Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Impact of Tourism on Locals 8

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four individuals sharing the terrifying dependence their country has on foreign tourism, a fragility exposed when global travel suddenly halted during a pandemic.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions a failed effort to substitute lost earnings through a digital platform?

2   describes the disturbing physical appearance of their area after the visitors vanished?

3   realised that their goods were priced out of the reach of local inhabitants?

4   points out a minor ecological improvement that occurred due to the travel ban?

5   regrets not structuring their enterprise to also serve the residents of their area?

6   completely changed what they were selling to attract domestic customers?

7   faced the distressing task of letting go of their employees?

8   felt that the lack of cultural exchange caused them unexpected emotional pain?

9   urges the government to diversify the country’s sources of income?

10   was shocked by how swiftly their financial security disappeared?

The Day the Tourists Stopped Coming

A Mateo

I’ve run a bustling souvenir shop near the main cathedral for a decade. Before the pandemic, I genuinely took it for granted that the endless stream of foreign coaches would never cease. When the borders slammed shut, my livelihood evaporated practically overnight; the speed of the collapse was absolutely staggering. I’d always assumed tourism was a foolproof industry, but I quickly realised the foolishness of putting all my eggs in one basket. Desperate to keep the business afloat, I set up an e-commerce website hoping to sell my handicrafts virtually. Unfortunately, it fell completely flat, as international shipping costs were astronomical. It was a terrifying wake-up call. If I had been more far-sighted, I would have developed a business model that also catered to the local community. Looking back, the fragility of our situation was glaringly obvious, yet we were all too blinded by the booming profits to notice.

B Sofia

Managing a boutique hotel on the coast was my dream job, but the travel ban turned our vibrant resort into an eerie ghost town. Walking down the promenade and seeing rows of boarded-up cafés and empty sun loungers sent shivers down my spine. The visual transformation of our normally lively town was deeply unsettling. The hardest part, however, was having to make a significant portion of our dedicated housekeeping staff redundant. It was a heartbreaking decision, especially knowing they had no alternative sources of income in a region completely reliant on hospitality. Consequently, we had to rethink our entire approach. We shifted our marketing focus towards domestic holidaymakers, offering heavily discounted weekend breaks just to cover our basic maintenance costs. While this helped us scrape by, it laid bare how dangerously exposed we were to global crises. We had allowed our entire local economy to become completely dependent on people boarding flights from thousands of miles away.

C Lukas

As a head chef at a high-end restaurant, I prided myself on offering an exclusive dining experience. However, when the international flights were grounded, I had a harsh revelation: our menu, filled with expensive imported ingredients, completely alienated the people who actually lived in the neighbourhood. Our prices were simply out of reach for native residents. To survive the crisis, we had to completely overhaul our dishes, focusing on affordable, traditional comfort food that appealed to a domestic crowd. Although this pivot saved us financially, the sudden loss of our global clientele hit me surprisingly hard on an emotional level. I hadn’t just lost my revenue; I had lost the daily cultural exchange, the fascinating conversations with backpackers and expats that made my job so rewarding. The silence in the dining room during those first few months was deafening, and it brought a profound sense of isolation that I had never anticipated.

D Elara

Working as a regional tour guide, I spent my days showcasing our breathtaking national parks to overseas adventurers. When global travel was brought to a standstill, it brutally exposed the fundamental weakness of our national infrastructure. We were essentially a one-trick pony, and the economic fallout was catastrophic. It is high time our politicians advocated for a much broader strategy, investing in technology and agriculture rather than relying solely on visitors’ wallets to prop up the nation. Nevertheless, I must admit there was one tiny silver lining amidst the chaos. Without the constant convoy of tour buses and diesel boats, the natural habitats began to recover remarkably quickly. I saw species of birds returning to the valleys that hadn’t been spotted in years. Even so, that brief ecological respite couldn’t outweigh the terror of watching my entire community’s safety net vanish into thin air. We simply cannot afford to be this vulnerable ever again.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four local historians talking about how the influx of tourist money allowed them to finally restore and protect ancient monuments that were falling apart.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions a security measure put in place to deter vandalism?

2   admits to initially opposing the commercialisation of the historical site?

3   points out that the monument posed a physical threat to people before it was repaired?

4   was taken aback by the sheer volume of financial contributions from tourists?

5   believes that the revitalised site serves as a valuable learning tool for younger residents?

6   accepts that putting up with large crowds is a necessary trade-off for protecting the site?

7   explains how environmental conditions were slowly erasing intricate artistic details?

8   notes that the restoration process revealed features that had been submerged for years?

9   highlights the use of contemporary architectural elements to shelter the ruins?

10   expresses frustration about how members of the community used to treat the monument?

Saving Our Heritage: How Tourism Rescued the Past

A Elias

For decades, the cliffside fortress of Highkeep was completely neglected. The crumbling towers were genuinely hazardous, with loose masonry frequently plunging onto the public paths below. If we hadn’t intervened when we did, the local council would have undoubtedly demolished it for safety reasons. Fortunately, the sudden boom in coastal tourism provided a lifeline. We introduced a small entry fee, and the revenue generated allowed us to hire specialist stonemasons to secure the walls and replace the rotting timber roof. Naturally, some long-term residents grumble about the endless streams of coaches and the noisy summer crowds. While I sympathise with their frustration, I firmly believe it is a small price to pay. Without the tourists’ cash, our most iconic landmark would be nothing but a pile of rubble by now. It’s a compromise I’ve gladly come to terms with, as it ensures the fortress stands tall for centuries to come.

B Amara

When I first began researching the ancient subterranean baths, they were little more than a flooded cavern. Groundwater had completely inundated the complex, hiding its true layout and slowly destroying the foundations. Our historical society set up a voluntary donation box near the town’s main square, hoping to raise enough money to pump the water out. I was absolutely astounded by the generosity of the international holidaymakers; the funds poured in at an unprecedented rate, far exceeding our wildest expectations! Thanks to this financial injection, we didn’t just drain the chambers. The removal of the water exposed a breathtaking series of mosaic floors that had been concealed for generations. We have since installed security cameras to monitor the delicate tiles, but the real victory is seeing the site fully accessible. It is incredibly rewarding to witness visitors marvelling at the complex, knowing their contributions brought this forgotten treasure back to life.

C Julian

The medieval boundary walls of our town were slowly vanishing, but not due to natural decay. To my absolute dismay, it was our own townspeople who were responsible, casually carting off the historic stones to build garden walls or repair their own homes. This blatant disrespect for our heritage was infuriating. However, once our town was featured in a popular travel magazine, the influx of visitors sparked a local economic revival. The municipality finally had the budget to employ full-time wardens to patrol the perimeter and put an end to the looting. Furthermore, we used a portion of the tourism tax to create interactive display boards along the route. It’s been wonderful to see local schools bringing students here for history lessons. The site has been transformed from an abused quarry into a vital educational resource, reconnecting teenagers with their ancestry in a way textbooks simply cannot achieve.

D Sofia

I must confess, when someone first suggested opening a massive gift shop right next to the Sun Temple, I was fiercely against it. I felt that selling keyrings and mugs would completely cheapen the sanctity of the ruins. However, the harsh reality was that severe wind and acid rain were relentlessly wearing away the intricate stone carvings on the temple’s facade. We were racing against the clock. The souvenir shop turned out to be incredibly lucrative, and the profits were channelled directly into conservation. We commissioned architects to construct a striking, transparent glass canopy over the main altar. While it is a highly modern addition, it blends seamlessly with the ancient stone and effectively shields the delicate artwork from the elements. Seeing the carvings preserved so effectively forced me to swallow my pride; I now accept that embracing a bit of commercialisation was the only way to save our heritage from being erased.

Exercises:   123456