The Changing Face of Tourism

In the 1980s and early 1990s, when Africans first realised that tourism could be a way out of their poverty, they built very large concrete hotels on the beaches of Kenya, South Africa, and other countries. For a time the charter flights poured in from Germany and Italy. The tourists hoped to see lions, but also wanted to lie by the pool and to eat food from their own country and enjoy the other comforts of home. The revenue from tourism rose sharply, but most of it went to international tour operators.

That was then. Fortunately, a new kind of travel is now in fashion. Today’s tourists are leaving the high-rise hotels and European comforts. Instead they are looking for more authentic experiences. On the wild coast of South Africa, young tourists ride horses on unspoilt beaches and make their way through hills of subtropical vegetation. In the evening they sit round the fire and eat a traditional Xhosa meal of meat and vegetables; they listen to the local Xhosa people tell folk stories, before going to bed in simple tents and lodges. The experience is not offered by an international tour operator but the Xhosa themselves. The Xhosa tour guides are paid two and a half times the average rate of pay.

The change from “old tourism” to “new tourism” did not happen suddenly. The developments in technology and transport infrastructure made many types of tourism more affordable. Interest in the traditional two-week sun and sea package holiday fell gradually towards the end of the last century. Individual tailor-made or independent holidays – such as fly-drive – have steadily become more popular.

Nowadays people are taking shorter yet more diverse holidays. Long-haul flights are increasing and making faraway places easier to get to. More and more tourists are looking for adventure, activity, and authenticity. Adventure travel, ecotourism, cultural tours, and sports vacations are taking people to more exotic destinations: China, the Maldives, Botswana, Vanuatu.

Undoubtedly, tourism has become an important part of how we live today and most people travel regularly for work and leisure. Tourism has made significant contributions to international understanding, peace, prosperity, universal respect for fundamental human rights for everybody without distinctions as to race, sex, language or religion.

II. Поставьте к тексту вопросы разных типов.

III. По суффиксу определите и выберите 1) существительные, 2) прилагательные, 3) глаголы, 4) наречие.

Undoubtedly, development, activity, subtropical, steadily, experiences, European, package, sharply, operators, authentic, vegetation, regularly, affordable, realize, observance, independent, gradually, significant, prosperity.

IV. Определите видовременные формы глагола. Предложения переведите на русский язык.

1. Although a mature industry, tourism is a young profession. 2. Among the most famous travellers were Marco Polo from Venice in the 13^th century, Afanasy Nikitin from Russia, Christopher Columbus and Vasco de Gama from Portugal in the 15^th century, Magellan from Spain, Amerigo Vespucci from Italy in the 16^th century, James Cook from England in the 18^th century and other adventurers from Spain, Italy, Portugal, France, England and Holland. 3. Steamships also increased tourism, especially across the North Atlantic. 4. The automobile and airplane in still more recent times have also become major modes of transportation for recreational purposes. 5. Travel is likely to increase in the coming years, which will have a significant impact on tourism. 6. By the early 21st century, international tourism had become one of the world’s most important economic activities, and its impact was becoming increasingly apparent from the Arctic to Antarctica. 7. In addition to their original expenditures, tourists produce secondary impacts on local economy.

V. Раскройте скобки, употребив глаголы в нужной видовременной форме.

1. The greatest growth in international tourism (to take place) only since the end of World War II in 1947. 2. Wherever people (to travel), they usually (to bring) objects with them. 3. The first travellers (to be) nomads and pilgrims, merchants and traders. 4. As many countries recognize the potential contribution of tourism to their economy, there (to be) increasing competition in the development and promotion of tourism among countries in future. 5. During the Roman Empire period (from about 27 BC to AD 476), travel (develop) for military, trade and political reasons, as well as for communication of messages from the central government to its distant territories. 6. When the Roman Empire (to collapse), Roman tourism (to end).

VI. Переведите предложения, обращая внимание на различное употребление глаголов “to be”, “to have”.

1. Tourism is a world industry, but different parts of the world offer different attractions for the tourist. 2. The growth rate of tourism has generally exceeded the growth rate for the worldwide economy. 3. The development of tourism should be the government strategy. 4. The Romantic Movement of the 18^th century was very useful for the tourism development. 5. People who live in a tourist spot often have mixed feelings.

VII. Переведите предложения, обращая внимание на значения местоимений“it” и “one”.

1. By employing one out of every ten workers, travel and tourism is the world’s largest employer. 2. Sometimes it seems as though a new resort area springs up every day wherever there is sun and sea. 3. One should distinguish between tangible and intangible components of tourism. 4. There are so many new experiences when you travel, it’s difficult not to learn something!