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IELTS Writing Task 2: Most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects Sample Essay

Updated On Dec 08, 2023

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Given below is a real IELTS Writing Part 2 Essay question. We have provided sample essays as well as an essay outline so that you can practice writing your own!

Not sure how to approach IELTS Essay questions? Take a look at the guide below to learn how to write a Cause/Solution Essay Essay!

Read the sample essay for Most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects. What problems are caused by international tourism? Solutions to change negative attitudes?

Band 8.5 Sample Essay 1

There are several reasons why many people have a negative attitude towards international tourism. However, this can be handled by adopting possible solutions, as will now be discussed.

Firstly, the influx of foreign travellers is often associated with an increase in environmental pollution. Many tourists throw rubbish into the surroundings irresponsibly, which contributes to air, water, and soil contamination. Furthermore, there might be a growing demand for transport, decreasing the air quality at the tourist destination.

Secondly, international tourism increases the odds of spreading infectious diseases to the local community. Viruses such as Ebola and H5N1 can become a threat to the locals if an infected traveller visits their country. In Vietnam, for example, many people died after a visitor from Hong Kong carried the H5N1 virus to the country in 2003. This example makes it clear why many people are still against the development of international tourism.

However, there is a range of options that can be taken to improve the situation. One measure would be that the government should continue campaigns to raise the awareness of tourists when they pay a visit to a new land. Travellers should be encouraged to put waste into the right place or to use public transport if possible. Another remedy is that there should be medical checks at airports and borders. This is to guarantee that infected visitors should be quarantined to halt the spread of the disease.

In conclusion, negative feelings about global tourism still are common in society. However, this can be resolved by taking the above suggestions.

Useful Expressions :

• The influx of smb/smth : the fact of a lot of people, money or things arriving somewhere  ==>a massive/sudden influx of visitors.
• To be associated with smth: having a connection between people or things in your mind ==>I always associate the smell of baking with my childhood.
• The odds of something: the degree to which something is likely to happen ==>The odds are that (= it is likely that) she’ll win.
• To pay a visit to somewhere
• To halt something: to stop; to make somebody/something stop ==>We are failing to halt the destruction of the rainforest.

Band 8.5 Sample Essay 2

Advances made in air travel have shrunk the world. With these, today, people from all walks of life can travel abroad; however, the rise of international tourism is greeted with dismay by many. In this essay, I will present the reasons why some local people harbour unwelcoming attitudes towards foreign tourists and put forward some solutions to this issue.

International tourists are now criticised mainly due to their contribution to environmental degradation. In many countries, many famous tourist destinations are now bearing the scars of vandalism committed by travellers arriving from outside. Other places of interest are also gradually being turned into which are comparable to garbage dumps, despite all attempts to reduce the amount of waste by the local community. In addition to this, many foreigners travel on a shoestring. In order to economise, many are willing to sleep on the streets in their tents, which mars the cityscape.

What local authorities can firstly do to change the behaviours of foreign tourists is through education. While advertising the beauty of an area, the media should also strive to raise the awareness of prospective travellers about protecting it. The other method is to pass stricter regulations regarding littering particularly in popular tourist places. The high effectiveness of fining litterbugs is clearly demonstrated in the example of Singapore, where one can no longer find trash in public places.

To summarise, the inhospitable feeling that the local people have for international tourists can be explained in many ways. I feel that this issue can hardly be solved by a single wave of a magic wand – it takes a great deal of effort from both the locals and the foreigners.

• To shrink the world: To make the world become smaller
• People from all walks of life: people of different backgrounds
• To be greeted with dismay: to be unwelcomed
• To harbour unwelcoming attitudes towards: To oppose to
• To bear the scars of vandalism: to be vandalised.
• Travel on a shoestring: Travel with very small amount of money.
• To mar the cityscape: make the city look ugly
• Litterbug: people who throw rubbish in public places.
• Litter (v.) throw rubbish.
• The inhospitable feeling: bad feeling
• This issue can hardly be solved by a single wave of a magic wand : this issue is not easy to be dealt with.

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Nafia Zuhana is an experienced content writer and IELTS Trainer. Currently, she is guiding students who are appearing for IELTS General and Academic exams through ieltsmaterial.com. With an 8.5 score herself, she trains and provides test takers with strategies, tips, and nuances on how to crack the IELTS Exam. She holds a degree in Master of Arts – Creative Writing, Oxford Brookes University, UK. She has worked with The Hindu for over a year as an English language trainer.

Explore other Problem Solution Essays

Nehasri Ravishenbagam

Janice Thompson

Kasturika Samanta

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Posted on Jun 6, 2022

As air travel becomes safer and cheaper, it is expected that tourism, as a sector, will grow significantly. Thus, it is worthwhile to discuss the possible untoward effects of international tourism and suggest possible solutions to address them.

As people from move one place to another, it is inevitable that they may also bring something along with them. While clothes and bags have no consequences, it is a different story if people try to bring animals, plants and the most dreadful of all, diseases as they travel. For example, invasive species such as Manila clams have been accidentally brought back by American ships from the Philippines during the Second World War and led to the destruction of the native biodiversity due to the spectacular ability of these mollusks to reproduce. High rates of international travel also allow for rapid spread of diseases, creating pandemics. While it may seem harmless, international tourism may lead to serious consequences if not regulated.

Solutions to the aforementioned problems are already being implemented by countries across the world. Regulatory bodies now have very strict protocols regarding shipping of animals, pets, or plants to another country. Nations currently also react very quickly to contagious diseases through lock downs and airport closures. However, there are still people who cannot help but worry about these problems. To address this, governments can initiate projects that spread awareness and should assure their countrymen that they are doing their best to protect their best interests.

To conclude, international tourism has its drawbacks but countermeasures are already in place to keep them in check. In order to change people’s mind about this, governments have the responsibility to keep their constituents properly informed and give them reassurance regarding the matter.

Posted on Jun 8, 2022

Band Score – 6

Concentrate on the correct usage of articles, tense, subject verb agreement and punctuation.

Pay attention to spellings and word order in a sentence.

Use C2 level of words.

Posted on Apr 27, 2022

Please assess my essay…..Thank you. Tourism industry is the backbone of a nation as it contributes a significant amount towards the country’s economy.There is difference in the perspective among individuals regarding international tourism. This essay will outline its possible causes and potential solutions in the forthcoming paragraphs. Firstly,the reluctance of native peoples towards the foreigners is mainly due to recent developments in the illegal trading activities.Nowadays,international travellers are opted as a mode for exchange of drugs and other valuable commodities,this eventually poses threat to the society and economy of the nation.For instance, the recent gold smuggling by the foreign diplomats to Kerala,India had widespread attention in media both nationally and internationally.Secondly,travelling internationally poses high risk for transmission of communicable diseases which can later result in pandemic like situations.For example,the breakout of corona virus in 2020 to a pandemic was majorly due to the continuing international travel. The possible solutions for above mentioned causes is to initiate high level customs check in all the ports where visitors attempt to enter meaning in the airports,harbours etc.Moreover,the spread of communicable diseases can also be controlled in a large extend by implementing effective screening techniques,unlike having the tests only procured during the times of pandemics,a general screening is advisable to rule out any traces at the earliest. In conclusion,though the non-native tourists are not welcomed by the local population due to various threats they poses to the society by illicit trading and Spread of life threatening diseases ,theses problems however can be sorted out by initiating appropriate checks at the port of entry.

Posted on Apr 28, 2022

Band Score – 5

Concentrate on the correct usage of article, prepositions, subject-verb agreement and punctuation.

Pay attention to spellings and learn error free sentence formation

There is a lack of paragraph division. Since this is a cause-and-solution essay, you have to discuss all the causes in one body paragraph and all the solutions in the other. Do not combine them or miss any of them.

Follow the conventions. Only the first letter of the word in a sentence and proper nouns must be in capitals and there should be proper space between words.

Use C2 level words.

Maimuna Zaman

Posted on Aug 22, 2021

Many people believe that international tourism is a bad thing for their country. And that is because of various reasons but mostly for the reason that when tourists visit a country they show defiance towards that nation’s customs and traditions and promote their own western cultures which have bad effects on the mindset of that nation’s population. In this essay, I will discuss the perspectives of people as to why they consider foreign travel a bad thing and also the solution that can change their views. To begin with, there are reasons that caused many folks to consider globe travel as a bad thing for their country. Firstly, travellers promoting their western customs and causing folks of that state to follow those cultures. Resulting in, their own heritages disappearing in the process. Secondly, these globetrotters act defiant towards rules and regulations in entering a sacrilegious place. For instance, while entering a holy place one needs to take off shoes, cover their heads and body properly but these backpackers do not seem to care about those rules. And lastly, they cause pollution by throwing plastic bottles and bags everywhere. On the contrary, foreign travellers are important for a nation as it provides us with an opportunity to learn about the western customs and broaden our horizons. Therefore, the perspective needs to change and that can be done with some aid from the government. For example, the government can issue laws like while going inside a sacred place everyone needs to follow rules and whoever would not pay a heavy fine. Consequently, fines for causing pollution and placing more trash cans around the city. To conclude, like the two sides of a coin there are both advantages and disadvantages to a certain thing. To enjoy the benefits we must find ways to change the downfalls into advantages. As mentioned earlier in the essay, foreign globetrotters are important for the bright opportunities that come along with them so to utilize that the public’s perspectives need to transform with the aid of the highlighted solutions in the previous paragraph.

Adithya Sridhar

Posted on Aug 18, 2021

It is quite common that most of the citizens of certain countries consider international tourism to have more adverse impacts than the positive footprints to their country. This negative impression on the international tourism among the natives could be resolved easily. This essay will discuss in detail about the common causes that have created such a bad vibration about the foreigners visit and their possible solutions.

To begin with, the local community always have a fear that the visitors may influence their culture over the native’s which might demolish their own and end up losing their authenticity. Another significant danger would be the possibilities of smuggling goods or drugs from or to their country. Some tourists have the tendency to make racial abuse and share humiliating comments on the country that they visited on social media which may infuriate the locals. Among all these factors the most important concern would be the risk of spreading communicable diseases to the domestic groups from the visitors. The best example would be the recent pandemic which swiftly passed on to the whole world from the origin nation through international travel.

But there are plethora of solutions to resolve this discomfort among the local citizens. The Government could enact strict laws and boundaries to the tourists to prevent any cultural infringements during their visit. Customs department should be proactive and have necessary technical detectors in seizing the smuggled items or drugs. Any racial abuse or commenting on the nation’s stature should be punished severely which would create a sense of vigilance among the tourists. Most importantly, Government must equip themselves in identifying potentially ill patients at the arrival itself to prevent the spread any infectious disease.

Hence to conclude, though the most countries believe that international tourism has harmful effects, it could be solved easily by enforcing multiple efficient solutions.

Queensen Komben

Posted on Nov 17, 2021

magnificent

Posted on Aug 19, 2021

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Overtourism: Causes, Consequences and Solutions

Overtourism : one of the words that people use most in recent years. In effect, more and more often, tourist destinations suffer from overtourism, tourism overcrowding . Places that everyone wants to see because they are “famous”. Movie scenes shot in locations (such as Lake Braies ) that now attract hordes of tourists looking for a short trip. Simply, they stop the time for a selfie and then leave for the next famous stage. This type of mass tourism causes pollution, the devastation of nature and distress of local populations. Let’s see in detail what is overtourism, what are its causes , what are the consequences , and what can be done to avoid it.

What is overtourism?

Overtourism is a neologism that indicates the overcrowding of tourists on a holiday destination. The term was first inserted in the Oxford dictionary in 2018 and nominated as the year’s word. Overtourism, literally “too much tourism” , is a complex phenomenon that we should analyze from various points of view. In essence, we could sum up the concept in one question. Is this place affected by the presence of more tourists than the place and the inhabitants can support?

When it comes to natural tourist destinations , tourism must respect flora, fauna, and microclimate. When the destination is a city , tourism must primarily r espect residents , as well as local culture and archaeological sites . The latter in particular are small microcosms blocked in time that tourism should protect. If this doesn’t happen, we talk about overtourism, or unsustainable tourism for the place, for nature, for the people who live there.

The Causes of overtourism

More than 1.4 billion people are moving around the world every year, and they are growing at an exponential rate. The World Tourism Organisation predicts that by 2030 the international flow of tourists will exceed 2 billion . This very high number of people focus on a few tourist destinations in the world, which suffer from the excessive presence of tourists . The causes of too much tourism are many. From the famous films that make tourist destinations famous to the ease with which you can reach any corner of the world. Also, we can name the cruises that bring large quantities around the seas. We talked about cruises and their environmental impact in this article .

Cultural tourism, a new trend

A trend of the moment is tourism i nfluenced by mass culture . According to this kind of tourism, people chose the destination based on social media , influencers, television programs and films. Tourism influenced by film and TV series products, also known as film tourism , has in some cases led to real disasters. An example is what is happening in the Pacific Islands : in Thailand at Maya Bay , where the film “The Beach” was shot with Leonardo Di Caprio. Over the years, tourists who wanted to see the film set invaded the small beach. This forced the Thai government to prohibit the entry of tourists to restore the delicate balance of the beautiful bay.

The increase in low-cost air flights and cruises is certainly one of the causes of Overtourism.

The numbers published by the World Tourism Organisation (Unwto) speak for themselves. Even in Italy , we have examples of how mass tourism damages the nature and residents of cities invaded by travelers. Venice , for example, is visited by about 20 million people a year. A number a little too high for such a delicate city, devastated also by cruise ships causing pollution .

Even Florence , Capri and the Cinque Terre National Park in Liguria suffer from the excessive number of tourists arriving every year. This influx is leading the administrations of the various Italian municipalities to take steps to limit the number of revenues.

Consequences of overtourism

1 destruction of natural ecosystems.

The flora and fauna are usually the first to suffer overtourism in the most popular natural tourist destinations. In some natural destinations, environmental issues led to the destruction of entire ecosystems. Among these problems, we can mention deforestation, exploitation of the soil and pollution . But also, no policy of raising awareness and protecting natural environments. In some cases, this situation has no possibility of redemption, such as, for example, what happens to coral reefs around the world. As global warming and tourists irreparably ruined them, corals are part of a natural system that is becoming extinct.

2. Increase in the amount of waste

Another consequence of mass tourism is the large accumulation of waste that people don’t differentiate. Inevitably, it creates a major environmental problem of disposal and pollution.  Boracay Island , in the Philippines, has been closed to restore the ecosystem after years of uncontrolled tourism. The waste problem is also very important on the island of Bali , which is trying to combat it thanks to the thought of Zero waste Bali.

3. Escape and malaise of residents

Too much tourism affects mainly the locals. Across Europe, in cities like Barcelona or Venice, the phenomenon of overtourism has unleashed strong tensions from the inhabitants.  Residents complain about the rising of housing prices and rentals. In effect, they inflated them due to the spread of online platforms such as Airbnb. But also, they talked about the disappearance of small shops, replaced by tourist shops, and the inviolability of their cities. The last consequence is the escape of residents from their cities, which have become tourist theatres, thus losing their authenticity.

Solutions to overtourism for destinations

As tourist flows around the world increased, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has dedicated an entire Report to overtourism. Certainly, there is not one single solution, but many small things that we can do during our holidays . The Report thus proposes 11 strategies and 68 measures to combat excessive tourism.

Here are the 11 suggestions that tourist destinations can follow to counter the phenomenon of overtourism.

• Encourage the dispersion of tourists within the city, and even beyond the territory, suggesting the visit of lesser-known destinations and less touristic areas.
• Promote tourism in different periods (for example out of season) and at different times from the most popular.
• Create new and different itineraries and tourist attractions.
• Review and improve regulations , such as closing some overcrowded areas to traffic.
• Attract more responsible types of travelers.
• ensure the benefits of tourism to local communities, for example by increasing the number of inhabitants employed in tourism, and by involving residents in the creation of tourism experiences.
• Develop and promote experiences in the city or territory that benefit both tourists and residents.
• Increase the infrastructure and services of the resort.
• Involve the local community in tourist decisions and choices.
• Educate travelers and tell them how to be more responsible and respectful of the place.
• Monitor and measure changes.

And what can we do?

With Ecobnb we promote responsible tourism , avoiding overcrowded famous destinations and promoting the close destinations. Often we don’t know what surrounds us and which beauties we can find without necessarily taking planes that emit huge amounts of CO2. Slow and sustainable tourism offers authentic locations. These places enrich local communities and those who invest in eco-sustainable activities. The real holiday could also be for you the relaxing and unplugging holiday. You could simply recharge the energies in contact with nature. Nonetheless, remember to try and lessen as much as possible for your environmental impact.

The good news is that each of us can do our part to counteract overtourism and promote sustainable tourism.

Here’s your vademecum

Here are 5 simple ideas , a vademecum, to promote quality tourism, instead of quantity, every time we travel.

• Avoid air flights and cruises, move by train and public transport whenever you can.
• Don’t take your decisions following the mass. If everyone goes to the mountains on August 15, why don’t you choose a different date?
• Organize your holidays in an alternative way, choose authentic and less touristy destinations .
• Travel out of season : spring and autumn are beautiful and less expensive seasons.
• Respect the places you visit (here you find 40 tips to travel green ), try to live like a local”, immerse yourself in the culture of the place and make friends with the inhabitants.

Cover image: photo by Elizeu Dias via Unsplash

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Save our cities from overtourism!

SET (Sud-Europe facing Overtourism): a network created by 15 European cities to denounce the destructive effects of mass tourism and promote the research for a new touristic system. Mass tourism brings enormous amounts of tourists in the main cities. The effects of the so-called overtourism are indeed severe. Cities lost their original artistic, natural and cultural heritage: […]

Pacific Islands: the Paradises ruined by ‘Overtourism’

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Problem-solution essays Situation-problem-solution-evaluation

Problem-solution essays are a common essay type, especially for short essays such as subject exams or IELTS . The page gives information on what they are , how to structure this type of essay, and gives an example problem-solution essay on the topic of obesity and fitness levels.

What are problem-solution essays?

Problem-solution essays consider the problems of a particular situation, and give solutions to those problems. They are in some ways similar to cause and effect essays , especially in terms of structure (see below). Problem-solution essays are actually a sub-type of another type of essay, which has the following four components:

The 'situation' may be included in the essay prompt, in which case it will not be needed in the main body. If it is needed, it can often be included in the introduction, especially for short essays, as with the example essay below . The 'evaluation' may be included as part of the conclusion (also as in the example below), or omitted altogether, especially for short essays. For these reasons, problem-solution essays are more common than situation-problem-solution-evaluation essays (or SPSE essays).

There are two main ways to structure a problem-solution essay. These are similar to the ways to structure cause and effect essays , namely using a block or a chain structure. For the block structure, all of the problems are listed first, and all of the solutions are listed afterwards. For the chain structure, each problem is followed immediately by the solution to that problem. Both types of structure have their merits. The former is generally clearer, especially for shorter essays, while the latter ensures that any solutions you present relate directly to the problems you have given.

The two types of structure, block and chain , are shown in the diagram below. This is for a short essay, which includes the 'situation' in the introduction and 'evaluation' in the conclusion. A longer essay, for example one of around 1,000 words, with citations , would probably have these two sections as separate paragraphs in the main body.

Example essay

Below is a problem-solution essay on the topic of obesity and poor fitness . It uses the block structure . Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay, i.e. Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation. This will highlight not simply the paragraphs, but also (for problems and solutions) the thesis statement and summary , as these repeat the problems and solutions contained in the main body.

Consumption of processed and convenience foods and our dependence on the car have led to an increase in obesity and reduction in the fitness level of the adult population. In some countries, especially industrialized ones, the number of obese people can amount to one third of the population. This is significant as obesity and poor fitness lead to a decrease in life expectancy , and it is therefore important for individuals and governments to work together to tackle this issue and improve their citizens' diet and fitness. Obesity and poor fitness decrease life expectancy. Overweight people are more likely to have serious illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, which can result in premature death. It is well known that regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, which means that those with poor fitness levels are at an increased risk of suffering from those problems. Changes by individuals to their diet and their physical activity can increase life expectancy. There is a reliance today on the consumption of processed foods, which have a high fat and sugar content. By preparing their own foods, and consuming more fruit and vegetables, people could ensure that their diets are healthier and more balanced, which could lead to a reduction in obesity levels. In order to improve fitness levels, people could choose to walk or cycle to work or to the shops rather than taking the car. They could also choose to walk up stairs instead of taking the lift. These simple changes could lead to a significant improvement in fitness levels. Governments could also implement initiatives to improve their citizens' eating and exercise habits. This could be done through education, for example by adding classes to the curriculum about healthy diet and lifestyles. Governments could also do more to encourage their citizens to walk or cycle instead of taking the car, for instance by building more cycle lanes or increasing vehicle taxes. While some might argue that increased taxes are a negative way to solve the problem, it is no different from the high taxes imposed on cigarettes to reduce cigarette consumption. In short, obesity and poor fitness are a significant problem in modern life, leading to lower life expectancy . Individuals and governments can work together to tackle this problem and so improve diet and fitness . Of the solutions suggested, those made by individuals themselves are likely to have more impact, though it is clear that a concerted effort with the government is essential for success. With obesity levels in industrialized and industrializing countries continuing to rise, it is essential that we take action now to deal with this problem.

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Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 22 January 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

Problems facing tourism in Africa Problem Solution Essay

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Tourism Planning and management problem in Zanzibar

Planning and management solutions.

On a global scale, the economic sector experiencing expedited growth is tourism. In the developing world, tourism industry exhibits great success as a chief foreign exchange earner, stimulating cross cultural understanding and providing employment. This may not be a uniform case in Africa. In Zanzibar Tanzania, for instance, the economic gain of tourism is yet to be fully realized. This has been occasioned by a major tourism management problem of insecurity.

Threats to safety and security of the tourism sector in Zanzibar has affected the growth of tourism industry and subsequently impacted the environment, the economy and the social fabric at large. As such, foreigners who visit this destination to enjoy the beautiful sceneries become easy prey to criminals. Besides, the opportunities to economically benefits that would have been experienced from tourism have thwarted due to insecurity (Rosenbaum, 2011, March 13).

However, these problems facing tourism sector can be given an appropriate approach, proper strategies and careful thinking to reach a solution. This essay will explore the issue of insecurity resulting from as a problem facing tourism in Zanzibar, and suggest possible solutions.

Zanzibar attractions

Zanzibar Island also referred to as Unguja is an interesting and enchanting island that links the past history when explorers interacted with the coastal people and the present bliss of beach holidays (Sifuna, 2010). It blends the way of life of travelers from the West and the Far East who come to enjoy wildlife safari, with the fascinating life of the local people.

One of the most important attractions is the Stone Town located on the west coast of Zanzibar. Apart from being an awesome town, it bears the history and diverse cultures of the people of Unguja, museums which were formerly palaces, an Omani fortress built in the 18 th century and many other attractions (Foottit, 1995, January).

Additionally, tourists who visit the south coast are treated to other attractions such as viewing and swimming with Dolphins during Dolphin tours, the coral reefs and large sandy Indian Ocean coastline with offshore locations such as mafia and Pemba. Also, the island has the sleepy fishing community, a variety of wildlife, salt-tolerant grassland, Casuarinas and coconut palm trees, mangroves, ever-green thicket and swamp forests (Amanda, 2009, March 29).

Moreover, it has beautiful beaches such as Matemwe, Pwani Mchangani, Kiwengwa, Pongwe, Uroa and Chwaka where many activities take place including snorkeling, water sports, sailing and reef walks (Amanda, 2009, March 29).

To begin with, one important threat to the security of tourism in Zanzibar is fear of terrorist’s attacks. In 1998, Tanzania suffered a severe blow from bombing of US embassy in the country.

As such, the number of tourist visiting tourist sites in Zanzibar and other areas in the region sharply declined. It is important to underscore the fact that tourists’ develop confidence in a region depending on the level of security. As such, the tourism sector in the region has continued to face the difficult challenge posed by threats of insecurity.

Even though security officials and the Zanzibar police officers have continued to issue alerts and offer protection to citizens, tourists and the tourism sector continues to fear for safety of imminent attacks from terror groups. Importantly, acts of terrorism results into destructions whose impacts weighs heavily on the environment and economy of the land as well as tourism

Additionally, tourism industry in Zanzibar is faced with the problem of offering security to tourists from indiscriminate attacks coming from locals. Reports have indicated that local residents have developed a habit of invading areas where tourist have gathered with ulterior motives.

Also, tourists face danger of attack while travelling to tourist destinations or even when they attend political rallies. Other similar attacks come from demonstrators who attract violence and this may spread to areas where tourists are visiting. The tourism sector lacks proper security vigilance and measures to protect tourists and the environment from such attacks.

Another important issue that threatens the security of tourism industry is the traditional values held buy the locals that don’t agree with that of the foreigners. It is important to observe that a greater percentage of people in Zanzibar are Muslims. The laws followed by the Muslims don’t allow immodest dressing among the women.

Tourist visiting the area faces a security threat of harassment by the locals if immodestly dressed. Accordingly, the tourist management body faces a challenge of protecting its image as well as that of tourists. It endeavors to inform tourists not to be intemperate in their way of dressing and conduct.

In Tanzania, Zanzibar has its own border controls in its main islands of Unguja and Pemba, a parliament and a decentralized status. Its developed tourist’s attractions attract over 90% of tourists and this drives up the economy of that land. However, Zanzibar has seen a drop in the number of visits by the tourists in the past decade due to political conflicts (Mills et al., 2006).

Widespread instability has been triggered by political conflicts raging in the island and these have delayed investments as investors have been forced to wait and watch until there is stability. The burgeoning tourist trade that has been thriving in Zanzibar faces the challenge of getting damaged due to post election violence and eventual political stand-offs (Gettleman, 2010, November 1).

The process of easing political tensions through peace agreements in Zanzibar State House between political leaders of CCM and CUF have been carried out and sometimes failed to achieve results (Kaur et al., 2011). Some of the issues that cause political instability are election irregularities, slow count of votes, a poor electoral system and unequal media coverage to all political parties (Kaur et al., 2011).

Being a young democracy and dependant on tourism to gain economic stability, the insecurity political wrangles pose on tourism industry lowers the potential of the industry by scaring away tourists and investors (Foottit, 1995, January).

Issues of insecurity stemming from political instability and violence during general elections realized in areas such as Pemba and Zanzibar lead to fall in numbers of arrival of tourists in the region.

The insecurity that was caused following terrorist attack on US embassy in the country resulted in a sharp decline in tourist arrivals due to less confidence tourist had for the regions’ security (Amanda, 2009, March 29). Additionally, another factor that played a role in reducing the figures is the adjustments in terms of calculations on the number of tourists to visit the country that the government had made.

This was done by the president who thought that a huge number of tourists would pose security threats to the country. These adjustments were done in the year 2000 and so weakened the strength of flow of tourists in the country than it had experienced earlier (Foottit, 1995, January).

On the issue of tourism and economy, the industry provides the economy with revenue which is much needed (Rosenbaum, 2011, March 13). It is important to note that the economy of this country relies on agriculture. However, the failure of agriculture and its production to earn enough foreign exchange and speed up the growth of the economy puts the serious issue of the need to improve tourism sector in the country as a priority (Gettleman, 2010, November 1; Sifuna, 2010; Jowit, 2010, September 21).

Insecurity in the region affects the tourism sector which depends on over 90% of tourists who visit and earn them foreign exchange, and the growing of spices which make Zanzibar the second largest exporters of spices in the world (Rosenbaum, 2011, March 13; Gettleman, 2010, November 1).

The tourism sector in this country needs to make some planning and development improvements to realize the potential in the industry and achieve its goals. Some of the findings that are necessary for planning and management require techniques encompassed in a conceptual scope which to the concept of tourism does a phenomenological research (Mills et al., 2006).

The solution to mentioned management and planning problem of tourism in Zanzibar can be tackled through a strategy set to cultivate and integrate peace, security and understanding in the region.

To begin with, there is a need to reinvigorate in Zanzibar the establishment of a new strategy for development, security, and peace (Foottit, 1995, January). Tourism, which is a sector that drives the economy of the region, can be saved through creation of conflict prevention mechanism that will resolve conflicts through management, planning and resolution actions (Rosenbaum, 2011, March 13).

There is need for the government and other tourism agencies in Zanzibar to create integration among leaders of the different parties, promote cooperation, create awareness on the importance of respect for human rights, better democratic governance and a desirable political culture that fosters peace and development (Mills et al., 2006).

For greater good and development of tourism industry, the tourism industry in Zanzibar should seek high security for the tourists. Tourist visiting the beaches along the coasts of that region should be offered adequate security escort to curb instances of armed bandit attacks (Mills et al., 2006). Additionally, tourist management should come up with methods and ways of informing the tourists the need to exercise caution and protect themselves against indiscriminate attacks.

Moreover, to deal with issues related to culture and traditions of the Muslims, the management should plan to integrate the western culture with the local way of life so as to create a balance and to minimize instances of rebellion and violence resulting from intemperate behaviors (Mills et al., 2006; Amanda, 2009, March 29). The significant act of offering security will build the confidence of investors and tourist who visit the region (Amanda, 2009, March 29).

Also, proper marketing strategy to attract tourists from other nations should be fostered to counter sharp decline in the flow of tourists in the region due to political problems affecting peace in Tanzania evidenced by the violent clashes in Zanzibar as a result of disputed elections, and the repercussions of terrorists’ bombings (Amanda, 2009, March 29; Sifuna, 2010). Tourists should be guaranteed efficient security and the government should play its role of ensuring peace (Hudson & Lee, 2010; Mills et al., 2006).

Accordingly, a strategy should be made by the tourism sector management and the government to increase the immense potential and strength and gains of tourism in Zanzibar through good governance, creativity, inclusiveness, tolerance and harmony (Mills et al., 2006; Amanda, 2009, March 29).

Besides, equipped with the idea that peace is not mere absence of war, they should foster peace and security through determination and resilience, fair utilization of resources and transparency (Jackman, 2010, November 6; Rosenbaum, 2011, March 13).

Amanda, J. (2009, March 29). AFRICA; A new safari game plan; Adventurous? Venture into the civilized wilds of luxury camps and lodges in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. Los Angeles Times, p. L.4. Retrieved from Los Angeles Times.

Foottit, C. (1995, January). Tanzania goes for quality. African Business, (195), 40. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Global.

Gettleman, J. (2010, November 1). Splitting the wilderness in two: Plan for road in Serengeti pits Tanzanian officials against conservationists. International Herald Tribune, 2. Retrieved from ProQuest Newsstand.

Hudson, K., & Lee, D. (2010). Biodiversity and Tourism: A valuable relationship. Social Alternatives, 29 (3), 39-43. Retrieved from Research Library.

Jackman, B. (2010, November 6). Open to the African elements: Brian Jackman is in awe of a safari park in the heart of Kenya’s Rift Valley. The Daily Telegraph, 8. Retrieved from ProQuest Newsstand.

Jowit, J. (2010, September 21). Front: On the move … but for how much longer? Road plan threatens Serengeti migration: Herds could be blocked from feeding grounds Scientists say entire ecosystem at risk. The Guardian, 3. Retrieved from ProQuest Newsstand.

Kaur, T. et al. (2011). Campylobacter troglodytis sp. nov., Isolated from Feces of Human-Habituated Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in Tanzania. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77 (7), 2366. Retrieved from Research Library.

Mills, A. et al. (2006). Managing small populations in practice: black rhino Diceros bicornis michaeli in the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. Oryx, 40 (3), 319-323. Retrieved from ProQuest Biology Journals.

Rosenbaum, E. (2011, March 13). The Serengeti: The Tanzania food chain up close and personal. Chicago Tribune, p. 5.5. Retrieved from Chicago Tribune.

Sifuna, N. (2010). Community-Based Natural Resource Management: Suitability and Effectiveness. Environmental Policy and Law, 40 (4), 172-178. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Global.

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A Problem Solution Essay

Below is a problem solution essay that achieved a band score of 9. I have also included an examiner’s report to help you understand how this candidate achieved the top band score.

Problem Solution Essay

It is becoming increasingly popular for people to travel to tourist destinations during public holidays. What problems does this cause? What solutions are there to these problems?

More and more of us go to tourist hot spots when there is a national holiday. This essay will suggest that the biggest problem this causes is litter and submit providing extra bins as the best solution, followed by a reasoned conclusion.

The primary drawback of so many people visiting the same place at the same time is the dropping of packaging, plastic bags, bottles and even human waste in public areas. There are simply not enough places to dispose of rubbish properly and this often leads to people dumping it wherever they like. This results in public places becoming unsightly, unhygienic, and smelly and even results in the destruction of public property. For example, Thanh Nien News in Vietnam recently reported that during the week-long holiday in May 2015, the beach resort of Vung Tau was swamped with more tourists than it could cope with and this resulted in the parks and beaches quickly becoming covered in filth.

A viable solution to this issue could be the use of more waste disposal facilities during peak periods. Extra places to dispose of waste could be deployed so that there are always options for people who need them and it could also be made clear where waste should be brought. For instance, at large events such as Glastonbury Festival in the UK, thousands of extra bins are installed in the adjacent town to cope with the extra refuse.

To conclude, the major issue with too many holidaymakers is people leaving waste behind and a possible way to solve this is to deploy extra receptacles.

(260 words)

Examiner’s Report

Task response.

This candidate has satisfied all parts of the question. They have fully answered the question by having a clear problem in paragraph 2 and a clear and relevant solution in paragraph 3.

They have also fully developed their main ideas. In the second paragraph the candidate has not only explained what their main point means but also stated the result of the problem. They have also provided a relevant and specific example to support their main point.

The solution is also fully developed by explaining how extra bins help solve the problem and again given a very relevant example to support this idea.

Finally, their position was made clear in both the introduction and conclusion helping them achieve a very high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion

There is a very clear paragraph structure to this essay with the main body paragraphs being divided into problems and solutions. This leads to the essay being very clear and easy to understand. The outline statement in the second sentence also aids clarity.

Some cohesive devices are used such as ‘To conclude’ and ‘For example’ but these are kept to a minimum and the author does not over rely on them.

The main body paragraphs are also very coherent and cohesive because they make their main point clear in the first sentence and then expand on these points with explanations and examples.

Lexical Resource

The candidate uses a very wide range of vocabulary both accurately and appropriately to convey precise meaning. There are no mistakes in this area.

The question is paraphrased excellently in the first sentence. Paraphrasing is also used too good effect in the conclusion.

There are also a wide range of synonyms for key words like bin (receptacle, disposal facilities) and litter (rubbish, waste, refuse, plastic bags). More uncommon words, such as adjacent, unsightly, unhygienic, swamped and filth are used skilfully to convey meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

All sentences are free from errors.

Although there are some simple sentences, most sentences are complex. A wide range of grammatical structures are used accurately and appropriately.

I hope you found this useful. If you did, please share.

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Problem Solution Essays

IELTS problem solution essays are the most challenging essay type for many people. The way they are worded can vary hugely which can make it difficult to understand how you should answer the question.

Generally, you’ll be asked to write about both the problem, or cause, and the solution to a specific issue. Sometimes, however, you will only be required to write about possible solutions.

The 3 essay types:

• Problem and solution
• Cause and solution
• Just the solution

Hence, it’s essential that you analyse the question carefully, which I’ll show you how to do in this lesson. I’m also going to demonstrate step-by-step how to plan and write IELTS problem solution essays.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• Identifying IELTS problem solution essays 
• 6 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

Here are two typical IELTS problem solution essay questions. They consist of a statement followed by the question or instruction.

1. One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

2. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the number of endangered species has increased significantly and we have witnessed more mass extinctions in this period than in any other period of time.

State some reasons for this and provide possible solutions.

These are some examples of different ways in which questions can be phrased. The first half of the questions relate to the problem or cause, the second half to the solution.

What issues does this cause and how can they be addressed?

What are some resulting social problems and how can we deal with them?

What problems arise from this and how can they be tackled?

Why is this? How might it be remedied?

What are the reasons for this, and how can the situation be improved?

Why is this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

And here are a few questions where you only have to write about the solution.

How can this situation be improved?

What solutions can you suggest to deal with this problem?

How can this problem be solved?

What measures could be taken to prevent this?

It’s important that you are able to recognise the common synonyms, words and phrases used in problem solution questions. Here are the key words and their synonyms used in the questions above.

• Problem  – issues, resulting, situation
• Cause  – reasons, why
• Solution  – deal with, addressed, tackled, remedied, improved, measures taken, solved, prevent

Before we move on to some common mistakes, I want to quickly explain the difference between a problem and a cause. Read the following examples.

Problem – I've missed the last bus home after visiting my friend for the evening.

Cause – I misread the timetable and thought the bus left at 22.45 when it actually left at 22.35.

The ‘cause’ is the reason for the ‘problem’.  We’ll be looking at question analysis in more detail in a minute.

6 Common Mistakes

These six errors are common in IELTS problem solution essays.

• Confusing problem and causes questions.
• Having too many ideas.
• Not developing your ideas.
• Not developing both sides of the argument equally.
• Not linking the problems and solutions.
• Not being specific enough.

It is common for an essay to consist of a list of problems and solutions without any of them being expanded on or linked to each other. Sometimes, a student will focus on just the problem or only the solution which leads to an unbalanced essay. Both these issues will result in a low score for task achievement.

You must choose just one or two problems and pick solutions directly linked to them. Explain them and give examples.

Another serious error is to write generally about the topic. You need to be very specific with your ideas. Analysing the question properly is essential to avoiding this mistake. I’ll show you how to do this.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write IELTS problem solution essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution

2)  Main body paragraph 1 – Problem or Cause

• Topic sentence – state the problem or cause
• Explanation – give detail explaining the problem or cause
• Example – give an example

3)  Main body paragraph 2 – Solution

• Topic sentence – state the solution
• Explanation – give detail explaining the solution

4)  Conclusion

• Summarise the key points 

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

One Problem/Cause & Solution or Two?

Most questions will state problems, causes and solutions in the plural, that is, more than one. However, it is acceptable to write about just one.

This will give you an essay of just over the minimum 250 words. To write about two problems/causes and solutions will require you to write between 350 and 400 words which are a lot to plan and write in the 40 minutes allowed.

It is better to fully develop one problem/cause and solution than ending up with one idea missing an explanation or an example because you run out of time.

The step-by-step essay structure I’m going to show you includes one problem and solution but you can write about two if you feel able to or more comfortable doing so.

How To Plan IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Here’s the question we’re going to be answering in our model essay followed by the 3 steps of the planning process.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you sugge st?

• Analyse the question
• Generate ideas
• Identify vocabulary

# 1  Analyse the question

This is an essential step in the planning process and will ensure that you answer the question fully. It’s quick and easy to do. You just need to identify 3 different types of words:

1. Topic words

2.  Other keywords

3.  Instruction words

Topics words are the ones that identify the general subject of the question and will be found in the statement part of the question.

One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion .

So, this question is about ‘ traffic congestion’ .

Many people will do this first step of the process and then write about the topic in general. This is a serious mistake and leads to low marks for task achievement.

What we need to do now that we know the general topic, is to understand exactly what aspect of traffic congestion we're being asked to write about.

The  other keywords  in the question tell you the specific topic you must write about. 

By highlighting these words, it’s easy to see that you are being asked to write about the problem of traffic congestion in large cities. Your essay must only include ideas relevant to these ideas.

The instruction words are the question itself. These tell you the type of IELTS problem solution essay you must write. This is a ‘causes and solutions’ question.

# 2  Generate ideas

The next task is to generate some ideas to write about.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

We’re going to use the ‘friends technique’. This is the method I prefer as it allows you to take a step back from the stress of the exam situation and think more calmly.

Here’s how it works. Imagine that you are chatting with a friend over a cup of coffee and they ask you this question. What are the first thoughts to come into your head? Plan your essay around these ideas.

Doing this will help you to come up with simple answers in everyday language rather than straining your brain to think of amazing ideas using high-level language, which isn’t necessary.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my ideas:

• Too many cars on the roads – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains
• Inadequate public transport – crowded, old & dirty
• Poor road layout
• Rush hour traffic – most people travel to & from work at the same times each day
• Car sharing, park-and-ride scheme, congestion charge
• Improve public transport – more frequent and better quality
• Improve infrastructure – bus lanes, cycle lanes will make it safer for people to cycle
• Flexible working hours

For each cause you think of, immediately write down a possible solution. This you will ensure that the problems and solutions you think of are linked.

You don’t need to spend long on this as you only need one or two ideas.

I’ve got more far more ideas here than I need as I spent more time thinking about it that I would in the real exam. I’m going to pick just one cause to develop in the essay and one or two solutions.

My advice on making your selection is to choose ideas you can quickly think of an example to illustrate.

Here are my choices:

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

Solution  – Park-and-ride schemes

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS problem solution essay but first, we have one more task to do.

# 3  Vocabulary

During the planning stage, quickly jot down some vocabulary that comes to mind as you decide which cause and solution you are going to write about, especially synonyms of key words. This will save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing. For example:

• traffic jam
• heavy traffic
• private transport
• infrastructure

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

Good  introductions to IELTS problem solution essays have a simple 2 part structure:

• State 1 key problem/cause and related solution/s (outline sentence)
• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

Question: One problem faced by almost every large city is traffic congestion.

                  What do you think the causes are? What solutions can you suggest?

Paraphrased question:  

O ne of the most serious issues facing the majority of large urban areas is traffic jams.  

Note my use of synonyms to replace key words in the question statement. You don’t have to replace every key word but do so where possible whilst ensuring that your language sounds natural.

2)  Outline statement

Now we need to add an  outline statement  where we outline the two main points that we’ll cover in the rest of the essay, that is, the cause and the solution I chose earlier. Here they are again.

Cause  – Too many cars on the roads.  Why? – increasing numbers of people own cars, more convenient than buses & trains

And, this is one way to develop them into an outline sentence.

Outline statement:

The main reason for this is that there are too many private cars on the roads these days and a viable solution is to introduce more park-and-ride schemes.

So, let’s bring the two elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  –  Too many cars on the roads  

Main body paragraph 2  –  Park-and-ride schemes

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

Main body paragraphs in IELTS problem solution essays should contain 3 things:

• Topic sentence – outline the main idea
• Explanation – explain it and g ive more detail

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Obviously, we’re going to write about the cause of the problem first.

Main body paragraph 1  –  Too many cars on the roads 

Topic sentence:  

The number of people owning cars increases year on year, with most families now having more than one car. 

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence  that develops the idea.

Explanation sentence: 

Most people like the convenience of travelling at the time they want to rather than being restricted to public transport timetables, so they prefer to drive themselves around rather than taking the bus or train. This is despite the fact that they frequently have to sit in long traffic queues as they near the city centre.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts. Alternative, you could add another piece of information to support your idea.

Example sentence:

Whenever I have to attend a meeting in the city, I always drive because it means that I can leave home when I want to rather than getting stressed about getting to the station in time to catch the train.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  –   Park-and-ride schemes

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea. 

Topic sentence:

A solution that is proving successful in many areas is park-and-ride schemes.

Now for the  explanation sentence  where we expand on this idea.

Explanation sentence:

This is where you park your car for free in a large car park on the outskirts of the city and take a bus for the final part of your journey. The fee you have to pay for the bus trip is usually very small and this public transport system is generally very regular, running every ten minutes or so.

Finally, an  example  to support this point.

A survey carried out in the city of Exeter showed that the rush hour congestion decreased by 10% when the council set up a park-and-ride scheme to the north of the city. There was an additional drop of another 10% in traffic volume when a second scheme began operating to the south.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS problem solution essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

The conclusion is a summary of the main points in your essay and can generally be done in a single sentence. It should never introduce new ideas.

If you're below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add a prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay is already over the minimum word limit so we don’t need this extra sentence  but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS problem solution essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS problem solution essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a good conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. 

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion.  I’ve also added a personal statement at the end to link back to one of my example sentences. You don’t have to do this but in this case, I think that it rounds the essay off better.

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

Finished IELTS problem solution essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS problem solution essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

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More help with ielts problem solution essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Tourism and Culture (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 14 Comments

This is a tough question for me because it depends on a lot of factors!

I’ve known a lot of people from others countries. Typically, they are good people and I learn a lot about their culture.

But I also recognise that locals get fed up with tourists sometimes.

Really, I think it comes down to the personality of the tourist, the local, and the situation they are in.

It might also depend on the country’s culture!

Maybe some countries are more conscientious, some are more welcoming and laid back – but that is just speculation on my part.

That’s too complex of an answer for IELTS so I have to shorten it.

See how I change my real opinion to make it suitable for an IELTS essay below!

Be sure to check out my Patreon exclusive essays as well.

Before reading you can listen to the audio of my answer and take some notes:

Some believe that tourism does more to create tension between countries rather than helping individuals better understand other cultures. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Reported IELTS Exam on February 8th

Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strains relations between countries. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.

The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.

The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.

In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.

1. Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions, tourism actually further strains relations between countries. 2. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents, the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.

• Paraphrase the overall topic – write this quickly and keep it simple.
• Give your opinion. You can also write this quickly but be sure that you choose a clear overall side.

1. The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise. 2. A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic. 3. Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad. 4. Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza, various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths. 5. This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal.

• Write a clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end. Focus on a single main idea not a list of reasons.
• Begin your example as fast as possible and make sure it is relevant.
• Develop that example – don’t run away from it!
• Be specific – notice how I describe other diseases and types of deaths.
• Draw conclusions or results or make your specific more general at the end of the paragraph.

1. The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding. 2. The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating. 3. The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories. 4. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. 5. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures.

• Write another clear topic sentence with your main idea at the end again – single main ideas!
• For this one, I use a hypothetical example but it is still very specific.
• Continue developing your main idea. Here I use contrast to strengthen my point.
• Keep focusing on the same example with specfic detail.
• Conclude the paragraph by extending your support.

1. In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. 2. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias.

• Repeat your opinion.
• Add an extra detail/final thought to get full marks from the examiner for your task achievement score.

Try to figure out what the key academic vocabulary in bold means:

Many people are of the belief that rather than easing tensions , tourism actually further strains relations between countries. In my opinion, despite some newsworthy incidents , the vast majority of tourist interactions are positive.

The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power is the memorable disputes that naturally arise . A good example of this would be the recent outbreak of Coronavirus in China and the resultant worldwide panic . Chinese tourists have since reported on social media channels increased harassment and chilly treatment abroad . Such reactions are irrational because Coronovirus is a tame threat relative to normal strains of influenza , various diseases and other fatalities over the period including vehicular deaths . This psychological bias applies to small-scale tourist interactions as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is marginal .

The overwhelming majority of interactions between tourist and local are friendly and conducive to increased understanding . The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials , chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating . The negative interactions are rare though they may stick out and make memorable stories . The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. These complimentary human drives from the tourist and local, re-enacted in millions of micro-interactions daily, may not make headlines but they foster empathy and understanding between otherwise diverse cultures .

In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights . People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias .

of the belief feel that

easing tensions being friendlier

further strains relations make relationships worse

newsworthy incidents stories that make the news

vast majority most of

interactions back and forth

turned against no longer agree with

soft power influence without force

memorable disputes easy to remember arguments/fights

naturally arise bound to come up

recent outbreak new pandemic

Coronavirus virus emerging in Wuhan, China

resultant worldwide panic people all of the world scared

social media channels online through Facebook, Instagram, etc.

harassment bothering

chilly treatment abroad not friendly when they travel to other countries

reactions receptions

irrational no logic to it

tame threat not that dangerous

relative to compared to

strains of influenza different kinds of flu

fatalities deaths

vehicular deaths dying from car accidents

psychological bias prejudice

small-scale tourist interactions everyday communication between locals and tourists

marginal unimportant

overwhelming majority most of

local residents

conducive allows for/encourages

increased understanding getting along better

average person anyone

customs officials people in charge of goods/people at airports

amiably friendly

accommodating easy-going, helpful

stick out stand out/be memorable

make memorable stories make good anecdotes

common scenario happens a lot

curiosity wonder about

matched met

enthusiasm energy

good impression get off on the right foot

complimentary human drives desires that go hand in hand

re-enacted happens over and over

micro-interactions little moments between people

make headlines become news

foster empathy encourages understanding

otherwise diverse cultures contrasting national identities

cumulative impact overall effect

engendered provokes

outweigh exaggerated slights more important than little insults

keep this in perspective not over-react

rise above prejudice overcome biases

confirmation bias favouring what confirms what you already believe

Pronunciation

ɒv ðə bɪˈliːf   ˈiːzɪŋ ˈtɛnʃənz ˈfɜːðə streɪnz rɪˈleɪʃənz ˈnjuːzˌwɜːði ˈɪnsɪdənts vɑːst məˈʤɒrɪti   ˌɪntərˈækʃənz   tɜːnd əˈgɛnst   sɒft ˈpaʊə   ˈmɛmərəbl dɪsˈpjuːts   ˈnæʧrəli əˈraɪz ˈriːsnt ˈaʊtbreɪk   kəˈrəʊnəˈvaɪərəs   rɪˈzʌltənt ˌwɜːldˈwaɪd ˈpænɪk ˈsəʊʃəl ˈmiːdiə ˈʧænlz   ˈhærəsmənt   ˈʧɪli ˈtriːtmənt əˈbrɔːd ri(ː)ˈækʃənz   ɪˈræʃənl   teɪm θrɛt   ˈrɛlətɪv tuː   streɪnz ɒv ˌɪnflʊˈɛnzə fəˈtælɪtiz   vɪˈhɪkjʊlə dɛθs ˌsaɪkəˈlɒʤɪkəl ˈbaɪəs   smɔːl-skeɪl ˈtʊərɪst ˌɪntərˈækʃənz   ˈmɑːʤɪnəl ˌəʊvəˈwɛlmɪŋ məˈʤɒrɪti   ˈləʊkəl   kənˈdjuːsɪv   ɪnˈkriːst ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ ˈævərɪʤ ˈpɜːsn   ˈkʌstəmz əˈfɪʃəlz ˈeɪmiəb(ə)li   əˈkɒmədeɪtɪŋ stɪk aʊt   meɪk ˈmɛmərəbl ˈstɔːriz ˈkɒmən sɪˈnɑːrɪəʊ   ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪti   mæʧt   ɪnˈθjuːzɪæzm   gʊd ɪmˈprɛʃən   ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛntəri ˈhjuːmən draɪvz riː-ɪˈnæktɪd   ˈmaɪkrəʊ-ˌɪntərˈækʃənz   meɪk ˈhɛdlaɪnz   ˈfɒstər ˈɛmpəθi   ˈʌðəwaɪz daɪˈvɜːs ˈkʌlʧəz ˈkjuːmjʊlətɪv ˈɪmpækt   ɪnˈʤɛndəd   aʊtˈweɪ ɪgˈzæʤəreɪtɪd slaɪts kiːp ðɪs ɪn pəˈspɛktɪv   raɪz əˈbʌv ˈprɛʤʊdɪs   ˌkɒnfəˈmeɪʃən ˈbaɪəs

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

Many people are ___________ that rather than ___________ , tourism actually ___________ between countries. In my opinion, despite some ___________ , the ___________ of tourist ___________ are positive.

The reason that many have ___________ tourism as a means of ___________ is the ___________ that ___________ . A good example of this would be the ___________ of ___________ in China and the ___________ . Chinese tourists have since reported on ___________ increased ___________ and ___________ . Such ___________ are ___________ because Coronovirus is a ___________ normal ___________ , various diseases and other ___________ over the period including ___________ . This ___________ applies to ___________ as well: people are more likely to remember recent, negative events even if their actual impact is ___________ .

The ___________ of interactions between tourist and ___________ are friendly and ___________ to ___________ . The ___________ taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly ___________ , chat ___________ with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very ___________ . The negative interactions are rare though they may ___________ and ___________ . The more ___________ is that a tourist’s ___________ will be ___________ by local ___________ to make a ___________ of themselves and their country. These ___________ from the tourist and local, ___________ in millions of ___________ daily, may not ___________ but they ___________ and understanding between ___________ .

In conclusion, the ___________ of friendly encounters ___________ by tourism far ___________ . People should ___________ when travelling and ___________ and ___________ .

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Listen and review the topic (use these ideas to practice):

Reading Practice

Read and further review the topic in case if it comes up on your test:

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/mallorca-protests-the-spanish-island-telling-tourists-to-stay-home

Speaking Practice

Answer the related questions below from the real IELTS exam (you can upload them to my Facebook group for some feedback):

Where you Live

• Where is your hometown?
• Would you like to live there in the future?
• What don’t you like about your home?

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14 Comments

Do you have a question?

Hi, Can you make clear something, please? 1. “The reason that many have turned against tourism as a means of soft power are the memorable disputes that naturally arise” The reason IS the memorable disputes or the reason ARE…? 2. “The average person taking a trip, to most countries, will encounter friendly customs officials, chat amiably with their taxi driver on the way to their hotel, where the staff will likely be very accommodating.” What does “THEIR” refer to? Should we change “the average person” into “the average people”? Thanks in advance.

1. Yes you are correct – I will fix that – thanks! 2. Their refers to the average person. It is very common in UK (but not US) English to use the plural pronoun their/them instead of say he or she to refer back to a singular person. 3. You should say the average person with the definite article. If you want to say ‘average people’ that is fine as well without the definite article.

Thank you very much. By the way, your website is very useful.

You’re welcome!

Forgive me, I have another question. 1. The more common scenario is that a tourist’s curiosity will be matched by local enthusiasm to make a good impression of themselves and their country. by locals’ enthusiasm or just local enthusiasm? 2. In conclusion, the cumulative impact of friendly encounters engendered by tourism far outweigh exaggerated slights. People should keep this in perspective when travelling and rise above prejudice and confirmation bias. the cumulative impact (of encounters) OUTWEIGHS or OUTWEIGH exaggerated slights?

I am sorry if I bother you too much.

1. local enthusiasm because local is the adjective that describes enthusiasm, though you could also write the locals’enthusiasm 2. It could be either the impact that outweighs or the impact of friendly encounters that outweigh

no problem!

There is typo in the question. Between is written twice.

Thank you for pointing that out – I will fix it!

Nothing, never mind. great website

sorry for such a stupid question. Is it a band 9 essay?

I write them all so they are all band 9.

But I’m a native speaker and I put in a lot of fancy words for students to learn – they’re not a realistic standard. The are better for learning from.

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Problem Solution Essay IELTS: Topics & Sample Questions

Searching for Problem Solution Essay IELTS Check out these problem solution essay tips sample questions to increase your IELTS score

8/18/2023 2 min read

Introduction

In the realm of IELTS writing tasks, the problem-solution essay stands out as a distinctive format that requires a strategic approach. This essay type necessitates students to identify a problem and propose effective solutions. It is an opportunity to showcase not only language skills but also critical thinking abilities. This article delves into the intricacies of problem-solution essays for IELTS, providing valuable insights, topics, and sample questions.

Understanding the Problem-Solution Essay

What is a problem-solution essay.

A problem-solution essay is an academic composition that addresses a specific issue by presenting well-structured solutions. This format is designed to assess a candidate's capacity to analyze complex problems, offer plausible remedies, and communicate ideas effectively.

The Structure of a Problem-Solution Essay

Introduction : Setting the stage by introducing the problem and its significance.

Problem Description : Clearly defining the issue and its implications.

Challenges Analysis : Examining the underlying causes and hurdles.

Solutions Proposal : Presenting feasible solutions with detailed explanations.

Evaluation of Solutions : Weighing the pros and cons of each proposed solution.

Conclusion : Summarizing the discussed problem and solutions.

Selecting the Right Problem

Identifying a suitable problem.

Before delving into crafting solutions, it's essential to choose a relevant problem. Opt for a topic that resonates with contemporary issues, ensuring there is ample information available to support your arguments.

Balancing Complexity and Feasibility

While selecting a problem, strike a balance between complexity and feasibility. An excessively intricate issue might lead to convoluted solutions, whereas an overly simple problem could limit your analysis.

Crafting Effective Solutions

Brainstorming for solutions.

Dedicate time to brainstorming potential solutions. Consider both conventional and innovative ideas to address the problem comprehensively.

Incorporating Realism

When proposing solutions, ensure they are realistic and practical. Far-fetched ideas might undermine the credibility of your essay.

Providing Detailed Explanations

Each solution presented should be accompanied by a thorough explanation of its implementation and expected outcomes. This showcases your ability to reason and articulate ideas effectively.

Sample Questions and Topics

Sample questions.

Question : In many countries, plastic waste is causing environmental harm. What are the solutions to this issue?

Question : With the rise of obesity, what measures can be taken to promote healthier lifestyles?

Environmental Pollution : Addressing air, water, and soil pollution through policy changes and public awareness.

Youth Unemployment : Strategies to create more job opportunities for the younger generation.

Access to Education : Ensuring quality education for underprivileged communities through innovative approaches.

The problem-solution essay in IELTS writing assesses your ability to dissect complex issues and offer practical solutions. Mastering this format requires a combination of critical thinking, language proficiency, and creativity. By selecting pertinent problems, formulating realistic solutions, and providing comprehensive explanations, you can excel in crafting impressive problem-solution essays.

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IELTS Problem Solution Essays

Problem solution essays are a type of essay question sometimes given to you in the test. 

In this type of essay you need to discuss the problems with regards to a particular topic and then suggest possible solutions to these problems.

You can also watch a video of this lesson:

One of the first things you want to make sure that you are able to do is identfy one of these questions when it arises. 

Here are some examples of this type of question.

Examples of Problem Solution Essay Questions:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Nowadays many people have access to computers on a wide basis and a large number of children play computer games.

What are the negative impacts of playing computer games and what can be done to minimize the bad effects?

The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has also created problems that did not exist before.

What are the most serious problems associated with the internet and what solutions can you suggest?

In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing.

What problems will this cause for individuals and society?

Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of ageing populations.

An important note. Some essays ask for  reasons  and solutions, not problems and solutions. Writing about a reason (or cause) is not the same as writing about a problem.

Check these  model essays  to see the difference.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Example 

In order to understand these types of problem solution essays further and how to organize your writing, we'll look at a problem solution example essay:

Model Answer

The enormous growth in the use of the internet over the last decade has led to radical changes to the way that people consume and share information. Although serious problems have arisen as a result of this, there are solutions.

One of the first problems of the internet is the ease with which children can access potentially dangerous sites. For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can register with a site and claim to be an adult. There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society. Another major problem is the growth of online fraud and hacking. These days, there are constant news stories about government and company websites that have been hacked, resulting in sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals.

It is important that action is taken to combat these problems. Governments should ensure that adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites, such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a site. Parents also have a part to play. They need to closely monitor the activities of their children and restrict their access to certain sites, which can now be done through various computer programs. Companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and hacking much more difficult by undertaking thorough reviews of their current systems for weaknesses.

To conclude, the internet is an amazing technological innovation that has transformed people’s lives, but not without negative impacts. However, with the right action by individuals, governments and businesses, it can be made a safe place for everyone.

(285 words)

Writing about Problems

From the problem solution essay, look at the problems paragraph, and answer the following questions (then click on the link below to see the answers):

• How many problems are discussed?
• What are they?
• What expressions are used to introduce the problems?
• How are the problems illustrated further?
• What results are discussed for each problem?

Show / hide answers

1) How many problems are discussed?

2) What are they?

children can access potentially dangerous sites growth of online fraud and hacking

3) What expressions are used to introduce the problems?

One of the first problems of the internet is... Another major problem is...

4) How are the problems illustrated further?

For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can register with a site and claim to be an adult. These days, there are constant news stories about government and company websites that have been hacked.

5) What results are discussed for each problem?

There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society.

...resulting in sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals.

Your answers to these questions should tell you a lot about how to plan and organize a problem paragraph.

You only need two or three problems as remember you do not have much time and you need to explain the problems.

When you brainstorm your ideas for problem solution essays, think about  (a)   what the problem is   (b)   how you will explain it   (c)   and what the effect is . Your paragraph will then follow this pattern.

Here is an example of the brainstorming for this paragraph:

Problem 1:   children can access potentially dangerous sites

• Explanation / Example:   Pornography sites
• Result:  Affects thought & development - negative for children & society

Problem 2:  growth of online fraud and hacking

• Explanation / Example:   Evident from the constant news stories
• Result:  Criminals get sensitive information

Here they are illustrated in the paragraph, with the introductory expressions underlined:

One of the first problems of the internet is the ease with which children can access potentially dangerous sites . For example, pornography sites are easily accessible to them because they can register with a site and claim to be an adult . There is no doubt that this affects their thoughts and development, which is a negative impact for the children and for society . Another major problem is the growth of online fraud and hacking . These days, there are constant news stories about government and company websites that have been hacked , resulting in sensitive information falling into the hands of criminals.

Writing about Solutions

Answer the following questions about the solutions paragraph:

• How many solutions are given?
• What three different groups of people does the writer say are responsble for these solutions?
• How would the solutions be implemented?
• What three modal verb structures are used to make the suggestions?

1) How many solutions are given?

adequate legislation and controls monitor the activities of children / restrict access improve company IT security systems

3) What three different groups of people does the writer say are responsble for these solutions?

Governments Parents Companies

Stricter criteria for accessing sites Using computer programs Reviewing current IT systems for weaknesses

5) What three modal verb structures are used to make the suggestions?

should need to must

Your answers to these questions provide you with some key tips on writing a solutions paragraph. Some of these points are now explained further.

The people involved

When you come to brainstorm your solutions, think of the key 'actors' who are involved. It is usually governments and individuals in some way or another.

There may be another group specifically realted to the topic. For example, in this case it is companies and parents. If you are discussing crime it could be the police. If it is violence on TV it could be TV and film producers.

You can then brainstorm your ideas under each 'group' and organize them in the same way.

Developing your solutions

Also, try to make sure your solutions are not too simplistic. It's all too easy to make sweeping generalizations about what people can do. For example, look at this idea:

The government should introduce stricter laws.

It it common to see such statements in IELTS problem solution essays with no further explantion. Give more detail about how or why this would work. For example:

Governments should ensure that adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites, such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a site.

Some specific detail has now been given on how this solution could work.

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs can be used to make suggestions in problem solution essays. These are usually found in solutions paragraphs.

Check out this grammar lesson if you are unsure how to use modal verbs .

Here again is a plan for the problem solution essay for the solutions paragraph:

Solution 1:   Governments

• Idea:   Adequate legislation and controls  for young people
• How:  More complex website access criteria

Solution 2:  Parents

• Idea:   Monitor children and restrict access
• How:  Use a computer program

Solution 3:   Companies

• Idea:   Improve IT security systems
• How:  Review current systems in place

Here is the paragraph again. Note how it follows the plan and the clear topic sentence that tells the reader the essay is moving on to discuss solutions (modals verbs are underlined):

It is important that action is taken to combat these problems. Governments should ensure that adequate legislation and controls are in place that will prevent young people from accessing dangerous sites , such as requiring more than simply confirming that you are an adult to view a site . Parents also have a part to play. They need to closely monitor the activities of their children and restrict their access to certain sites , which can now be done through various computer programs. Companies must also improve their onsite IT security systems to make fraud and hacking much more difficult by undertaking thorough reviews of their current systems for weaknesses.

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Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?

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Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.

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IELTS Problem Solution Essay Model Answer

Below is an IELTS model answer for the IELTS problem solution essay in writing task 2. There are five types of essays in IELTS writing task 2 and the “solution” type essay is a common one. However, make sure you follow the instructions. You need to know the difference between “what are the causes?” and “what problems does this cause?”.  The first requires causes and the second requires problems.

Problem Solution Essay Instructions

The instructions for problem solution questions are often paraphrased in different ways. Below you can see a few examples:

• What are the problems to this and how can it be solved?
• What problems are caused by this? What solutions would you recommend?
• What problems arise from this situation? What measures can be taken to deal with it?
• What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

You can find some essay questions for solution essays and problem solution essays on this page: Solution Essay Questions  and you can find over 100 essay questions to practice: 100 Essay Questions for IELTS

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Question

An increasing number of professionals, such as doctors and teachers, are leaving their own poorer countries to work in developed countries. What problems does this cause? What can be done to deal with this situation?

Model IELTS Essay: Problems and Solutions

More and more professionals from developing or underdeveloped countries are choosing to live and work in richer countries. As a result, poorer countries will struggle to develop but this can be tackled by offering more incentives to stay and better living conditions.

The main problem faced by poorer countries due to the brain-drain, in fields such as medicine and education, is that they will struggle to develop and find it difficult to improve their economy as well as living conditions. One of the main ways that a developing country can better themselves is through the skills and dedication of their professionals which is negated when they choose to take their skills to benefit another country. Consequently, less developed countries will not be able to offer their citizens high levels of education or health care, and this in turn will hinder their ability to compete on a global scale, to entice investors and ultimately to stop the poverty cycle.

One effective solution to deal with professionals leaving their country is for their government to encourage them to stay by offering better work conditions. This can be done by increasing wages and investing in state-of-the-art equipment and training to tempt doctors and teachers to continue working there. Another possible answer is for  poorer countries to offer better standards of living, more tolerance and a positive future as a way to entice their professionals back to their own country after they have completed their training abroad. However, these solutions are financially demanding which means poorer governments may have to look to developed countries for aid in order to implement these changes.

In conclusion, poorer countries are unable to develop due to the brain-drain which can only be tackled by enticing professionals to remain in their country of origin through better conditions.

Question Prompt: A rise in the standard of living in a country often only seems to benefit cities rather than rural areas. What problems can this cause? How might these problems be reduced?

One-sided rise of living standards in cities as opposed to poor and underdeveloped rural areas can create conflicts and conflagrations between communities, but equal distribution of funds for developing both urban and rustic landscapes and infrastructures can solve these issues.

Better education, income or living conditions, which can only be seen in city areas create inequality between the urban dwellers and those residing in pastoral grounds. Consequently, it leads to resentment and hatred against each other, creating ground to bear infighting between people. Therefore, civil war and rebellions will arise if social equality is not achieved between residents of different regions. For example, the French revolution in the Renaissance era occurred because of the growing divide between the rich aristocrats in the urban areas and the poor common people in the outskirts of France.

One of the effective solutions to tackle this problem is to implement equal wealth distribution policies amongst different jurisdictional areas in a nation. In other words, the resources and wealth of a country should be equally divided, regardless of whether it is urban or rural. Only then, the quality of life in both of the regions will be improved together at the same time, without an evident disparity. For instance, the Malaysian government equally divides the capital for investments in the construction of buildings amongst 13 states of the republic, modernising them equally at the same time.

In conclusion, war and political divide between cities and the countryside can result as a consequence of unequal living standards, while establishment of policies advocating fair distribution of resources will shorten the gap of disparaging living standards.

As the professionals, such as doctors and teachers leave their own poor nations with lower incomes to seek jobs in the first world countries with better living standards, the essential institutions in their home countries cease to function. However, with better incentives, these skilled workers may be enticed to return to their countries of origin.

The first and foremost problem arises from the professionals moving to richer countries is the resultant shortage of labour and lack of skilled employees. As a result, the departments and establishments run by these professionals are no longer able to operate, and are closed down. Consequently, the residents of these underdeveloped nations struggle to find services and providers for their day-to-day activities. For example, many third world nations in SouthEast Asia have inefficient health care services with a shortage of competent medical professionals, compared to their counterparts in Europe despite producing millions of doctors, nurses every year.

One possible solution to this issue is to offer enticements to persuade the much needed skilled service providers to stay in the country. In other words, if employee benefits are enhanced by giving a higher pay, free living, better pension schemes or cheaper health care, they will be willing to settle down in the areas they were trained. In addition, these countries will also attract foreign workers to come and replace those who are still willing to leave due to other reasons, such as personal preferences or weather. For instance, many poor African countries pay these highly sought after professionals attractive wages and salaries, which are three-times higher than that of the minimum pay in the country.

In conclusion, many poor countries have been significantly experiencing an emigration of professionals, creating a shortage of the services provided by them, whereas raising the standard of living of these professionals can convince them to work for their own countries.

It has been universally accepted that problem of professionals are migrating from own poorer countries is escalating at an alarming rate. The problem is bringing a state of depression among the masses and in economy too. There are plethora of reasons of the same and its possible solutions can be suggested too which are discussed as follows.

In regards to the problem, the major reason which can be stated is inflation. dozens of professionals when they pass from institutions they start to find a good job, but due to inflation if they get a reasonable job then they cannot fulfill even basic needs for their family members. that is the point where they start thinking of migrating to developed countries. Another problematic cause is those professionals who fail to achieve a better job and then they select a crime path. Government should take a stand on this point and focus on the employment sector and how to create ease in the job market for the professionals who really can be a valuable asset for our country’s growth and economy. Seeing the problem with a brighter mind, many solutions can be helpful to this menace. One of the solutions is whenever they are passing out from university Government should offer paid internship program via an aptitude test. To conclude, solving a global issue is not easy but with the efforts of the Government, control can be taken over the problem with the aforementioned suggested measures. I believe that government should come forward to mitigate this problem.

For a IELTS solution essay if the instructions ask to write solutions but does not mention to write about problems/causes then I assume I only write about solutions only?

That is correct. You follow the instructions precisely and don’t change them. An essay question about solutions only will be an essay based on solutions only.

Thank you ma’am this was really helpful

Hi miss Liz. what are the differences between “what are the reasons” and “what are the problems” in problem-solution essay. I mean that in which way should I answer these questions?

“Reasons” are similar to causes. It’s an explanation for why something is happening. “Problems” are negative effects.

I kindly hope evaluating my essay answer, even merely a score prediction. =============================================== Undoubtedly, the prosperity of the developed countries increasingly attracts highly qualified individuals to immigrate and forsake their struggling people regardless of the severe issues they may cause such as the decreased quality of health and education; besides, economic recession. Those issues will be illustrated and addressed separately.

Firstly, to efficiently handle the migration issue, we have to be aware of two of its fundamental impacts. Brain drain has been a direct immigration impact. Consequently, an absence of physicians leading to a high number of patients; furthermore, a reduced number of educators causing unqualified post-graduates. However, the predicted and indirect result from immigration is a heavy burden affecting the economy of the third world because they have been forced to hire foreigners from the developed countries to establish some hospitals and universities to fill the gap caused by the vocational immigrants. Therefore, the shortage of doctors and teachers and the economic problems are the essential issues aroused from immigration. That should be quickly treated by governments.

Secondly, after understanding the results of immigration toward economically developed countries, I am convinced that the best solution to tackle this situation is that the authorities of the suffered states should closely observe any ambitious and clever pupil and foster him. In other words, they have to establish specialized schools that receive every high IQ scored student and seriously teach him all types of contemporary sciences. In addition, continuous communications should be done to any high qualified immigrant to make him believe that he is immensely demanded and respected among his hometown and has a responsibility to be involved and serve his people, who fostered and taught him before his success, whenever he is wanted. Based on that, high-quality education and tightly connection with immigrants will markedly mitigate the impact of the brain drain phenomena.

In conclusion, the challenges the developing countries have been recently facing for decades could be addressed within few years if those countries considered the risk of low health care and poor education aroused from migration. I believe that a pivotal role could be achieved by the administrators of those poor countries by education and conducting with the qualified immigrants.

Sorry I don’t offer marking or feedback.

Hey miss, I’ve been trying to improve my writing but unfortunately, due to not getting feedback I’m not sure whether am i writing correct or not. I just wrote a problem solution essay can you pls give me feedback it will helped me alot. Q : Nowadays, more and more younger people needs to compete with older people for the same jobs. What problems does this cause? What would you suggest as a solution.

Currently, many youngsters are facing competition with elderly people for similar kind of jobs. This essay will suggests, the major problem that causes is Higher unemployment amongst young employees, and proposing a retirement age on old employees as a viable solution.

Due to rising competition, youngsters struggles alot in finding jobs. Due to not having enough experience, they fail in getting jobs and this leads to poverty. Inspite of, due to lack of jobs, they are deprived of paying their living expenses. For instance, majority of the people who are of aged 40-60, are working more rather than young people.

Therefore, authorities should implement a law on those employees who are of aged ( 40-70 respectively). Those of them who just crossed the age of 40, must gets retired as well as government should take care of their living expenses. Moreover, giving them social benefits and ensuring that no worker will gets employed after the age of 40, will automatically eliminate the escalating competition among both young workers and old workers. For example, if older people stopped working than young people can get more chances in showing their skills and boosting the economy.

In conclusion, by preventing elderly people from working will gives a positive impact and the rivalry among them wil be finished

Hi Liz, Is this a problem solution essay or direct question essay? “Nowadays the increasing number of garbage is a real concern .why is this happening? what can be done to resolve it?”

Be careful with labelling what type of essay something is. Each teacher labels essays differently and IELTS labels them differently again. There are clearly two direct questions. However, I teach them under causes/solution essays.

Hi Liz, can I bring some information not related to the question to make the lengthen my essay

You will be marked down for padding out your essay with information that is not 100% relevant to the question. This is why you need to prepare lots of ideas for topics so that your essays can contain relevant, highly focused points.

I love your tips and it is quite easy to understand. But I have a question in the below question it does not ask for causes. In such situations do we need to write the causes as well?

In many developing countries, there is a problem with declining quality of air and water from both industry and construction. What measures could be taken to prevent this?

You should only ever follow instructions. If you are asked for only solutions, you will give only solutions. For marking criteria of Task Response is not just about the ideas you use, it is also about how you fulfil the instructions – always write a focused, relevant essay 🙂

Thank you! Liz. Appreciate your answer.

Hey Liz, can you tell.me is this a proper way to paraphrase (intro) this question in task 2 Some cities create housing areas by providing taller buildings.others create housing by building houses one a wider area of land what solution is better? My ans: as a result of rapidly increasing population the demand for housing has increased . I believe that creating housing through high rise buildings is better than constructing houses on a wider area of land.

It’s fine.

Thank you so much dear LIZ, you are a blessing After watching your videos I can do my writing in a very efficient way, I can control over time so easily, hope I can make it it in my test. I highly appreciated all the tips you advise us in your videos.

I’m so glad my lessons are helping you. Good luck in your test !! 🙂

Hi Liz It is a wonderful site !! What if I label an essay differently from my examiner. 🙃 How many points do tend to loose?

There are no labels that the examiner follows. Only teacher give labels in order to help explain and teach.

Hi Liz, One question contains this at the end, ‘… why do you think that is? What could be done to encourage more people to take interest in the arts?’ Is this also a course+ solution essay?? Looking forward a response

Yes, it asks for causes and solutions. It is common for IELTS to paraphrase instructions.

Dear Li, I will be taking the IELTS General Training test next week. I’d like to know if the problem/solution or cause/solution essays are only for Academic Test takers or GT candidates should also expect them in the test.

The question types are the same for both tests. This applies to both writing task 2 and the reading test.

Thank You dear Liz

Thank You for your helps

The question prompt usually says “What are the problems due to this phenomenon?” and “What are the solutions to this problems?”. In this case, are we supposed to write two problems and two solutions or one problem and one solution? I ask this because question says problems and solutions, which is plural but if we write two problems and solutions than we will have to write about 350 to 400 words to fully develop those ideas to get higher task achievement scores. This will mean that completing task in 40 minutes will be tough. What do you suggest in this case? Is writing one problem and a solution answering all parts of the task? Looking forward to your response. Thanks

The page above gives you a model essay for exactly that type of essay. Read through it and learn how to write it using a reasonable word count.

Hello Liz. Can you share with me the link to your video lessons where you explain “cause and solution essay”? Looking forward your response. Thanks.

I don’t have a video for that essay question yet. Sorry.

Hi Liz, Firstly wanted to thank for the info you’re providing!

I just have one question about the solution essay. When they just ask to provide the solution in the essay (not mentioning cause or problems) how do we structure the two BP’s? One solution each body BP?

I can’t see any examples about this on your website!

Thanks in advance,

Who said you could only have two body paragraphs? It is fine to have three. The number of body paragraphs will depend on the number of solutions you have.

Thanks a lot for you effort

Dear Liz, For a problem solution essay, can I follow the following structure to get higher bands? 1- Intro 2- Body paragraph 1 (problem + solution) 3- Body paragraph 2 (problem + solution) 4- Conclusion

It is a standard, correct structure to use. There are many reasons to get a higher score based on the 4 marking criteria – that only will not help you.

Thank you so much.

Can you please tell where could I find your problem solution essay video lesson … shall be thankful

I haven’t made that lesson yet.

Thank you for the essay. I observed that this essay does not consist of any examples in both the body paragraphs. Does that mean we have to only include examples in opinion essays? or we can afford to not mention examples in writing task 2 and still get a good band score?

Thank you for your help in advance.

You give examples when you want. Some teachers teach students always to give examples because it is an easy way to explain ideas. But it isn’t a requirement. Ideas can be developed in many ways.

Understood. Thank you.

Thank you for this model answer. But, I have a feeling that the solution could be more fully developed. Please clear my doubt dear teacher.

You don’t get marks for a longer essay and this essay is long enough. Developing solutions further would not increase your score.

The official criteria is very confusing which states that not developing ideas could lower your writing score. What should I do teacher? Ielts is so confusing.

I think you need to consider what the requirements are. An essay is under 300 words (about 290). This means the intro is about 40 or 50, the conclusion about 30. So, you are left with about 105 or 110 words per body paragraph (for two body paragraphs). This means to get band 9, those words are enough. Just be logical. An underdeveloped body paragraph contains one or two sentences – no more. Try to work within the requirements. See my advanced lessons for training: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz!i want to pay 24$.can i do through bank.i face face problem in my visa card.

The payments are processed by paypal using either a debit or credit card. All lessons are bought individually.

Thank you Liz Your free training is doing a good work in me, I actually need to extend time for my IELTS test.

Thank you Liz for your brilliant ideas and tips!!

Dear liz Pls let me know GT task 2 questions are similar to academic task 2 questions? As I need GT task 2 questions to practice please give me some details about it?

Yes, they are similar. GT questions are sometimes easier.

Hello mam please I’d like to ask who marks ielts exam papers? Are they sent to british council uk or marked in country where its taken? Just to clear a doubt please. Thanks mam.

This has recently changed. Before the writing was marked by examiners in the city where you did your test. Now the papers are sent to a central location abroad where examiners will mark them.

Hi Liz, Since when did they start sending the writing papers to be assessed at central location. Does this mean we can’t apply for remark anymore?

Of course, you can apply for a remark. All remarks are checked by a senior examiner. The change in system has NO influence on candidates, on your score or on your remarking.

Liz can you please explain use of articles in particular ‘the’? I feel like I miss them before abstract nouns. Is there any lesson/video I could watch? I’m desperate for your help!

My website is based on IELTS exam technique. You will need to find an English language website. See this page for some links: https://ieltsliz.com/useful-websites-and-resources-for-ielts/ or use google.

Thank you very much, Liz. You have been very helpful.

Thank you very much madam

Hello Liz, thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, “poor mortals”. If you were an examiner, would you give which band for this problem solution essay you made as a model? Would it be band 9, indeed? If so, I’m very confident I got the right structure to build it. Thanks a lot!

Yes, it would be a band 9. It addresses the task fully with relevant, well developed ideas. Signposts and linking are used flexibly. Paragraphing is logical. Vocab and grammar are flexible and also error free. The real aim for a high score is keeping your English language error free – don’t take risks.

Thank you liz. It was long awaited. I also purchased your other writing videos. They are great. Your way of explaining is very good and easy to understand.

I’m really glad my advanced writing task 2 lessons were useful. I tried to pack them with as many flexible techniques as I could 🙂

For Writing Task 1 and 2, can extra sheet be given?

If you have filled the answer sheet, you can raise your hand and ask for another. However, the answer sheets are the right length for the writing required.

I knew that I need two sheets because I practised on them before therefore I ask for them at the beginning of writing part. I’ve obtained them without any problem.

You will not be given them at the start of the writing part. You must first full the answer sheets provided. Always remember that your aim is to write under 300 words for task 2 and under 200 for task 1.

Thank you Liz for your prompt response .

Thanx alot mam liz. This is very helpful eassy of solution and problem. Can we use this eassy words for every eassy of solution and problem.

I don’t understand your question. Are you talking about memorising the essay? You definitely can’t memorise it but you can learn vocabulary from it.

What is the paraphrase of financially demanding?

Thanks for whole essay . It is really nice answer for problem and solution type of essay. My problem is I could not copy your sample essay and paste it into word doc. Could you please tell me how it can be done? I know it is a silly question. I prefer read them rather on the paper than on computer. . Thank you

Unfortunately, you’ll have to type the essay into your laptop to copy it. It will do you good to test your English accuracy 🙂

Splendid😊😊 Thanks liz Is lure equal tempt??

It has a similar meaning but I wouldn’t use it in this context. You need to be very careful with synonyms. Although they have similar meaning, they might not all be suitable for the same topics or contexts.

thanks for the answer to this essay. But one thing I want to clarify is that “brain-drain” is an informal word. So can we use it in writing ? thanks & regards,

It is not an informal word – it’s fine to use.

Thanks alot Liz.. I have LWR on Dec. 2nd and this has help alot.

Good luck!! See my last minute tips: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-exam-tips-on-the-day/

Is conclusion word not used in introduction and conclusion of task 2.

Sorry I don’t understand this comment at all. The linking words “In conclusion” are used to start the conclusion of the essay above.

Thanks liz .. Your ielts tips are really helpful.

Hi Liz Thank you very much for your efforts writing the wonderful essay, Can I ask you there is a repeatation of (entice) is there any exact synynom for entice or it is ok to repeat it?? Thanks

It’s fine and natural for some words to be repeated. As long as you show paraphrasing skills that’s all that is needed. Your aim isn’t change all words, all the time.

Good morning Liz, thanks. ☺

I watched your videos on all modules and I would like to sincerely thank you for your guidance and support. Your videos and tips are very much helpful, after watching your videos my preparation style and concepts on each modules are changed completely.

Thank you so much for your support.

You’re welcome 🙂

Thank You Liz for your update Currently, I’m preparing my IELTS test and all tips in your website really helps me

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What's the problem with overtourism?

With visitor numbers around the world increasing towards pre-pandemic levels, the issue of overtourism is once again rearing its head.

When locals in the charming Austrian lakeside village of Hallstatt staged a blockade of the main access tunnel, brandishing placards asking visitors to ‘think of the children’, it highlighted what can happen when places start to feel overrun by tourists. Hallstatt has just 800 residents but has opened its doors to around 10,000 visitors a day — a population increase of over 1,000%. And it’s just one of a growing number of places where residents are up in arms at the influx of travellers.

The term ‘overtourism’ is relatively new, having been coined over a decade ago to highlight the spiralling numbers of visitors taking a toll on cities, landmarks and landscapes. As tourist numbers worldwide return towards pre-pandemic levels, the debate around what constitutes ‘too many’ visitors continues. While many destinations, reliant on the income that tourism brings, are still keen for arrivals, a handful of major cities and sites are now imposing bans, fines, taxes and time-slot systems, and, in some cases, even launching campaigns of discouragement in a bid to curb tourist numbers.

What is overtourism?

In essence, overtourism is too many people in one place at any given time. While there isn’t a definitive figure stipulating the number of visitors allowed, an accumulation of economic, social and environmental factors determine if and how numbers are creeping up.

There are the wide-reaching effects, such as climate change. Coral reefs, like the Great Barrier Reef and Maya Bay, Thailand, made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Beach , are being degraded from visitors snorkelling, diving and touching the corals, as well as tour boats anchoring in the waters. And 2030 transport-related carbon emissions from tourism are expected to grow 25% from 2016 levels, representing an increase from 5% to 5.3% of all man-made emissions, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). More localised issues are affecting locals, too. Renters are being evicted by landlords in favour of turning properties into holiday lets, and house prices are escalating as a result. As visitors and rental properties outnumber local residents, communities are being lost. And, skyrocketing prices, excessive queues, crowded beaches, exorbitant noise levels, damage at historical sites and the ramifications to nature as people overwhelm or stray from official paths are also reasons the positives of tourism can have a negative impact.

Conversely, ‘undertourism’ is a term applied to less-frequented destinations, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic. The economic, social and environmental benefits of tourism aren't always passed on to those with plenty of capacity and, while tourist boards are always keen for visitors to visit their lesser-known attractions, it’s a more sustainable and rewarding experience for both residents and visitors.

What’s the main problem with it?

Overcrowding is an issue for both locals and tourists. It can ruin the experience of sightseeing for those trapped in long queues, unable to visit museums, galleries and sites without advance booking, incurring escalating costs for basics like food, drink and hotels, and faced with the inability to experience the wonder of a place in relative solitude. The absence of any real regulations has seen places take it upon themselves to try and establish some form of crowd control, meaning no cohesion and no real solution.

Justin Francis, co-founder and CEO of Responsible Travel, a tour operator that focuses on more sustainable travel, says “Social media has concentrated tourism in hotspots and exacerbated the problem, and tourist numbers globally are increasing while destinations have a finite capacity. Until local people are properly consulted about what they want and don’t want from tourism, we’ll see more protests.”

A French start up, Murmuration, which monitors the environmental impact of tourism by using satellite data, states that 80% of travellers visit just 10% of the world's tourism destinations, meaning bigger crowds in fewer spots. And, the UNWTO predicts that by 2030, the number of worldwide tourists, which peaked at 1.5 billion in 2019, will reach 1.8 billion,   likely leading to greater pressure on already popular spots and more objection from locals.

Who has been protesting?

Of the 800 residents in the UNESCO-listed village of Hallstatt, around 100 turned out in August to show their displeasure and to push for a cap on daily visitors and a curfew on tour coach arrivals.

Elsewhere, residents in Venice fought long and hard for a ban on cruise ships, with protest flags often draped from windows. In 2021, large cruise ships over 25,000 tonnes were banned from using the main Giudecca Canal, leaving only smaller passenger ferries and freight vessels able to dock.

In France, the Marseille Provence Cruise Club introduced a flow management system for cruise line passengers in 2020, easing congestion around the popular Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde Basilica. A Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) spokesperson said, “Coaches are limited to four per ship during the morning or afternoon at the Basilica to ensure a good visitor experience and safety for residents and local businesses. This is a voluntary arrangement respected by cruise lines.”

While in Orkney, Scotland, residents have been up in arms at the number of cruise ships docking on its shores. At the beginning of 2023, the local council confirmed that 214 cruise ship calls were scheduled for the year, bringing around £15 million in revenue to the islands. Following backlash from locals, the council has since proposed a plan to restrict the number of ships on any day.

What steps are being taken?  

City taxes have become increasingly popular, with Barcelona increasing its nightly levy in April 2023 — which was originally introduced in 2012 and varies depending on the type of accommodation — and Venice expects to charge day-trippers a €5 fee from 2024.

In Amsterdam this summer, the city council voted to ban cruise ships, while the mayor, Femke Halsema, commissioned a campaign of discouragement, asking young British men who planned to have a 'vacation from morals’ to stay away. In Rome, sitting at popular sites, such as the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, has been restricted by the authorities.

And in Kenya’s Maasai Mara, meanwhile, the Narok County governor has introduced on-the-spot fines for off-roading. He also plans to double nightly park fees in peak season.

What are the forecasts for global tourism?  

During the Covid pandemic, tourism was one of the hardest-hit industries — according to UNWTO, international tourist arrivals dropped 72% in 2020. However, traveller numbers have since been rapidly increasing, with double the number of people venturing abroad in the first three months of 2023 than in the same period in 2022. And, according to the World Travel Tourism Council, the tourism sector is expected to reach £7.5 trillion this year, 95% of its pre-pandemic levels.

While the tourism industry is forecast to represent 11.6% of the global economy by 2033, it’s also predicted that an increasing number of people will show more interest in travelling more sustainably. In a 2022 survey by Booking.com, 64% of the people asked said they would be prepared to stay away from busy tourist sites to avoid adding to congestion.

Are there any solutions?  

There are ways to better manage tourism by promoting more off-season travel, limiting numbers where possible and having greater regulation within the industry. Encouraging more sustainable travel and finding solutions to reduce friction between residents and tourists could also have positive impacts. Promoting alternative, less-visited spots to redirect travellers may also offer some benefits.

Harold Goodwin, emeritus professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, says, “Overtourism is a function of visitor volumes, but also of conflicting behaviours, crowding in inappropriate places and privacy. Social anthropologists talk about frontstage and backstage spaces. Tourists are rarely welcome in backstage spaces. To manage crowds, it’s first necessary to analyse and determine the causes of them.

Francis adds: “However, we must be careful not to just recreate the same problems elsewhere. The most important thing is to form a clear strategy, in consultation with local people about what a place wants or needs from tourism.”

As it stands, overtourism is a seasonal issue for a small number of destinations. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, a range of measures are clearly an option depending on the scale of the problem. For the majority of the world, tourism remains a force for good with many benefits beyond simple economic growth.

Related Topics

• OVERTOURISM
• SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Tourism IELTS Essay: Sample

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Updated on 27 January, 2024

Kanika Pruthi

Sr. content writer & study abroad expert.

You can readily check out the samples for the advantages and disadvantages of a tourism IELTS essay here. There are 40 minutes that you will get for completing the essay, with the minimum word count being 250. The upper limit is not present in most scenarios. Make sure that you check the samples carefully for the writing style.

Table of Contents

Advantages and disadvantages of tourism ielts essay samples - 2, download ielts sample papers, frequently asked questions, important study abroad articles, study abroad without ielts, advantages and disadvantages of tourism ielts essay samples.

Question-  Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world .

Essay 1- 

In a time when globalization is sweeping the entire ecosystem, tourism has a crucial responsibility for developing global economies and nations. Nowadays, tourism is what makes widespread economic contributions to all countries, although there are a few negatives as well. This essay talks about the advantages and disadvantages of tourism before concluding with a final opinion. 

The biggest benefits of tourism are quite obvious, i.e., boosting the national GDP and economy and creating more employment for local citizens and communities. Tourists use diverse solutions while traveling, including booking hotels, flights, transportation, and guides. They also require food, shopping, and leisure while indulging in a wide gamut of other activities. This leads to extra income for thousands, which contributes handsomely to the country's economy. Tourism increases the GDP significantly and helps create more employment opportunities. People are always needed as tour guides, operators, booking agents, hotel and restaurant staff, transportation personnel, etc. Tourism thus has huge benefits to bring to the table for any country and its local population. 

Yet, there are some negatives of tourism as well. This includes the rampant damage of several well-known destinations and increased crime or illegal activities. The huge number of tourists thronging popular cultural and historical landmarks and monuments and other centers of pilgrimage lead to major structural and environmental damage. Along with this aspect, national resources are often overused and overexploited for handling this rush of tourists. At the same time, tourists bring their jewelry, money, and other expensive items, becoming targets for anti-social criminals and thieves, leading to a growth in illegal activities and crime. Hence, tourism has some disadvantages as well. However, the Government can take proactive steps to eliminate the same by providing more security and policing while maintaining popular monuments, tourist spots, and natural resources alike. 

To conclude, it can be said that while tourism does have specific disadvantages, it has a positive impact on livelihood, national economies, and overall employment. It also fosters cultural exchange, information gathering, and educational growth. Hence, while Governments may fix the negatives with proactive measures, the positives far outweigh them, in my opinion. (370 words)

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Tourism has witnessed rapid development over several decades, becoming a major industry worldwide. The global tourism sector is responsible for generating a major percentage of economic wealth for several countries. Most developing economies are also hugely dependent upon tourism for earning national income and the smooth operation of several business sectors and industries, along with maintaining their levels of employment generation. Yet, like every other sector and institution, tourism will always have some advantages and disadvantages. Hence, in this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of tourism in detail to have a balanced insight. 

The growth and development of global tourism naturally bring myriad benefits to entire cities, countries, and communities alike. Tourism is one of the biggest foreign exchange sources and boosts the monetary positions of countries by adding to their economy and GPD alike. Whenever tourists visit any other country, they usually use various services and products that enable industries such as hotels and hospitality, airlines, transportation, leisure, food and beverages, souvenirs, apparel, and more. Other benefits of tourism include better relationships and political equations amongst nations, easier travel regulations, and inter-cultural and socio-economic exchange, which fosters better understanding, knowledge, and education overall. Heritage is also promoted and understood by every country at a global level. 

However, there are several disadvantages of tourism as well. Growth in tourism means a higher chance of illegal activities and crime, especially theft, since tourists bring valuables in their wake. Secondly, foreign tourists often damage and vandalize places of national interest and importance. They often litter areas while damaging natural resources and beautiful spots simultaneously. They are often ignorant about social and legal conventions in foreign countries and end up violating the same in some situations. Tourism also opens up avenues for illegal migration and trading illegal items at times. However, despite all these disadvantages, I firmly believe that the advantages surpass them in every sense of the term. (339 words)

In conclusion, tourism undeniably plays a critical role in the global economy and cultural exchange, offering substantial benefits such as economic growth, cultural preservation, and international understanding. However, it also poses challenges including environmental impact, cultural commodification, and economic dependence. Balancing these advantages and disadvantages requires sustainable and responsible tourism practices that respect local cultures, protect natural environments, and promote equitable economic benefits. As the world continues to become increasingly interconnected, understanding and addressing the complexities of tourism is essential for preserving its positive impacts while mitigating its negative effects. This nuanced approach to tourism, embracing both its benefits and challenges, is key to ensuring that it remains a positive force in our global society. Read More About IELTS:

What are the benefits and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world?

Tourism has many advantages in the contemporary world. It promotes global connections and cultural exchange while leading to more information dissemination and helps people experience and understand new things. It helps in new business opportunities, generates direct and indirect employment, adds to the GDP of the country and earnings of the region and its local people, promotes entrepreneurship and also works to promote the country globally. 

The disadvantages include pollution, littering, waste and a strain on the natural resources and infrastructure of the country. Tourism often leads to severe income dependency and may cause fluctuations in the future as a result. It often leads to crime going up in a country owing to the influx of different people. It may cause chaos and congestion as well. Sometimes, over-tourism makes it difficult to preserve and maintain natural and cultural heritage as well.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism IELTS essay?

You will have to answer the question given in the essay which goes as follows-  Describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world . You will have to first provide an introduction talking about the question and your own opinion regarding the same. Then talk about the benefits of tourism in a paragraph, following it up with another paragraph on the negative aspects of tourism. You can then sign off with a conclusion.

What advantages can tourism bring to cities ielts?

You have to write about the distinct tourism advantages for cities. These include the fact that tourism infuses an economic boost for any city along with a steady flow of income and revenues for the Government. It adds to the city’s local economy, creates more jobs and entrepreneurship and also enables inter-cultural exchange and idea/information exchange. It helps a city showcase itself to the world, which brings more business and cultural collaborations in the future.

Why tourism is important for a country IELTS?

Tourism and travel have a huge contribution on the fortunes of any country. This is through not only higher employment and more revenues for the country (that it can spend on infrastructure development) but also through more entrepreneurship, global recognition of a country’s treasures, attractions and achievements and most importantly, the facilitation of cultural and social exchange amongst people of different nations. Travel and tourism plays a vital role in establishing a country’s role in the community of nations.

What are the structures for advantages and disadvantages of tourism essay?

You have to first talk about the given question in your introductory paragraph. You can then state your own opinion in brief about the advantages and disadvantages of tourism. You can then start off with a paragraph detailing the benefits offered by tourism and then talk about the disadvantages of tourism in your essay as well. Thereafter, once these two paragraphs are done, you can write a conclusion, spelling out the topic, your opinion and what you think should be the way forward. This is the basic structure that you can follow in this regard.

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'Cap and trade' for Airbnb rentals proposed to win housing back for living and save tourist towns at the same time

Massive windfalls being made by landowners, the swathes of rental properties being taken away from local residents and the impact of the bed-based gold rush are revealed in a new Grounded report.

Popular tourist areas across the nation know that calling their housing situation a "crisis" barely covers how severe it is.

Mary-Faeth Chenery in Daylesford, a wildly popular town about 1.5 hours' drive from Melbourne, says the inability to secure a place to stay is driving away long-time residents, families and essential workers.

"Get a get long-term rental? You just can't," she said.

"Don't even think about it."

"If one comes up, the real estate agent has filled it because he's got a list of 20 or 30 people who want it. You just don't expect to find one here."

The lack of housing is causing real problems in how the community functions because it can not attract and retain the people it needs to keep going.

"The community health service used to get 50 applications for a job for somebody in health care that's going to help the whole community," Dr Chenery said.

"They get two now, because there's no place for them to stay."

Global problem

Cities from Hobart to Byron Bay are struggling to balance a conflict: the profits available to property owners through short-term rental platforms like Airbnb and the need for long-term rentals to house local workers and families.

It is not just an Australian problem.

Barcelona will ban renting apartments to tourists as it tries to deal with a lack of affordable housing for residents.

The new report, from property reform advocacy group Grounded, offers a solution, a "cap and trade" system for short-term rental permits.

The scheme could slowly return hundreds of thousands of properties to the long-term rental market and still retain the profitability of short-term rentals like Airbnb and Stayz.

The problem, and the solution, is profits.

The report analysed the impact of short-term rentals in 13 white-hot tourism markets across Australia like Byron Bay, Fremantle and Victor Harbour.

"Across 12,000 units, we saw that for returns of short-term rentals, operators were earning 81 per cent more than they could in the traditional rental market," Grounded managing director Karl Fitzgerald said.

"So in a world where 4 or 5 per cent can make a difference to an investment decision, this is what is really driving the growth in Airbnbs."

"This is a seismic shift really in terms of investment returns."

It's a simple equation: with bigger profits, more owners are switching long-term rentals to the short-term market.

"Because as supply has been hoovered up, from both first-home buyers and renters, the opportunities are going to where the highest return is delivered, and that's short-term rental," Mr Fitzgerald said.

The real-world impact is obvious in tourist towns, isolated from population centres.

It is particularly clear in places like Hepburn Springs and Daylesford north of Melbourne, where visitors come for the natural beauty, mineral springs and regional food and wine scene.

"It's a world of precarity. There are people sleeping in caravans. They're making do in sheds. We're here at record low temperatures, and people are trying to live through this scenario while there's thousands of properties that are vacant during the week."

Emeritus professor of the University of Sydney's urban planning program Peter Phibbs has studied how to make housing more affordable.

While the explosion of short-term rentals like Airbnb is far from the only element fuelling unaffordability, that impact is particularly pronounced in the tourist towns examined in the study.

"It just really highlights the scale of the problem," Professor Phibbs said.

"You can see why so many landlords are preferring short-term rental because of the difference in returns they can make compared to long-term rental."

That potential profit is also distorting decisions about new housing.

According to the report, in the Hepburn Shire area that includes Daylesford, 74.2 per cent of new housing supply in the past decade was consumed by short-term rentals.

The average new housing supply in Apollo Bay was 24 dwellings per year, but the growth of short-term rentals, including those taken out of the long-term rental market, was nearly double at 42 homes.

"The problem isn't so much the rental price, it's just the fact there are no properties available to rent," Professor Phibbs said.

"So even if you're on a decent income, you're a key worker, you couldn't actually find a place because so many places have transferred into the short-term rental market."

"The market in some of those towns is more or less non-existent."

What's needed is a way to slow down and reverse the explosion of short-term rentals so there's a better balance of long-term rentals to meet community needs, according to Professor Phibbs.

"The last thing you're trying to do is crunch the market," he said.

That's because a large part of the economy in places like The Whitsundays and Warburton is the selling of accommodation and the money that flows from servicing the needs of visitors.

"These are tourist towns. But you might just slowly reduce the number of short-term rentals over time."

Could be worse

The areas examined in the report were Hepburn Shire, Mornington Peninsula, Warburton and Apollo Bay in Victoria, Byron Bay in New South Wales, Fremantle in Western Australia, Victor Harbor in South Australia, Hobart in Tasmania, and Noosa Heads, Coolum Beach, Port Douglas and the Whitsundays in Queensland.

The report likely underestimates the impact of short-term rental, because it uses a conservative way of working out (what's called "methodology") that shrinks the net of what is being looked at.

So-called "active listings" were used, rather than total listings. This knocked out about a quarter of the total and would exclude many traditional "bed and breakfast" operators.

Figures from global data agency AirDNA were used, even when there were more listings on Airbnb. For example, Airbnb lists 708 dwellings in Warburton but AirDNA only 143 — the report used the smaller figure.

In Hobart, a recent Shelter Tasmania report found 1,258 properties listed as short-term rentals while AirDNA has 981.

But the report, Airbnb: from a housing problem to solution , suggests a potential solution: a "cap and trade" system for short-term rental permits.

"We're advocating for a cap on the number of Airbnbs and creating a licensing system that provides some sort of regulation," Mr Fitzgerald said.

Once the system was established, the licences could be auctioned.

If the number was kept stable or reduced over time, the value of the licences would theoretically rise.

"This would bring some sort of order to this runaway market … it'll be a signal that the growth in this sector is not going to be so extreme."

In turn, any system that increases the cost of running a short-term rental would mean less attractive returns, particularly for marginal and more affordable properties.

Mr Fitzgerald estimates that in the Hepburn Shire where he lives, there are around 1,400 short-term rentals but only 1,100 of them are active.

"So the beauty of the 'cap and trade' system is that it works most effectively on marginal sites," he said.

"Those excess 300 sites that aren't so active would probably head back onto the market."

Airbnb disputes the figures used in the report.

"This report is deeply flawed — it's not based on facts and uses unreliable data showing limited understanding of the short-term rental market," Michael Crosby, Head of Public Policy, Australia and New Zealand, said in a statement.

"Something needs to be done about housing, more homes need to be built, and a small levy, paid for by the guest, that funds affordable housing, is a way to address the issue."

Mr Crosby says there is no evidence of caps or bans working.

"Airbnb has long advocated for evidence-based regulation of the short-term rental sector," he said.

Different local councils have been trialling permit systems and fees for registering short-stay properties in their areas.

State governments have also been considering levies on short-stay bookings or higher land taxes on properties that are sparsely occupied.

The NSW government is proposing a 60-day cap on some short-term properties in Byron Bay, to encourage them to return to the long-term rental market.

The proposals are not as drastic as what's proposed in Barcelona, so will they make a difference?

Home is here

Beyond government, community members in places like Daylesford are working to find solutions.

They have different ideas about the best way to make it work.

Dr Chenery is a leader of Safe Place, a voluntary community organisation that is working with the local council on expanding access to tiny homes and co-housing , and increasing the use of existing unoccupied buildings.

She is more than aware that the way property combines the human need for housing, scarcity and the potential for profit makes it difficult to find simple solutions.

"I think there are plenty of people who understand that we're just not sure exactly how to move ahead," she says.

But doing nothing is not an option either, particularly after Dr Chenery learned how almost all new housing supply in her town would never hit the market — destined only for visitors.

"That's a crime to me. That is a shame."

That visitor economy drives the area.

Trevor Shard hosts short-stay visitors in a building on his property.

He's also a director of local not-for-profit foundation Homeward Housing, which is trying to unlock access to underused council land, allowing the charity to develop affordable dwellings on it.

Mr Shard wants more people to be able to live — full-time — in the area.

"We'd like to see people be able to accommodate themselves within the town itself, rather than having to go elsewhere," he says.

"It's a lovely community here. And we would like to see more people able to actually share the community."

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Okoboji's choice: Wait for major floods, or build a new bridge

It is relatively simple: find a way to significantly increase the speed with which the water level can be reduced in the lakes area..

The Okoboji area is Iowa’s largest tourism attraction.

Summer tourism spending in the area comes close to $300 million every year. The number of visitors each weekend of the summer ranges from 40,000 to 60,000 in a typical year.

Dickinson County, the home of the lakes, also has some of the fastest-growing small towns in the state and has been an ongoing beehive of new construction for years.

It is one of the few places in the state that has a national reputation as a vacation destination.

Yet the state of Iowa and regional officeholders have ignored a huge annual risk to all of that economic activity for more than 30 years.

More: Summer's coming and the time is right for Okoboji. Here are 7 things to do at the lake

It was 1993 when the Okoboji summer ground almost to a halt as a result of flooding that began with torrential rains in June and extended into August. Boating activity in the lake dropped to around zero with the imposition of a mandatory no-wake speed limit of 5 mph. Homes and businesses were flooded and damaged. The shorelines eroded as banks collapsed and fell into the lake. Docks, at risk of collapsing into the lake, had to be removed, further limiting fishing and lake access. Debris from damaged docks and lakeshore structures became strewn through the lakes, posing a water hazard for boats and skiers that was expensive to mitigate.

Total damage was estimated at $39 million, the equivalent of about $84 million today. This does not include the cost of lost tourism and dining revenues.

It was said to be a once-in-80-years flood at the time, but the frequency rate improved a bit after a few changes were made to slightly reduce the impact of such flooding.

During the 30-plus years since that time, there have been repeated studies and meetings involving an alphabet soup of local, state, and federal agencies. They discussed and debated. They argued and wrung their hands. Only one certainty emerged.

There will be another flood that will once again threaten tourism, inconvenience residents, and drive tens of millions of dollars in damages.

Meanwhile, there were two other realities throughout the 30-plus years of discussion that seem to have been totally ignored:

• One was global warming, which has greatly increased the likelihood and frequency of weather extremes, including flooding.
• The other is that no serious discussion or planning was done to achieve the one thing that would be virtually certain to greatly reduce the impact of the heavy, continuing rains that periodically produce heavy flooding in the Okoboji area.

It is relatively simple: Find a way to significantly increase the speed with which the water level can be reduced in the Lakes area when such rains do occur.

The water level of the lakes can be quickly reduced by opening the impediment to southward flow into Milford Creek at the south end of Lower Gar Lake, the southernmost lake in the Iowa Great Lakes chain.

That opening for years has been restricted by the bridge over 230th Avenue that functions as a dam.

There may be various ways to increase the water flow somewhat: more culverts or larger culverts that can be opened or closed as needed.

But the real solution is to tear out that bridge and build a bigger one that will allow a greater flow when needed. You can see new, bigger bridges being built on highways throughout the state of Iowa every year. On the interstates and state highways. In and around cities. On county roads. Some of them appear to be in places where the need seems minimal.

Why hasn’t it happened at a place where the need is enormous?

Every state and local government official in Dickinson County who is in a position to influence this decision ought to be on board in making this happen.

On board or out of office.

Arnold Garson, a former managing editor of the Register, first posted this essay on his Substack , Second Thoughts, a part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.

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A Year on Ozempic Taught Me We’re Thinking About Obesity All Wrong

By Johann Hari

Mr. Hari is a British journalist and the author of “Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits — and Disturbing Risks — of the New Weight Loss Drugs.”

Ever since I was a teenager, I have dreamed of shedding a lot of weight. So when I shrank from 203 pounds to 161 in a year, I was baffled by my feelings. I was taking Ozempic, and I was haunted by the sense that I was cheating and doing something immoral.

I’m not the only one. In the United States (where I now split my time), over 70 percent of people are overweight or obese, and according to one poll, 47 percent of respondents said they were willing to pay to take the new weight-loss drugs. It’s not hard to see why. They cause users to lose an average of 10 to 20 percent of their body weight, and clinical trials suggest that the next generation of drugs (probably available soon) leads to a 24 percent loss, on average. Yet as more and more people take drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, we get more confused as a culture, bombarding anyone in the public eye who takes them with brutal shaming.

This is happening because we are trapped in a set of old stories about what obesity is and the morally acceptable ways to overcome it. But the fact that so many of us are turning to the new weight-loss drugs can be an opportunity to find a way out of that trap of shame and stigma — and to a more truthful story.

In my lifetime, obesity has exploded, from being rare to almost being the norm. I was born in 1979, and by the time I was 21, obesity rates in the United States had more than doubled . They have skyrocketed since. The obvious question is, why? And how do these new weight-loss drugs work? The answer to both lies in one word: satiety. It’s a concept that we don’t use much in everyday life but that we’ve all experienced at some point. It describes the sensation of having had enough and not wanting any more.

The primary reason we have gained weight at a pace unprecedented in human history is that our diets have radically changed in ways that have deeply undermined our ability to feel sated. My father grew up in a village in the Swiss mountains, where he ate fresh, whole foods that had been cooked from scratch and prepared on the day they were eaten. But in the 30 years between his childhood and mine, in the suburbs of London, the nature of food transformed across the Western world. He was horrified to see that almost everything I ate was reheated and heavily processed. The evidence is clear that the kind of food my father grew up eating quickly makes you feel full. But the kind of food I grew up eating, much of which is made in factories, often with artificial chemicals, left me feeling empty and as if I had a hole in my stomach. In a recent study of what American children eat, ultraprocessed food was found to make up 67 percent of their daily diet. This kind of food makes you want to eat more and more. Satiety comes late, if at all.

One scientific experiment — which I have nicknamed Cheesecake Park — seemed to me to crystallize this effect. Paul Kenny, a neuroscientist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, grew up in Ireland. After he moved in 2000 to the United States, when he was in his 20s, he gained 30 pounds in two years. He began to wonder if the American diet has some kind of strange effect on our brains and our cravings, so he designed an experiment to test it. He and his colleague Paul Johnson raised a group of rats in a cage and gave them an abundant supply of healthy, balanced rat chow made out of the kind of food rats had been eating for a very long time. The rats would eat it when they were hungry, and then they seemed to feel sated and stopped. They did not become fat.

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