Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseIn your iGCSE Travel & Tourism exam, you'll almost certainly face Define and Identify questions. They're usually worth just 1 or 2 marks but students drop these marks more often than you'd think. The good news? With the right technique, they're some of the easiest marks to pick up.
These questions test whether you actually know your key terms. There's no waffle needed. No PEE structure. Just a clear, accurate answer and you're done.
The Cambridge iGCSE Travel & Tourism syllabus (0471) expects candidates to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key terms and concepts across all themes. Define and Identify questions directly test Assessment Objective 1 (AO1): Knowledge and Understanding. These questions appear in Component 1 (Written Paper) and sometimes in structured questions throughout the paper.
Students often mix these two up. They sound similar but they're asking for slightly different things. Let's break it down clearly.
A Define question asks you to explain the meaning of a term. You need to give a clear, accurate description usually in one or two sentences. Think of it like writing a dictionary entry.
Example question: "Define the term 'ecotourism'." (1 mark)
Good answer: Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and supports the well-being of local people.
An Identify question asks you to name or pick out something specific a type, a feature, an example. You don't need to explain it in depth. Just be accurate and specific.
Example question: "Identify one type of domestic tourist." (1 mark)
Good answer: A person travelling within their own country for leisure, such as a UK resident visiting the Lake District.
Examiners use a mark scheme with accepted answers. For Define questions, they're looking for the core meaning of the term. You don't need to write an essay but you do need to include the key idea. Vague answers won't get the mark.
"Tourism is when people go on holiday."
This misses key elements it doesn't mention the time limit, the distance from home, or the purpose of the visit.
"A tourist is someone who does tourism."
You've just repeated the word. The examiner needs to see that you understand the concept, not just the word.
"Mass tourism is popular in Spain and has lots of hotels."
This is a description of an example, not a definition. Save examples for Describe/Explain questions.
Ask yourself: "If someone had never heard this word before, would my answer tell them exactly what it means?" If yes great. If no add the missing piece. A strong definition includes who/what it refers to, what they do and any key conditions (e.g. time, distance, purpose).
Here's a simple formula you can use to build a solid definition for almost any Travel & Tourism term:
[Term] is/are [what it is] that [what it does / key condition], usually [any important qualifier].
| Term | Strong Definition |
|---|---|
| Tourist | A tourist is a person who travels away from their usual place of residence for at least one night, for leisure, business, or other purposes and is not paid at their destination. |
| Excursionist / Day Visitor | An excursionist is a visitor who travels to a destination but does not stay overnight they return home the same day. |
| Inbound Tourism | Inbound tourism refers to visits made by people from other countries travelling into a destination country. |
| Carrying Capacity | Carrying capacity is the maximum number of tourists a destination can handle without causing unacceptable damage to the environment, local community, or visitor experience. |
| Sustainable Tourism | Sustainable tourism is tourism that meets the needs of present tourists and host communities while protecting the environment and resources for future generations. |
| Mass Tourism | Mass tourism is large-scale, organised tourism where high numbers of people travel to popular destinations, often using package holidays. |
With Identify questions, the trap is being too general. The examiner wants something precise. If the question says "Identify one reason why tourists visit coastal resorts," don't write "because they like it." Give a real, specific reason.
Question: Identify one feature of a heritage destination.
Weak answer: "It has old things."
❌ Too vague. "Old things" isn't a geographical or tourism term. It won't score.
Question: Identify one feature of a heritage destination.
Strong answer: "Historic buildings or monuments of cultural significance, such as castles, temples, or UNESCO World Heritage Sites."
✅ Specific, uses correct terminology, gives an example to back it up.
Sometimes Identify questions give you a photograph, map, or data extract and ask you to identify something from it. For example: "Using the photograph, identify one type of tourism taking place."
In this case, look carefully at the image. If you see a group hiking in a forest, the answer might be ecotourism or adventure tourism. If you see a crowded beach resort with hotels, it's likely mass tourism. Always link your answer to what you can actually see.
Have a go at these exam-style questions. Cover up the answers first, write your own, then check how you did.
Q1. Define the term 'outbound tourism'.
Q2. Define the term 'Butler's Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC)'.
Q3. Define the term 'VFR tourism'.
Q4. Identify two types of tourist destination.
Q5. Identify one characteristic of sustainable tourism.
Q6. Identify the stage of Butler's TALC in which visitor numbers are at their highest and the destination is well-known.
Define and Identify questions are worth 1–2 marks. That means you should spend no more than 1–2 minutes on each one. Write your answer, check it makes sense and move on. Don't pad it out extra waffle won't earn extra marks and wastes your time.
If you're spending 5 minutes on a 1-mark question, stop and move on!
Here are the most commonly tested terms from Theme 1. Make sure you can define every single one of these from memory.
Unlike longer questions where you can write around a topic, Define questions need precision. The best way to prepare is to write each definition out on a flashcard and test yourself. Say it out loud. Write it without looking. Check it. Repeat. By exam day, these should be automatic.
💡 Bonus tip: If you can't remember the exact definition, think about the key idea behind the word. Break it down: What kind of thing is it? What does it involve? Who does it affect? Build your answer from there.
Remember: Define and Identify questions are the most straightforward marks in the whole paper. They don't ask for opinions, judgements, or extended writing. They just ask: do you know your stuff?
With the revision bank above, the formula and the practice questions you're well prepared. Keep your answers sharp, specific and accurate. Now go earn those marks! 🌟