Describe the trends shown on the graph.

Explain three reasons for the changes in international tourist arrivals shown on the graph.

Examine the extent to which sustainable tourism might be successfully implemented in different environments.

Award [1] for recognition that arrivals are increasing in all three regions.

Award [1] for quantification (use of data).

Award up to [2] for any two of the following:

• Europe is always the highest
• steep increase in Europe between 1995 and 2000
• Asia and the Pacific have seen recent steep increase, especially after 2000, from about 100 million to about 200 million
• high relative increase in Africa but still low overall (from about 10 million to about 50 million)
• the rates of growth might be compared; for example, the growth rate in Africa has been much greater as a % of the starting point than elsewhere.

Award [1] each for a valid reason, that relates to international tourism growth, and a further [1] for development or exemplification of the reason.

For example:

• the cost of air travel has reduced in recent years [1], so that more tourists can travel cheaply eg from Europe to Asia [1]
• increased tourism advertising in Africa has been heavily promoted in the media [1], so that tourists are increasingly attracted to new/more exotic destinations eg The Gambia from China [1].

A wide variety of reasons could be given, including:

• increased affluence and leisure time for travel [1] and may provide details of changing employment patterns
• growth of package holidays/TNCs [1] and gives specific details of eg Thomas Cook
• development of tourist infrastructure at destinations [1] and gives specific detail eg Hamad (Doha) airport in Qatar [1]
• credit cards/Visa Cash make travel easier [1]
• online booking/ICT make planning/booking easier [1].

Sustainable tourism aims to meet economic social and environmental goals and to preserve tourist resources for future generations.

Possible ways/strategies of implementing sustainable tourism might include:

• protection of the natural environment
• managing resources to prevent depletion
• reducing the ecological footprint of tourism
• managing visitor numbers
• involvement of local people in the tourist activities
• economic and social benefits to local people and the nation
• development of infrastructure.

Negative impacts of tourism which might detract from the success of sustainability strategies could include over-exploitation of the environment, economic “leakage” of tourist revenues, or cultural dilution.

“Environments” could be interpreted as different places/cities/rural locations/ecosystems or biomes.

Good answers may provide a structured examination of what is meant by sustainable tourism (economic/social/environmental strands) and the extent to which these different goals have been met. Another approach might be to provide a structured examination of differing approaches to managing tourism in different geographical environments/contexts (levels of development, scale, etc).

For band D, expect some description of the outcomes of relevant/sustainable tourism strategies in one or two environments/places.

At band E, expect either more detailed explanation of the outcomes of tourism strategies in two places (do not expect balance) or an examination of the extent to which different sustainability goals have actually been achieved.

At band F expect both of these elements. 

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.

Generally well answered, although many candidates give rather basic statements such as “Asia has increased” rather than identifying, for example, a specific steep increase in a given range of years.

Each reason needed to be developed in order to gain full marks; many candidates gave a reason, but with little/no development.

This question was generally well answered, with effective use of examples. However, many candidates reached only band D, as they described one or two sustainable tourist strategies but failed to give any substantial evaluation, or examine the statement “examine the extent to which ...”.