Some people say that international tourism damages the places it visits. Others argue that it is the main reason many historical sites survive at all.
A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan, ideas you can use, and the vocabulary that fits this topic.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Some people say that international tourism damages the places it visits. Others argue that it is the main reason many historical sites survive at all.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
How to read this question
Both claims in this question are true, which is why undirected essays go nowhere. The useful move is to ask what determines <em>which</em> outcome occurs — volume, ownership and where the revenue lands — and answer on that basis. That converts an unresolvable clash of assertions into a question you can actually settle, and it gives your own opinion something to be about.
Paragraph plan
Introduction — Paraphrase both views, then state a position: both are true of different situations, and what decides it is volume and who owns the revenue.
Body 1 — The damage case — concentration in time and space, housing converted to short lets, and heritage worn by sheer numbers.
Body 2 — The sustaining case — tourism funds conservation and gives economic value to things otherwise worth demolishing.
Conclusion — Neither is inherent; the outcome is set by management, so the real question is who controls the volume and keeps the money.
Model essay
Band 8.5–9.0 model essay
327 words
Some people argue that international tourism inflicts lasting damage on the destinations it visits, while others insist that tourist revenue is precisely what keeps many historical sites standing. In my view, although tourism can indeed cause serious harm when left unmanaged, it remains, in most cases, indispensable to the survival of heritage sites.
On the one hand, critics maintain that the sheer volume of visitors erodes both the physical fabric and cultural authenticity of popular destinations. To clarify, when millions of tourists walk through ancient ruins or touch centuries-old structures each year, gradual wear accelerates deterioration far beyond what natural ageing would cause. For instance, sites such as Machu Picchu have required visitor caps precisely because unrestricted footfall was hastening irreversible structural decay.
On the other hand, others contend that tourism generates the very revenue that enables the preservation of historical landmarks. This is attributable to the fact that entrance fees, souvenir sales, and associated hospitality income are frequently reinvested into restoration projects and site maintenance. To illustrate, many governments in developing countries would lack the fiscal capacity to protect ancient monuments were it not for the steady income generated by international visitors.
From my perspective, tourism's impact depends largely on whether authorities actively regulate visitor numbers and behaviour. To explain, when governments impose daily visitor caps, designate protected walkways, and levy conservation fees that are transparently reinvested, tourism can fund preservation without accelerating decay. Without such safeguards, however, the financial benefits of tourism are eventually outweighed by the irreversible damage inflicted upon the very heritage that attracts visitors in the first place.
To conclude, despite differing opinions on whether tourism harms or sustains historical sites, I am convinced that with careful regulation of visitor numbers and reinvestment of tourist revenue, tourism can remain a vital source of preservation rather than destruction.
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to read the rest of this essay and unlock every model on the site.
This is a discussion (discuss both views) question. The essay above shows you what a strong answer looks like when it is finished. What it cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in forty minutes.
That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the essay is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.
Introduction: Paraphrase both views on whether tourism damages or preserves the sites it visits and state the conditional opinion that tourism is essential when properly regulated.
Body 1: Argue that mass tourist footfall physically erodes historic sites, illustrated by Machu Picchu needing visitor caps to slow structural decay.
Body 2: Argue that tourist revenue funds the restoration and maintenance that keeps many heritage sites standing, especially in developing countries.
Body 3: State that tourism's effect depends on active regulation such as visitor caps and reinvested conservation fees, without which damage eventually outweighs the funding benefit.
Conclusion: Restate that with careful regulation, tourism can fund preservation rather than accelerate destruction.
Word or phrase
Meaning
Used in a sentence
erodes
gradually wears away or destroys something over time
critics maintain that the sheer volume of visitors erodes both the physical fabric and cultural authenticity of popular destinations
cultural authenticity
the genuine, unaltered character of a place's traditions and heritage
the sheer volume of visitors erodes both the physical fabric and cultural authenticity of popular destinations
visitor caps
official limits on the number of people allowed to visit a site
sites such as Machu Picchu have required visitor caps precisely because unrestricted footfall was hastening irreversible structural decay
irreversible structural decay
physical deterioration of a building or site that cannot be undone
unrestricted footfall was hastening irreversible structural decay
reinvested
put money back into a project or system rather than spending it elsewhere
entrance fees, souvenir sales, and associated hospitality income are frequently reinvested into restoration projects and site maintenance
fiscal capacity
a government's financial ability to pay for something
many governments in developing countries would lack the fiscal capacity to protect ancient monuments
conservation fees
charges collected specifically to fund the protection of a site
governments impose daily visitor caps, designate protected walkways, and levy conservation fees that are transparently reinvested
safeguards
measures taken to protect something from harm
without such safeguards, however, the financial benefits of tourism are eventually outweighed by the irreversible damage
Created by a Band 8.5–9.0 IELTS Writing achiever — Premium. Sign up free to see the ideas and vocabulary for this topic and unlock every model on the site.
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Common questions
What do I do when both views in the question are obviously true?
Stop trying to pick one and identify the variable that decides between them — here, volume and ownership. "Both are true, and here is what determines which" is a genuine opinion, not a hedge, and it is usually the strongest answer available on this kind of question.
Is "it depends" an acceptable position?
Only if you say what it depends on and argue for that. Unqualified, it is the weakest possible ending. Qualified with a mechanism, it is a sophisticated one — the difference is entirely in whether you name the condition.
Can I use examples of famous tourist cities?
Yes, but describe the mechanism rather than relying on the name. "Housing converted to short lets, so residents left, so schools closed" works whether or not the examiner knows the city. A name with no explanation earns nothing.
