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2 Dec 2025
•
Tourism for CCEA Geography A-Level
K
Kirsten Paul
@irstenaul_itwe
1 / 4
What is Tourism and Its Types
Ever wondered what actually counts as tourism? According to UNWTO, you're officially a tourist when visiting somewhere outside your usual environment for less than a year. This covers everything from beach holidays to business trips.
Mass tourism is when tens of thousands of people flock to the same resort, often during the same season. Think of those packed Spanish beaches in August! Tourism gets classified in three ways: domestic (UK residents visiting elsewhere in the UK), inbound (foreigners visiting the UK), and outbound (Brits travelling abroad).
Modern tourism didn't really kick off until the 19th century and remained exclusive to wealthy folks until the 1960s. British people initially visited spa towns like Tunbridge Wells and seaside resorts like Brighton. However, by the 1980s, British holiday resorts declined as international mass tourism exploded from 25 million to 50 million tourists.
Quick Fact: Since the 1990s, destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific have experienced rapid tourism growth as new hotspots emerge worldwide.
The Rise of Mass Tourism
Three key factors transformed tourism from an elite activity into a mass phenomenon that reshaped global travel patterns.
Affordable air travel from the 1960s revolutionised everything. More people could suddenly afford international trips, leading to concentrated development of accessible destinations with proper airport facilities. This created a massive imbalance - wealthy regions like Europe and America now receive 60% of international tourists, while Africa gets only 5%.
Rising disposable income made holidays accessible to ordinary families. By the late 1970s, credit cards became popular as short-term loans for holidays, and workers gained paid holiday time. A two-week Spanish holiday for a UK family of four costs around £1,000 - expensive but manageable with doubled disposable income since 1977.
Package holidays removed major barriers like language difficulties and complex booking. These deals bundle transport, accommodation, and activities together. Thomas Cook's 1841 trip from Leicester to Loughborough is considered the first package holiday, leading to 56% of foreign holidays being purchased as packages by the 1990s.
Money Matters: Disposable income = what you earn minus what you must pay for essentials. The rest is yours to spend on holidays!
Tourism's Explosive Growth and Impact Overview
Tourism has become an absolute economic powerhouse that's impossible to ignore. Since 1950, international tourists have skyrocketed from 25 million to nearly 1.2 billion by 2015. During the same period, tourism receipts exploded from $2 billion to an eye-watering $1,260 billion.
By 2016, one in ten jobs globally came from tourism, making it one of the world's largest employers. Yet the benefits remain unevenly distributed - America and Europe still grab 60% of tourists whilst Africa receives just 5%.
Tourism creates both direct and indirect social impacts. Indirect benefits include infrastructure improvements like better electricity, water systems, and transport links that help local communities. Direct benefits target local people specifically through education programmes, health initiatives, and women's empowerment through craft and food sales.
The industry also promotes cultural exchange and understanding between visitors and locals. For example, Nairobi's museums highlight Kenya's tribal history, whilst traditional villages like Bomas of Kenya can be visited to reduce prejudice and broaden horizons.
Real Impact: Tourism doesn't just benefit tourists - infrastructure built for visitors often transforms entire local communities permanently.
Economic Benefits and Real-World Examples
Tourism creates serious economic opportunities through direct and indirect employment. Direct jobs involve face-to-face contact with tourists (hotel staff, tour guides), whilst indirect employment supplies tourist needs (food processing, hotel furnishings). In the UK alone, 1.5 million people work directly in tourism, with another 2.4 million employed indirectly.
Major companies like Hilton operate over 4,800 hotels across 100+ countries, employing over 160,000 people worldwide. This demonstrates tourism's massive job creation potential across different skill levels and regions.
Many destinations now charge tourist taxes to fund further development or conservation. These range from €27.76 in Dubrovnik to €196 in Rome, showing how popular destinations can generate revenue whilst managing visitor numbers.
Community-based tourism delivers real benefits too. The Maasai N'owesi group ranch in northern Kenya (8,000 people) now provides primary and secondary education for children, healthcare workers, clean piped water, and helps women develop craft enterprises making jewellery and bags.
Success Story: The Maasai community example shows how tourism can fund education, healthcare, and business opportunities whilst preserving traditional cultures.
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
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This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
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Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
Tourism for CCEA Geography A-Level
K
Kirsten Paul
@irstenaul_itwe
Tourism has transformed from an elite privilege to a global phenomenon affecting billions of people. Understanding how modern tourism developed and its massive social and economic impacts is crucial for grasping one of today's largest industries.
What is Tourism and Its Types
Ever wondered what actually counts as tourism? According to UNWTO, you're officially a tourist when visiting somewhere outside your usual environment for less than a year. This covers everything from beach holidays to business trips.
Mass tourism is when tens of thousands of people flock to the same resort, often during the same season. Think of those packed Spanish beaches in August! Tourism gets classified in three ways: domestic (UK residents visiting elsewhere in the UK), inbound (foreigners visiting the UK), and outbound (Brits travelling abroad).
Modern tourism didn't really kick off until the 19th century and remained exclusive to wealthy folks until the 1960s. British people initially visited spa towns like Tunbridge Wells and seaside resorts like Brighton. However, by the 1980s, British holiday resorts declined as international mass tourism exploded from 25 million to 50 million tourists.
Quick Fact: Since the 1990s, destinations in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific have experienced rapid tourism growth as new hotspots emerge worldwide.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
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The Rise of Mass Tourism
Three key factors transformed tourism from an elite activity into a mass phenomenon that reshaped global travel patterns.
Affordable air travel from the 1960s revolutionised everything. More people could suddenly afford international trips, leading to concentrated development of accessible destinations with proper airport facilities. This created a massive imbalance - wealthy regions like Europe and America now receive 60% of international tourists, while Africa gets only 5%.
Rising disposable income made holidays accessible to ordinary families. By the late 1970s, credit cards became popular as short-term loans for holidays, and workers gained paid holiday time. A two-week Spanish holiday for a UK family of four costs around £1,000 - expensive but manageable with doubled disposable income since 1977.
Package holidays removed major barriers like language difficulties and complex booking. These deals bundle transport, accommodation, and activities together. Thomas Cook's 1841 trip from Leicester to Loughborough is considered the first package holiday, leading to 56% of foreign holidays being purchased as packages by the 1990s.
Money Matters: Disposable income = what you earn minus what you must pay for essentials. The rest is yours to spend on holidays!
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Tourism's Explosive Growth and Impact Overview
Tourism has become an absolute economic powerhouse that's impossible to ignore. Since 1950, international tourists have skyrocketed from 25 million to nearly 1.2 billion by 2015. During the same period, tourism receipts exploded from $2 billion to an eye-watering $1,260 billion.
By 2016, one in ten jobs globally came from tourism, making it one of the world's largest employers. Yet the benefits remain unevenly distributed - America and Europe still grab 60% of tourists whilst Africa receives just 5%.
Tourism creates both direct and indirect social impacts. Indirect benefits include infrastructure improvements like better electricity, water systems, and transport links that help local communities. Direct benefits target local people specifically through education programmes, health initiatives, and women's empowerment through craft and food sales.
The industry also promotes cultural exchange and understanding between visitors and locals. For example, Nairobi's museums highlight Kenya's tribal history, whilst traditional villages like Bomas of Kenya can be visited to reduce prejudice and broaden horizons.
Real Impact: Tourism doesn't just benefit tourists - infrastructure built for visitors often transforms entire local communities permanently.
Sign up to see the contentIt's free!
Access to all documents
Improve your grades
Join milions of students
By signing up you accept Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Economic Benefits and Real-World Examples
Tourism creates serious economic opportunities through direct and indirect employment. Direct jobs involve face-to-face contact with tourists (hotel staff, tour guides), whilst indirect employment supplies tourist needs (food processing, hotel furnishings). In the UK alone, 1.5 million people work directly in tourism, with another 2.4 million employed indirectly.
Major companies like Hilton operate over 4,800 hotels across 100+ countries, employing over 160,000 people worldwide. This demonstrates tourism's massive job creation potential across different skill levels and regions.
Many destinations now charge tourist taxes to fund further development or conservation. These range from €27.76 in Dubrovnik to €196 in Rome, showing how popular destinations can generate revenue whilst managing visitor numbers.
Community-based tourism delivers real benefits too. The Maasai N'owesi group ranch in northern Kenya (8,000 people) now provides primary and secondary education for children, healthcare workers, clean piped water, and helps women develop craft enterprises making jewellery and bags.
Success Story: The Maasai community example shows how tourism can fund education, healthcare, and business opportunities whilst preserving traditional cultures.
We thought you’d never ask...
What is the Knowunity AI companion?
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
Where can I download the Knowunity app?
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Is Knowunity really free of charge?
That's right! Enjoy free access to study content, connect with fellow students, and get instant help – all at your fingertips.
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Most popular content: Tourism
Most popular content in Geography
Most popular content
English - inspector calls quotes and analysis
Quotes from every main character
English Literature10
Can't find what you're looking for? Explore other subjects.
Students love us — and so will you.
4.9/5
App Store
4.8/5
Google Play
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user
The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
Stefan S
iOS user
This app is really great. There are so many study notes and help [...]. My problem subject is French, for example, and the app has so many options for help. Thanks to this app, I have improved my French. I would recommend it to anyone.
Samantha Klich
Android user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
Anna
iOS user
Best app on earth! no words because it’s too good
Thomas R
iOS user
Just amazing. Let's me revise 10x better, this app is a quick 10/10. I highly recommend it to anyone. I can watch and search for notes. I can save them in the subject folder. I can revise it any time when I come back. If you haven't tried this app, you're really missing out.
Basil
Android user
This app has made me feel so much more confident in my exam prep, not only through boosting my own self confidence through the features that allow you to connect with others and feel less alone, but also through the way the app itself is centred around making you feel better. It is easy to navigate, fun to use, and helpful to anyone struggling in absolutely any way.
David K
iOS user
The app's just great! All I have to do is enter the topic in the search bar and I get the response real fast. I don't have to watch 10 YouTube videos to understand something, so I'm saving my time. Highly recommended!
Sudenaz Ocak
Android user
In school I was really bad at maths but thanks to the app, I am doing better now. I am so grateful that you made the app.
Greenlight Bonnie
Android user
very reliable app to help and grow your ideas of Maths, English and other related topics in your works. please use this app if your struggling in areas, this app is key for that. wish I'd of done a review before. and it's also free so don't worry about that.
Rohan U
Android user
I know a lot of apps use fake accounts to boost their reviews but this app deserves it all. Originally I was getting 4 in my English exams and this time I got a grade 7. I didn’t even know about this app three days until the exam and it has helped A LOT. Please actually trust me and use it as I’m sure you too will see developments.
Xander S
iOS user
THE QUIZES AND FLASHCARDS ARE SO USEFUL AND I LOVE THE SCHOOLGPT. IT ALSO IS LITREALLY LIKE CHATGPT BUT SMARTER!! HELPED ME WITH MY MASCARA PROBLEMS TOO!! AS WELL AS MY REAL SUBJECTS ! DUHHH 😍😁😲🤑💗✨🎀😮
Elisha
iOS user
This apps acc the goat. I find revision so boring but this app makes it so easy to organize it all and then you can ask the freeeee ai to test yourself so good and you can easily upload your own stuff. highly recommend as someone taking mocks now
Paul T
iOS user