tourism, focusing solely on environmental or social aspects.
Confusing emerging destinations with established tourist hotspots or merely listing countries without explaining their emerging status.
Focusing solely on positive economic benefits while neglecting social and environmental costs, particularly overtourism and displacement of local communities.
Providing outdated or generic examples instead of using recent case studies (e.g., Georgia, Rwanda, or Colombia) that are dynamic and evolving.
Failing to connect the reasons for growth to broader global trends, such as the rise of experiential travel, digital nomadism, or airline route expansions.
Mistaking a factor that affects an individual's choice (micro-level) for a global demand trend (macro-level)
Failing to distinguish between necessary conditions and sufficient drivers of demand, e.g., assuming high income alone causes travel without considering freedom to travel
Over-reliance on overly simplistic models, such as only considering price without accounting for quality or safety perceptions
Misconception: Tourism always benefits local economies. Correction: While tourism can bring income, much of the money may leak out to international corporations (e.g., all-inclusive resorts), leaving little for local communities. Students should evaluate net benefits using case studies.
Misconception: All tourism is bad for the environment. Correction: Tourism can fund conservation (e.g., national park fees) and raise awareness. The key is sustainable management; not all tourism is inherently destructive.
Misconception: Global tourism is dominated by Western countries. Correction: While traditional generators are Western, emerging economies like China, India, and Brazil are now major sources and destinations. The pattern is shifting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•Understanding of the travel and tourism industry structure (e.g., public, private, voluntary sectors).
•Knowledge of factors affecting tourism demand (e.g., economic, social, technological).
•Basic awareness of sustainable development principles.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Event typology and impact classification
Destination promotion and branding
Legacy outcomes: economic, social, environmental
Media and stakeholder influence
Risk and resilience in event tourism
Issues: exploitation, cultural commodification, environmental damage
Fair trade tourism, voluntourism, responsible travel
Certification: Fair Trade Tourism, Rainforest Alliance
Examples: Southeast Asia, Africa, South America
Drivers: improved infrastructure, marketing, niche tourism
Challenges: sustainability, infrastructure strain, cultural impact
Economic determinants of demand
Technological disruption in travel
Socio-political influences
Consumer behaviour shifts
Sustainable tourism growth

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Global Tourism

Subtopics in this area

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

Ready to test yourself?

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