Paper 1 - Key Terms and Concepts Preparation » Paper 1 Practice - Full Mock Paper Under Timed Conditions

💡 Mark Scheme Q1

Award 1 mark for a basic correct statement (e.g. "a person who travels to another country"). Award 2 marks for a full definition including the key detail about staying at least one night and not being paid in the destination country.

Model answer: An international tourist is a person who travels to a country other than their own country of residence for leisure, business or another purpose, staying for at least one night but no longer than one year and not being paid from within the destination country.

💡 Mark Scheme Q2

1 mark: France (89.4 million). No explanation needed this is an identify question.

💡 Mark Scheme Q3

Award marks for: identifying the overall trend (decreasing from France to Italy), quoting specific figures and noting the gap between the highest and lowest. Do not award marks for explanation only description.

Model answer: The data shows that France received the most international tourist arrivals in 2019 with 89.4 million, while Italy received the fewest with 64.5 million. There is a general decrease from France to Italy, with a relatively small gap between Spain (83.7m) and France. All five destinations are in Europe or North America, suggesting these regions dominate global tourism arrivals.

💡 Mark Scheme Q4

1 mark each for any two of: beach tourism, cultural tourism, heritage tourism, city tourism, ecotourism/nature tourism. No explanation needed.

💡 Mark Scheme Q5

Award up to 4 marks for two developed points. Each point must include a reason AND a consequence/development.

Model answer: Bangkok has a wider range of attractions including temples, markets, nightlife and shopping, which appeals to many different types of tourists, meaning more visitor types are attracted compared to Angkor Wat which mainly appeals to cultural tourists. Additionally, Bangkok has better transport infrastructure including a major international airport (Suvarnabhumi), making it easier and cheaper to access, which increases visitor numbers significantly compared to Angkor Wat which requires additional travel from a hub airport.

💡 Mark Scheme Q6

1 mark for a valid suggestion, 1 mark for development/explanation of how it helps.

Model answer: Ha Long Bay could introduce a visitor quota limiting the number of boats allowed in the bay each day, which would reduce water pollution and noise disturbance to marine ecosystems, helping to preserve the natural environment long-term.

💡 Mark Scheme Q7

1 mark each for any two of: large hotel buildings, crowded beach, rows of sun loungers, souvenir stalls, boat trip services. Must be linked to the photograph not general knowledge.

💡 Mark Scheme Q8

Award up to 4 marks for one well-developed point with clear cause and effect chain.

Model answer: Mass tourism can cause the commodification of local culture, where traditional customs, music and crafts are changed or simplified to entertain tourists rather than reflecting genuine cultural practice. This means local people may lose pride in their heritage and younger generations may abandon traditional ways of life in favour of working in the tourist industry, leading to cultural erosion over time. In Bali, for example, sacred Hindu ceremonies have in some cases been adapted into tourist performances, which many local people find disrespectful.

💡 Mark Scheme Q9

1 mark for correct method, 1 mark for correct answer.

Working: 100% − 38% = 62% leaks out. 62% of $340 million = $210.8 million leaks out of Country X.

💡 Mark Scheme Q10

Award up to 4 marks for two developed points using data from the resource.

Model answer: The main accommodation type is all-inclusive resorts that are foreign-owned, meaning that profits are sent back to the country where the company is based rather than staying in Country X, which directly reduces the amount of revenue retained locally. Furthermore, all-inclusive resorts mean tourists spend most of their money within the resort on food, drink and activities, so local businesses such as restaurants and shops receive very little income from tourism, further increasing leakage beyond the 62% already shown in the data.

💡 Mark Scheme Q11

Award 1 mark per valid characteristic, up to 4. Characteristics must be descriptive, not explanatory. Accept: small group sizes, visits to natural environments, locally owned accommodation, educational element, minimal environmental impact, supports conservation, benefits local communities financially.

Model answer: Ecotourism typically involves small groups of tourists visiting natural or wilderness environments such as rainforests, wildlife reserves or coral reefs. It is usually managed by local guides and uses locally owned, low-impact accommodation such as eco-lodges. Ecotourism has an educational element, teaching visitors about the natural environment and conservation. It is designed to have minimal negative impact on ecosystems and to direct money into local communities rather than large international companies.

💡 Mark Scheme Q12

Award up to 4 marks for two developed points showing a clear chain of reasoning.

Model answer: When tourists spend money in a destination, this creates income for local businesses such as hotels, restaurants and transport providers, which means those businesses can pay wages to local employees, increasing household incomes across the community. Those employees then spend their wages in local shops and services, which creates further income for other businesses this ripple effect is the multiplier effect. For example, a tourist buying a meal in a local restaurant in Kenya generates income for the restaurant owner, who then buys supplies from local farmers, who in turn can afford to hire more workers, multiplying the original tourist spending several times over.

💡 Mark Scheme Q13

Level 1 (1–3 marks): Simple statements, limited or no case study, one-sided.
Level 2 (4–6 marks): Developed points, some case study reference, beginning to weigh up benefits vs problems.
Level 3 (7–8 marks): Balanced, well-developed argument using a named case study throughout, clear judgement in conclusion.

Model answer (Level 3): Kenya is a developing country in East Africa where tourism is a major part of the economy, contributing around 10% of GDP and employing over 1.5 million people directly and indirectly. Tourism has clearly brought significant benefits: national parks such as the Masai Mara attract over 1 million visitors annually, generating income through park fees that fund conservation of endangered species including lions and elephants. The multiplier effect means tourist spending supports a wide range of local businesses from craft sellers to transport providers, raising incomes in rural communities.

However, the benefits are not evenly spread. Much of Kenya's tourism is operated by foreign-owned safari companies and international hotel chains, meaning a significant proportion of revenue leaks out of the country. Local Maasai communities living near the Masai Mara have in some cases been displaced from traditional lands to create tourist space, causing social disruption. Environmental pressures including vehicle erosion of grasslands and disturbance to wildlife migration routes are also concerns.

Overall, tourism has been broadly beneficial to Kenya in economic terms, particularly through job creation and conservation funding. However, the benefits would be greater if more tourism were locally owned and managed, reducing leakage and ensuring communities near attractions receive a fairer share of the income generated.

💡 Mark Scheme Q14

Level 1 (1–3 marks): Basic strategies listed, no judgement on effectiveness.
Level 2 (4–6 marks): Strategies described with some evaluation, case study used.
Level 3 (7–8 marks): Strategies clearly evaluated (what works, what doesn't, why), named case study used throughout, supported judgement.

Model answer (Level 3): Costa Rica is widely regarded as a global leader in sustainable tourism management. The country has designated over 25% of its land as protected national parks and reserves, which has been highly effective in preserving biodiversity Costa Rica contains approximately 5% of the world's species despite covering just 0.03% of Earth's surface. The government uses park entrance fees to fund conservation directly, creating a financially sustainable model that does not rely on external funding.

The certification programme for sustainable tourism (CST) awards businesses a rating based on their environmental and social practices, encouraging hotels and tour operators to reduce waste, use renewable energy and employ local staff. This has been moderately effective over 300 businesses are now certified though critics argue the scheme is voluntary and some businesses use the 'eco' label for marketing without making genuine changes, a practice known as greenwashing.

Community-based tourism initiatives in areas such as the Osa Peninsula have been effective in directing income to indigenous communities, giving local people a financial reason to protect rather than exploit natural resources. However, these programmes remain small-scale and do not offset the environmental pressure from the 3 million+ tourists who visit Costa Rica annually.

Overall, Costa Rica's strategies are among the most effective in the world, but no single approach is perfect. The combination of legal protection, financial incentives and community involvement is more effective than any one strategy alone, though continued monitoring and enforcement remain essential to prevent greenwashing and habitat degradation.

💡 Mark Scheme Q15

Level 1 (1–2 marks): Simple points, no balance, limited or no case study.
Level 2 (3–4 marks): Both positive and negative impacts mentioned, some development, case study referenced.
Level 3 (5–6 marks): Balanced discussion with developed points on both sides, clear case study use, concluding statement.

Model answer (Level 3): The Great Barrier Reef in Australia demonstrates both the positive and negative environmental impacts of tourism clearly. On the positive side, tourism generates significant revenue approximately AUD $6.4 billion annually much of which funds reef conservation, water quality monitoring and coral restoration programmes. Tourist interest in the reef has also raised global awareness of climate change threats, putting political pressure on governments to act.

However, the negative impacts are substantial. Over 2 million tourists visit the reef each year and boat anchors, sunscreen chemicals and physical contact with coral cause direct damage to fragile reef ecosystems. Increased boat traffic contributes to water pollution and noise disturbance for marine species. Climate change, partly driven by the carbon emissions of long-haul flights bringing tourists to Australia, is causing coral bleaching events that have damaged over 50% of the reef since 2016.

In conclusion, tourism brings both funding and pressure to the Great Barrier Reef. The environmental impacts are significant and growing, suggesting that without tighter visitor management, the long-term damage may outweigh the conservation benefits.