Is tourism harmful? 6 Minute English

Summary

In this episode of 6 Minute English, Rob and Sam delve into the issue of over-tourism and how it affects cities. They discuss the measures taken by cities like Rome and Bruges to manage tourist behavior and maintain their authenticity. Rome has introduced laws to prevent disrespectful actions, while Bruges is capping cruise ship numbers to avoid 'Disneyfication.' The show also quizzes listeners on the most visited city in 2018, which turns out to be Bangkok, not London as Sam guessed.

Takeaways

• 🗺️ The podcast discusses the impact of tourism on cities and the measures taken to manage it.
• 🌍 More people are traveling due to increased leisure time and relatively cheaper travel costs.
• 🏞️ Overtourism leads to crowded destinations, potentially harming the very attractions tourists seek.
• 🚫 Some cities are implementing restrictions to control tourist behavior and protect local culture and heritage.
• 🏛️ Rome has introduced laws to prevent disrespectful behavior towards its historic sites, such as walking bare-chested or wading in fountains.
• 🚨 The term 'clampdown' refers to official efforts to limit or stop certain activities, often seen in the context of regulating tourism.
• 🛑 'Crackdown' is similar to 'clampdown', indicating actions taken to restrict or halt specific behaviors, like over-tourism.
• 🚫 'Misbehave' is used to describe actions that are inappropriate or disrespectful in a given context.
• 🎯 'Objective' in this context means a goal or plan aimed at achieving a particular outcome, such as improving city life for residents and tourists.
• 🚢 Bruges is addressing 'Disneyfication' by capping the number of cruise ships allowed to dock, to maintain its authentic character.
• 🔝 Bangkok was the most visited city in 2018, highlighting the global scale of tourism and its management challenges.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the 6 Minute English episode?

The main topic of discussion is the issue of overcrowding in popular tourist destinations and how some cities are implementing restrictions on tourists to manage the situation.

Why are some cities putting restrictions on tourists?

Some cities are putting restrictions on tourists to preserve the atmosphere and beauty of their locations, which can be spoiled by overcrowding and disrespectful behavior.

What was the most visited city in 2018 according to Mastercard's Global Destination Cities Index?

The most visited city in 2018 was Bangkok, Thailand.

What is the meaning of the term 'respect' in the context of the discussion about tourists and historic sites?

In the context of the discussion, 'respect' means to treat something with care, indicating that tourists should behave considerately towards historic sites.

What does the term 'clampdown' mean and how is it used in the episode?

The term 'clampdown' refers to officially trying to stop or limit people from doing something. In the episode, it is used to describe the authorities' actions to control certain behaviors of tourists in Rome.

What is the objective of the new laws introduced in Rome regarding tourists?

The objective of the new laws in Rome is to improve the life of the city for both residents and tourists by preventing misbehavior and disrespect towards the city's attractions.

What specific behaviors have been banned by the new laws in Rome to improve the city's life?

The new laws in Rome have banned tourists from walking around bare-chested and wading in the city's fountains to improve the city's life.

What is the term 'Disneyfication' and how does it relate to Bruges?

The term 'Disneyfication' refers to turning something into an artificial, commercial environment similar to a Walt Disney theme park. Bruges is trying to prevent this by introducing regulations to maintain the city's authentic feel.

What action is Bruges taking to combat the 'Disneyfication' of the city?

Bruges is introducing new regulations to cap the number of cruises that can dock, as they believe cruise visitors do not spend money in the city.

What does the term 'cap' mean in the context of the discussion about Bruges?

In the context of the discussion, 'cap' means to restrict or limit, as Bruges is doing to control the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in the city.

What are the two similar phrases discussed in the episode that both relate to controlling or limiting actions?

The two similar phrases discussed are 'clampdown' and 'crackdown,' both of which refer to taking action to restrict or stop certain activities.