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Unlock This CourseTheme 3 covers a huge range of topics from the impacts of tourism on destinations, to the management of tourist sites, to the role of different organisations. The exam will test whether you can apply your knowledge, not just recall it. That means using real examples, giving balanced arguments and structuring your answers clearly.
Before diving into practice questions, let's remind ourselves of the key concepts examiners expect you to know:
The most common reason students lose marks is not using examples. Every answer above 2 marks should include at least one named place, organisation, or case study. Saying "a country" instead of "Kenya" or "The Maldives" will cost you marks every time!
Different command words in exam questions require different types of answers. Getting this wrong is one of the biggest mistakes students make. Here's a clear breakdown:
"State", "Identify", "Name", "Give" These just need a short, direct answer. No explanation needed. One or two words or a sentence is enough.
Example: "State one negative environmental impact of tourism." → Habitat destruction.
"Describe", "Explain", "Outline" These need a point AND a reason or development. Think: make a point, then say why or how.
Example: "Explain one way tourism can damage the environment." → Tourism can cause pollution because large numbers of visitors produce litter and waste, which can contaminate rivers and harm wildlife.
"Discuss", "Assess", "To what extent" These need a balanced argument with points on both sides, supported by examples and a conclusion. This is where students either shine or fall apart!
Point Make your argument clearly.
Evidence Give a fact, statistic, or named example.
Explain Say why this supports your point.
Link Connect back to the question.
"State two negative social impacts of tourism on a destination."
1. Increased crime rates as tourist areas attract pickpockets and theft.
2. Loss of local culture as communities adapt to tourist expectations (cultural dilution).
Each point scores 1 mark. No explanation needed here keep it short and clear.
"Explain two economic benefits of tourism for a developing country."
Point 1: Tourism creates jobs for local people. In Kenya, the tourism industry employs over 1.5 million people directly and indirectly, providing income for families who might otherwise have no regular employment.
Point 2: Tourism brings in foreign currency, which helps the government fund public services. In The Maldives, tourism accounts for over 25% of GDP, allowing investment in schools, hospitals and infrastructure.
Each point + development = 2 marks. Total = 4 marks.
The Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC), developed by Richard Butler in 1980, describes how tourist destinations change over time. It has six stages:
Small numbers of adventurous tourists arrive. Few facilities exist. Local people begin to provide basic services. Example: parts of rural Bhutan in the 1970s.
Tourist numbers grow rapidly. Outside companies invest. Infrastructure improves. The destination becomes well-known. Example: Cancún, Mexico in the 1980s.
Growth slows or stops. The destination may decline (like Blackpool) or reinvent itself (like Bilbao, Spain, which used culture-led regeneration).
"Discuss the extent to which the Butler Model is useful for managing tourist destinations."
Introduction: The Butler Model is a theoretical framework that helps planners understand where a destination is in its development cycle.
Point FOR: The model is useful because it helps governments predict when a destination might reach its carrying capacity and take action before decline sets in. For example, Majorca used the model to identify it was in the stagnation stage and invested in eco-tourism and quality tourism to attract higher-spending visitors rather than mass tourists.
Point AGAINST: However, the model is criticised for being too simplistic. Not all destinations follow the same path some skip stages or decline suddenly due to events like terrorism or natural disasters. For example, Tunisia's tourism collapsed rapidly after the 2015 Sousse attacks, which the model could not predict.
Conclusion: Overall, the Butler Model is a useful starting point for planning, but it should be used alongside other tools and real-time data to be truly effective.
Carrying capacity is the maximum number of tourists a destination can handle without causing unacceptable damage to the environment, local community, or visitor experience.
"Explain how one tourist destination has managed the problem of overtourism."
Venice receives over 30 million visitors per year far beyond its sustainable carrying capacity for a city of just 250,000 residents. The impacts include:
Management strategies used:
A strong answer would name Venice, describe a specific strategy and explain how it reduces the impact of overtourism.
"Assess the effectiveness of strategies used to manage the negative impacts of tourism at a destination you have studied."
Use the PEEL structure for each paragraph. Aim for 2–3 paragraphs plus a conclusion. Always evaluate don't just describe what was done, say how well it worked and what the limitations are.
Example structure using The Galapagos Islands:
Use these terms in your answers to show the examiner you know your stuff:
Before your exam, make sure you can confidently do all of the following: