Describe the distribution of the participating teams.

Using examples, suggest how social and cultural factors can affect people’s participation in international sports.

“Physical factors influence the location of tourist activities more than human factors.” Discuss this statement, with reference to examples.

Award [1 mark] for any of the following:

• they are globally dispersed/spread out/scattered
• covering most continents
• often only one or two per continent
• they are mainly between the tropics
• although England is an exception
• only the West Indies and Guyana are west (of the prime meridian/western hemisphere)/most are east (of prime meridian)
• they are mainly coastal
• although Zimbabwe is an exception
• with the exception of England, this sport is mainly played in a country that has a neighbouring country that also plays this sport
• credit other distributional points.

Do not credit “mostly LEDCs” or “ex-colonies of the UK” (as these are not descriptive points).

The focus should be on social/cultural factors. Credit economic/cost factors if linked to idea of social groups/classes/poverty/inequalities in society.

There are many possible factors to discuss:

• some sports are associated with relatively affluent people – equestrian, polo, golf
• other sports are associated with poorer people – football, boxing
• gender/ethnicity have played a role now or in the past in barring access eg, women and boxing
• some sports are associated with diasporas (Gaelic football and hurling with the Irish diaspora, for example)
• sports associated with political developments, eg, in cricket most of the countries were part of the former British Empire
• more recent adopters could be related to media exposure/TV access (credit as social factor)
• links with education, aspirations and role models.

Award [1 mark] for each factor that is correctly linked to a sport and is a valid influence on participation. Also award [1 mark] for a further development/rationale (eg, cost of buying golf clubs, etc for those in low-income social groups).

Full marks could be achieved by three factors with development example or rationale provided, or six factors identified. Do not expect explicit separation of social and cultural factors.

Physical factors include climate, relief and landscape, flora and fauna, oceans, lakes and rivers. These give rise to a wide variety of tourist activities such as beach holidays, climbing, skiing, bird watching, diving, sailing, surfing, fishing and so on. However, physical factors alone can never be sufficient to generate a tourism industry, as tourists require transport, accommodation and catering.

Human factors include transport (accessibility), culture, heritage, food and drink, political, entertainment, family, economic (affordability), and the provision of secondary tourist resources (hotels, airports, catering). They also include factors relating to the tourists themselves (age, gender, wealth, culture).

Most types of tourism depend on a mix of physical and human factors. Coastal resorts (eg, Costa del Sol) depend on sun, sand and sea but also air transport, hotels, catering and entertainment.

Responses that achieve band D are likely to be descriptive accounts, and might only consider physical or human factors.

At band E candidates should either provide some balanced explanation of physical and human factors supported by examples, or some explicit evaluation of the statement (eg, answer depends on type of tourist activity).

At band F, expect both (explanation and evaluation).

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

This question was tackled reasonably well. Stronger candidates were able to describe the distribution, with reference to latitudes, the prime meridian, and continental areas. Weaker candidates wrote little on geographic distribution, and too often described an LEDC/MEDC contrast and ex-colonies of the UK that are not relevant.

This question was answered reasonably well with a range of social and cultural factors discussed. There were also some very weak, generalized answers showing limited understanding.

This essay elicited some very good responses, with a balanced view regarding the importance of physical and human factors with reference to specific examples. Many responses were, however, merely descriptive of the importance of physical factors, with little said on human factors. A substantial minority did not understand the term physical factors, and equated it with physical location.