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Simone Braverman

Simone Braverman is the founder of IELTS-Blog.com and the author of several renowned IELTS preparation books, including Ace the IELTS, Target Band 7, the High Scorer's Choice practice test series, and IELTS Success Formula. Since 2005, Simone has been committed to making IELTS preparation accessible and effective through her books and online resources. Her work has helped 100,000's of students worldwide achieve their target scores and live their dream lives. When Simone isn't working on her next IELTS book, video lesson, or coaching, she enjoys playing the guitar or rollerblading.

IELTS essay, topic: In some cities the numbers of tourists seem overwhelming, why is this happening?

IELTS Model Essay Sample Band 9 April 2023

This is a model response to a Writing Task 2 topic from High Scorer’s Choice IELTS Practice Tests book series (reprinted with permission). This answer is close to IELTS Band 9.

Set 5 General Training book, Practice Test 23

Writing Task 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In some cities, the numbers of tourists seem to be overwhelming. Why is this happening? What are the effects of this on individuals and society?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Band 9 Essay

With the rise of cheaper airlines and with technology and affluence allowing people to travel more easily, tourism is an industry that has experienced a significant increase. This caused the numbers of tourists in some popular cities to become greater than desirable and created some effects on both individuals and society.

People feed on the positive experiences of others, and vivid images on social media, shared by happy holiday-makers, attract more and more visitors to iconic cities. This creates a snowball effect where increasing numbers of people cause an even bigger influx of tourism by sharing their experiences online. Affordable airfares and modern websites that make finding accommodation easier also play a significant role in making certain cities extremely attractive to tourists.

One positive effect of this phenomenon for both individuals and society is that it is an indicator that people are travelling to different countries. Travel is a great way to broaden the mind and develop more understanding and acceptance of other cultures and beliefs. Individuals will become more tolerant and society should be more integrated and peaceful. Another positive effect is that jobs and businesses are created and supported by the tourism industry, thus generating taxes to help support government infrastructures.

There are negative effects though, especially for the residents of the cities with high numbers of tourists. It is well known that excessive tourism dilutes the authentic culture of the destination, the prices go up and the quality of products and services goes down. The historic centres of too many popular cities now seem to only feature the same chain stores and services, and food tends to become more internationalised rather than offering the authentic food of the country and region. The centres of very busy tourist towns become overly geared towards providing accommodation for rent, whether it is hotels, hostels or private apartments. This reduces the amount of housing for locals, as well as driving up rental and purchase prices.

To sum up, tourism has many positive effects, but when the numbers of tourists get so high, it can spoil the authenticity of a destination, which is negative for local and visiting individuals and society as a whole.

Go here for more IELTS Band 9 Essays

IELTS Speaking test in Sri Lanka – April 2023

IELTS Speaking Recent Questions Sri Lanka April 2023

Our kind subscriber MG from Sri Lanka took the IELTS test a few days ago and remembered the following questions:

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your name?
– Do you work or study?
– What does your work involve?
– Do you find yourself overloaded at times?
– How do you end your day?
– What transport do people in your country use more, public or private?
– Do you use public transport?
– Will you be using public transport in the future?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe a friend that is important to you. You should say

– who the friend is
– where you met him/her
– why you like him/her
– and explain why this friend is important to you.

Follow-up question: Do you still keep in touch with your friend?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– In your opinion, how has the internet changed the way we form and maintain friendships?
– Some people argue that online communication is not as effective as face-to-face communication. What do you think?
– Can you think of any negative effects that the internet has on relationships and friendships?
– Do you think the internet is helping teenagers deal with their problems, or creating more problems for them?
– What are some common problems that teenagers face online, and how can these be addressed?
– Do you think that online communication makes relationships feel more distant, or does it help to bridge the distance between people?