“Conversation Starter Lesson Series: Upper-Intermediate” is designed for intermediate-level ESL learners who want to improve their fluency and confidence in speaking English.
Each lesson includes an engaging reading material with audio, vocabulary and expressions, comprehension questions, and discussion questions to be used for one to one class, group class, or self-study for both online and offline classes.
Unit 2: Travel and Adventure
Story 03: Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism: Balancing Tourism and Conservation
Key Lesson Vocabulary & Expressions: Look over and review before proceeding.
- Sustainable tourism
- Ecotourism
- Responsible tourism practices
- Negative impacts
- Conservation
- Natural resources
- Cultural heritage
- Social welfare
- Host communities
- Sustainable practices
Read or Listen to the following passage:
Sustainable tourism and ecotourism are two important concepts in the travel industry that aim to promote responsible tourism practices and reduce the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and local communities. These approaches focus on the conservation of natural resources, cultural heritage, and social welfare while providing economic benefits to host communities.
Sustainable tourism is defined as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”. This means that sustainable tourism practices consider the long-term impacts of tourism on the environment, economy, and society. It involves minimizing negative impacts, such as pollution and waste, while maximizing the positive benefits, such as job creation and income generation.
Ecotourism, on the other hand, is a specific type of sustainable tourism that focuses on visiting natural areas in a responsible manner, with an emphasis on conservation and education. Ecotourism activities often involve hiking, birdwatching, and wildlife viewing, and are designed to minimize the impact on the environment and promote sustainable practices. This approach also involves engaging with local communities to promote conservation efforts and support sustainable tourism development.
Sustainable tourism and ecotourism are important because they can help to preserve natural and cultural resources for future generations. By promoting responsible tourism practices, these approaches can help to minimize negative impacts on the environment and local communities while providing economic benefits to host destinations. In addition, sustainable tourism and ecotourism can also help to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and promote environmentally and socially responsible travel practices.
Comprehension Questions:
- What is sustainable tourism?
- How is ecotourism different from sustainable tourism?
- What are some examples of ecotourism activities?
- What are the benefits of sustainable tourism and ecotourism?
- How can sustainable tourism and ecotourism help to promote conservation?
Conversations Starters:
- What are some examples of sustainable tourism practices that you have observed during your travels?
- In your opinion, what are the most important benefits of ecotourism for both travelers and local communities?
- How do you feel when you see trash or litter in nature? In the city streets?
- What are some of the negative impacts of tourism on cultural heritage and how can they be addressed?
- What are some natural resources that are commonly impacted by tourism and how can sustainable practices help to protect them?
- How can ecotourism activities help to promote conservation efforts and environmental education?
- What role do host communities play in sustainable tourism and what benefits can they receive from responsible tourism practices?
- What are some challenges that sustainable tourism faces and how can they be addressed?
- In your opinion, how important is social welfare to sustainable tourism and what can be done to ensure that it is addressed?
- What are some ways that travelers can engage in sustainable tourism practices and promote responsible tourism?
