What this lesson teaches
I can explain how motivation, ability and mobility have made tourism grow.
Syllabus K329, Topic 2.1, Key Question 2. What led to the growth of tourism?
Make a guess
A new high-speed railway cuts the journey to a mountain town from six hours to two. What is the most likely effect?
- Visitor numbers will certainly double, since the trip is three times faster.
- More visitors may come, if prices and attractions suit.
- Every attraction in the town becomes easy to reach.
- Nothing changes, because transport does not affect tourism.
Show the answer
More visitors may come, if prices and attractions suit.
Faster links open up a place, but visitors still weigh prices, timetables, rules and what there is to do. Better access raises the chance, not a guarantee.
Mobility is how easily people can reach and move around places, and better transport can change where and how people travel.
Mobility is the practical ability to reach places and move around them. Better transport can open up destinations that were too far or too slow to reach.
New railways, roads, airports, ports and public transport can cut journey times, carry more people and be more reliable. Improvements in air, land and sea travel make different trips possible. Links inside the destination matter too. An airport does not make every attraction easy to reach.
Owning a private car makes nearby trips easy and flexible, especially where buses are limited. Traffic jams and parking problems can reduce this benefit.
Better access does not guarantee more visitors. Prices, timetables, entry rules and attractions still matter. A new route may also pull visitors away from another place.
- Mobility
- How easily people can reach and move around places.
- Infrastructure
- Roads, rail, airports, ports and public transport.
- Private cars
- Flexible access to nearby places.
Step by step
Name the connection
Which route, mode or service changes?
Explain the access
Faster, more flexible or more reliable?
Predict carefully
Check prices, rules and other limits.
Worked example: The last part of the trip
An island has a frequent ferry, but its attractions are hard to reach from the terminal. A connecting bus improves the whole journey. Looking only at the ferry misses this.
Watch out for this
A new airport automatically makes a successful destination.
It creates access. Good services, fair prices, attractions and local links are still needed.
Check your understanding
How can car ownership affect tourism?
- It removes the need for attractions, since the drive is the trip.
- A family can make nearby trips more flexibly.
- It makes overseas trips cheaper, since flights are not needed.
Show the answer
A family can make nearby trips more flexibly.
Yes. Cars make short trips easier.