english vocabulary for travel and tourism pdf

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90 English Tourism Vocabulary Words and Phrases [With Sample Dialogues]

English is the most common language used in the international tourism industry.

People who work in the tourism industry use it to communicate with tourists from all over the world.

If you work in tourism or hope to find a job in the industry, it helps to know the right words and phrases for this type of work.

Interacting with Customers

Greeting customers, asking customers questions , responding to questions, checking for understanding, common scenarios in tourism english, giving recommendations, giving directions , making friendly small talk, jobs in hospitality and tourism, jobs at hotels and resorts, bar and restaurant staff, jobs at travel and tourism companies, more tourism vocabulary in english, how to learn english tourism vocabulary, and one more thing....

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You always want to welcome customers or guests with a friendly, professional greeting :

• Good morning (before 12 p.m.)
• Good afternoon (between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.)
• Good evening (after 5 p.m.)
• Welcome to… [company name] . My name is… [your name] .

Be sure to always use a respectful term to refer to your customers:

• Miss — Young women (under age 30)
• Ma’am — Mature women (over age 30)
• Sir — Men of all ages

For example, using these terms you can now greet customers in a very respectful way:

• Good morning, miss .
• Good afternoon, sir .

If you are working at a hotel, restaurant or tour agency, you can greet a customer and then ask them this question:

Do you have a reservation with us?

To answer the phone, you only need one simple phrase:

Hello, you’ve reached [company name]. This is [your name]. How may I help you?

If you are working with customers in a hotel, before they go to their rooms you can say one of these phrases:

• We hope you enjoy your stay!
• Please let us know if you have any questions or comments during your stay.

You will want to make sure your customers are safe and happy while they are with you. You can do this by asking friendly and polite questions, such as:

• How are you doing this morning? (or afternoon/evening)
• Have you been having a good time?
• Is there anything else we can do to make your experience more enjoyable?

Customers will have many questions, and sometimes you will not know the answer. You may need to ask a coworker or supervisor. When this happens, you can use the following phrases:

• I will get that information for you right away.
• That’s a great question! I will check with my supervisor and let you know.

As a guide, host or receptionist, you will need to double-check for understanding. These phrases are simple and quick ways to make sure you have understood the guest or customer:

• I heard you ask (about flights) . Is that correct?
• So, you said (you wanted to visit the ruins) , right?
• Okay, I understand that (your flight leaves at 3 PM) . Is that correct?

To ask for clarification

Your guest may use vocabulary that you are unfamiliar with. Likewise, they might have an accent that is difficult for you to understand. Here are some polite ways to ask them to repeat or clarify what they said:

• I’m sorry, I didn’t quite understand that. Can you say that again?
• Pardon my English, but I didn’t understand that. Can you say that again?
• I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that. Can you describe what you mean?

To invite your guests to ask questions

You can make all of your guests feel welcome by encouraging them to ask questions:

• Does anyone have any questions?
• Yes, sir? / Yes, ma’am? Do you have a question?
• Please feel free to raise your hand any time if you have a question.
• So, any questions?

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When working in tourism, you might need to give directions to tourists, share recommendations for a good restaurant or attraction or make friendly conversation.

In these scenarios, you will play the part of the “guide,” but it could be any job where you interact with tourists. Practice these dialogues so you feel confident using these words and phrases in your interactions.

• For (authentic cuisine, family activities, etc.), I recommend…
• My favorite place is…
• Personally, I suggest…

Tourist: Excuse me, do you know a good place for ice cream?

Guide: Oh, yes. For really good ice cream, I recommend Maria’s. It’s located about six blocks from here, and it’s my favorite place. Personally, I suggest the chocolate cherry flavor. I think your family will like it.

Tourist: Great, thanks!

If you work in tourism, you will need to give directions to visitors. Here are some key phrases you might use to explain how to get somewhere: 

• Go straight
• Stop at the…
• Continue until…
• Take the subway (or bus, train, etc.)
• Follow the signs for…
• At the traffic light
• At the next street (or light, block, etc.)
• In five blocks
• Near the hotel (or beach, station, etc.)
• On the main plaza

See this post for more words and phrases for giving directions: 

Asking for and giving directions in English is a helpful skill, and this guide will show you the important vocabulary you need to know, with audio pronunciation included!…

Tourist: Can you tell me how to get to the theater?

Guide: Sure! The theater is near the train station. You need to go straight down this street for one block. At the next street, turn left. Continue until you see a sign for the theater, in about five blocks. If you’re lost, you can follow the signs for the train station. Does that make sense?

Tourist: Yes, thank you!

Here’s a helpful video to practice basic phrases for giving directions:

Here are some phrases that you can use when you want to make friendly conversation with a guest or visitor:

• So, are you enjoying your time in (Paris) so far?
• Tell me, what is your favorite part of the city so far?
• What do you think of the (architecture, food, beach, festival, etc.) ?

This vocabulary will help you a lot when you are working in the tourism industry or searching for jobs. 

• Bellhop / baggage handler — the person who will open the front door for guests and carry their bags to their rooms
• Concierge / receptionist — the person at the front desk who welcomes the guests, gives out room keys, helps guests make reservations and takes payments for reservations
• Maid / housekeeper — the person who cleans the hotel rooms ( see English vocabulary for housekeeping here ) 
• Janitor — the person responsible for cleaning everything outside of hotel rooms, such as the lobby and other common areas 
• Groundskeeper — the person who takes care of all the plants outside the hotel
• Maintenance worker — the person who fixes anything that stops working in the hotel 
• Manager / supervisor — the person who makes sure everything goes well at the hotel, hires employees, teaches new employees how to do their jobs and makes sure that guests are happy
• Event planner — the person who makes sure the hotel is ready for big events such as business conventions (meetings) or weddings 

Here are a couple of vocabulary guides for working in hotels:

Practicing English for receptionists can help you greet and assist hotel guests with ease. By studying the right phrases, you can prepare yourself to handle common…

Knowing hotel vocabulary in English is essential if you want to work in the hospitality industry. Check out our list of 100+ vocabulary words and phrases on everything…

These jobs might exist at a hotel if it has a bar and/or restaurant. 

• Bartender — the person who makes and serves drinks at the bar 
• Host / hostess — the person who stands at the entrance to the restaurant and welcomes guests, brings them to a table and takes reservations on the phone and in person
• Server / waiter / waitress — the person who serves customers who are eating at the restaurant (“waiter” refers to a male, “waitress” refers to a female and “server” can refer to any gender)
• Busboy / busser — the person who makes sure that tables are clean and ready for customers
• Chef / cook — the person who prepares food at the restaurant

If you work or want to work in a bar or restaurant, check out this vocabulary guide next:

Click here to learn English for restaurant staff! Here, we have information about six essential restaurant positions, the common phrases used by each one and study…

There are entire companies that exist just to help travelers book their trips. If you work for one of these companies, you will either work in an office or outside the office helping travelers enjoy their time in your city or country.

• Secretary / administrative assistant — someone who takes care of the whole office by organizing paperwork, making and receiving phone calls, organizing the office schedule and taking reservations for tours and trips
• Travel agent — someone who helps people find the most affordable flights, hotels, etc. and helps them buy tickets and make reservations before they travel
• Tour guide — someone who goes out with tourists and takes them on adventures to explore towns, cities, farms, mountains, jungles and more
• Taxi driver / private driver — someone who drives tourists in a taxi or private car between different places, and sometimes on a tour around the area
• Shuttle driver — someone who drives a large vehicle (usually a small bus or large van) to transport groups of people between places, such as from the hotel to some popular tourist destinations or between the hotel and the airport
• Airline agent — someone who works at the desk of an airline (a company that owns airplanes and provides transportation services with them)
• Flight attendant — someone who takes care of passengers on airplanes by serving food and drinks and giving safety instructions ( see English vocabulary for flight attendants here )
• Cruise attendant — someone who takes care of people on boats and ships by doing the same things as flight attendants, providing services like food and drinks and giving safety instructions
• Translator — someone who translates between different languages in writing, such as for tourism guides or flyers 
• Interpreter — someone who translates between two languages by listening and speaking, often to help tourists and visitors understand and speak with local people
• Recreational guide — someone who goes with tourists to do activities like yoga, surfing, cycling, running, hiking and climbing mountains

Here is a list of common tourism-related English words. You might be asked questions with these words or you might need to use them yourself. Make sure you’re familiar with them and can use them in full sentences.

• Tourist – someone who travels to different places for enjoyment or to see new things
• Attractions — places of interest that are often visited by tourists, such as museums or amusement parks
• Landmark – a special or famous place that people can easily recognize, often used for giving directions
• Destination – a place to which people travel for leisure, business or other purposes
• Guide – a person who helps tourists by showing them around and giving them information about a place
• Guidebook – a book that provides information for travelers about a particular destination, including attractions, hotels and restaurants
• Souvenir – a small item that people buy to remember a place they visited, like a keychain or a postcard
• Itinerary – a plan or schedule that shows the activities or places someone will visit during their trip
• Accommodation – a place where travelers can stay overnight, such as a hotel, hostel or campground 
• Transportation – the way people travel from one place to another, such as by car, bus, train or airplane
• Passport – a document issued by a government that proves a person’s identity and nationality, allowing them to travel internationally
• Visa – a stamp or document given by a country’s government that allows someone to enter or stay in that country for a certain period of time, usually for tourism, work, or study
• Business district — also called the financial district, this is the center of the city where many offices, banks and companies are located
• Entertainment district — a part of a city where there are lots of restaurants, bars, theaters and other fun places
• Dining district — an area within a city with a lot of restaurants 
• Custom — a traditional way of doing something that is common in a particular culture or society
• Highlight — the most interesting or exciting part of something, often the main attraction 
• Scenery — the natural features of an area, such as mountains, rivers or forests, that people find beautiful to look at
• Surroundings — the area or environment around a particular place, including nearby buildings, landscapes and neighborhoods
• Depart — to leave from a place, especially when traveling
• Arrive — to reach or get to a place or destination, especially when traveling
• Recommend — to suggest or advise someone to do something because you think they will enjoy it
• Read the “English for International Tourism” textbooks. They are available in low-intermediate ,  intermediate  and  high-intermediate levels. As long as you have a foundation in English, this series is perfect for learning how to communicate with coworkers and tourists in different tourism-related scenarios. Here are some more English for Tourism books we recommend.  
• Take an English for Tourism course. You can find some great courses on Udemy, such as this English for Business and Tourism course aimed at low-intermediate to intermediate students. Or take lessons with a tutor who specializes in tourism on Preply .
• Complete tourism English courses on Memrise. Focus on Memrise English courses for tourism. These lessons feature English vocabulary words and phrases that anyone in the tourism industry would use in their daily activities. Try spending at least 30 minutes a day using Memrise to brush up on your tourism vocabulary—you’ll notice a difference!
• Follow travel vloggers on YouTube. Look for channels or specific videos about the place where you will be working. Engage in discussions in the comments as well! Not only will that make using YouTube more fun , but it will also require you to learn and use new words during your chats back and forth with others.
• Participate in discussions on travel forums. Travel forums allow you to use your new tourism vocabulary with native speakers and practice written English . On TripAdvisor , you can talk with English speakers about traveling, hotels, restaurants, transportation and more. The /r/travel subreddit is a great place to talk about everything related to tourism. 
• Give yourself daily homework. A great place to start is  the tourism section of ESL Conversation Questions . You’ll find a variety of tourism-related topics that you can discuss with your friends and coworkers. If you’re a hospitality professional, check out Oxford University Press’ free online workbook series, English for Careers . 

Bookmark this page so you can come back and view this tourism vocabulary whenever you have some free time.

Soon you will be able to communicate with any tourist who crosses your path!

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Airport - Hotel

Buying tickets

Videos: airport, hotel ..

Travelling - tourism

Exercises - vocabulary 1.

AIRPORTS/AIRPLANES

• Airport 2: At the check desk
• Airport 3: At the check
• Airport: What's wrong?
• At the airport: Questions
• With flight attendants
• On the plane: What's wrong?
• Customs / immigration: Entering
• Customs / immigration: Questions

HOTELS/ACCOMMODATIONS

• Hotels - vocabulary exercises
• Hotel: General vocabulary 1
• Hotel: General vocabulary 2
• At the hotel 1: Checking in
• At the hotel 2: Checking in
• From the hotel into the city
• At the reception desk
• At the hotel 5: reservation
• Hotel 6: Asking directions
• What you like/don't like
• At the hotel: Questions

TRAVEL ENGLISH/ENGLISH FOR TOURISTS

Learn/practice common english phrases used by travelers.

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IELTS Vocabulary – Travel

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Questions about travel and tourist destinations are extremely common on the IELTS examination. This page contains essential words and phrases that will help you answer questions on the topic of IELTS travel vocabulary. There are exercises for you to IELTS practice with real questions.

Table of Contents

• Travel Vocabulary
• Travel Vocabulary Activity
• Travel Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, and Collocations
• Travel Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, and Collocations Activity

1. Travel Vocabulary

• Attraction – A place that entices visitors because it is interesting
• Backpacking – To travel, often to more than one destination, with your belongings in a backpack
• Camping – A holiday spent in a tent or camper van
• Cruise – A sea-based trip taking a pre-planned route that involves visiting several ports
• Excursion – A short trip usually taken whilst on holiday
• Flights – Journeys that are taken through the air on an aeroplane or helicopter
• Footfall – The number of people who enter an area/shop
• Frugal – To be economical and sparing with money
• Heritage – Objects and characteristics that are valued because of their cultural or historical significance
• Holiday/Vacation – An extended period of recreation/leisure spent away from home
• Homeland – The country you were born/brought up in
• Hostel – Similar to a hotel but cheaper and often caters for young people, travellers, and students rather than the typical tourist
• Hotel – An establishment that provides rooms and food to paying guests
• Itinerary – A detailed plan of a route or journey. It usually includes times, dates, prices etc…
• Luggage – The collective name for the suitcases/bags that you take on a trip
• Luxurious – Of high quality
• Safari – A type of holiday/trip to observe or hunt animals. Most common in Africa.
• Seasonal – Only occurring at certain times of the year
• Scenery – The natural features of a landscape
• Sightseeing – The act of visiting different attractions or sights
• Souvenir – Something you keep as a reminder of a place
• Storey/Floor – A part of a building with all the rooms are on one level
• Suitcase – A case with a handle used for carrying clothes or possessions on a trip
• To travel by… / OR – on a plane/bus/boat/train/bike/the metro – To move from one place to another in a car/taxi
• Traditional/Quaint – Old-fashioned and attractive
• Travel agent/agency – The person who helps reserve you a holiday/The place where you reserve the holiday
• Travel arrangements – The plans/preparations that go into making a trip/journey

2. General Travel Vocabulary Activity

3. travel idioms, phrasal verbs, and collocations.

There are many collocations, idioms and phrasal verbs used to discuss travel and destinations. Using them correctly will make your answers sound completer and more natural. Here are some common words and phrases that you can use in the IELTS examination, followed by exercises for you to practice using the words in context.

• Affordable destinations – Places that are within a person’s financial means. Not expensive/luxury
• Affordable travel – Trips that are within a person’s financial means
• All-inclusive – A trip where all food, drink, and accommodation are provided
• Around the world – A large proportion of the world. Many destinations/continents.
• Bed and breakfast – A type of accommodation that provides a room and breakfast
• Breathtaking view – A view that is extremely beautiful or amazing
• Bucket list – The places you want to visit and things you want to do in your lifetime
• Get around – To move from place to place
• Get away – To go on holiday/vacation/ (n) The holiday/vacation itself
• Guided tour – Part of a trip where tourists are taken from place to place and given information by a guide
• Head for/towards – To go in a certain direction or the direction of a specific place
• Holiday destination – Place where people go on holiday/vacation
• Itchy feet/Wanderlust – The desire to travel
• Long haul/Short-haul destination – A destination far away from your home/ close to your home
• Long haul/Short-haul flight- A flight that takes 6 + hours / A flight that takes -3 hours
• Middle of nowhere – A place that is remote and far from civilisation
• Off the beaten track – Away from where the tourists normally go
• Out of season – The part of the year when it is not very busy
• Package holiday – A holiday where the flight and accommodation, and often food, are included
• Peak season – The busiest time of the year. For example, school holidays and Christmas
• Swarming with tourists – Lots of tourists in a particular place
• Tour guide – The person who leads guided tours to visit attractions and sights
• Tourist trap – A place that attracts and exploits tourists
• Travelling light – To go on a trip with little bags or luggage
• When in Rome (do as the Romans do) – When you go to a place you should follow the customs/rules of the local people

4. Travel Idioms, Phrasal Verbs, and Collocations Activity

For more practice, Visit IELTS vocabulary for Transportation .

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Travel Vocabulary in English with Travel Stories

Apr 27, 2016 | Advanced Vocabulary

I know you love to travel as much as do. So today I want to share some of my favorite advanced travel vocabulary in English so you can tell your own travel stories more easily. 

I have 3 different travel stories for you today. In each, I’ve highlighted useful vocabulary and groups of words that often go together or collocations.

Here’s what I want you to do:

• Read the stories.
• Note the highlighted vocabulary and groups of words – can you identify the meaning from the context? (If you need help, you can use the definitions I’ve provided to help you.)
• Write your own travel story using some of the new vocabulary and expressions. You can write about a past travel experience, a business trip, a future vacation or any other travel opportunity. Then share your story in the comments.

The goal is for you to use the same keywords in your own sentences.

This is the best way for you to truly learn and remember new vocabulary. And this means the next time you talk or write about travel, you’ll have all these words available to you in your mind!

Advanced Travel Vocabulary in English with Real-Life Stories

Sharon’s travel story: a staycation on a tight budget.

When I was younger, I had a real  sense of adventure . I loved backpacking, camping in the woods, sleeping in tents and spending the evening next to the campfire. As a child, I remember trying to build a fire  from scratch  by rubbing two sticks together. I think my entire family laughed while I worked at it for an hour. Unfortunately, I never succeeded.

But I do have such good memories of camping and hiking with my family. Every summer my parents would  pack up  the kids and the dog into the car, pack all our  outdoor gear  on the roof of the car and fill coolers full of food.

My mom would pack all the usual stuff:  trail mix , fruit, marshmallows to  roast over the fire , stuff to make sandwiches, etc. We’d take a road trip to the mountains in Colorado, find our spot to  set up camp  and pitch our tents near the river. I loved listening to the sound of the river at night!

I haven’t camped for years! Neither David nor I can take that much time off of work. It makes me a little sad that Sophie, our daughter, won’t have those same memories.

But last year we did do something a little fun, a little different: we had a  staycation . The two of us could only get 4 days off of work and we were  on a tight budget . We hadn’t enjoyed everything the city has to offer for ages so we decided to just pretend to be on vacation here at home. We visited the museums, went to the theater, we even took a day trip to the coast a few hours away for a day of sun, sand, and surf.

We have some wonderful photos (and memories) of our picnic dinner watching the sunset on the beach.

sense of adventure

The desire to explore and to take advantage of adventurous opportunities.

outdoor gear

Generally used to describe items or equipment needed for outdoor recreation: tents, skis, bicycles, snowboards, etc.

set up camp

To prepare and position everything in a campsite.

from scratch

To make (or create) from the beginning with the basic ingredients.

A snack mix with a combination with dried fruit, grains, and/or nuts.

The combination of stay-at-home and vacation. A vacation where you stay at home and enjoy local sites.

pack up (the kids/the car)

To prepare one’s belongings; to gather one’s things together and prepare to depart. With “the kids” this refers to prepare the kids and their belongings for departure.

roast over the fire

To cook over the fire.

on a (tight) budget

To be on a budget means to not have a lot of extra money. A “tight” budget means very little extra money.

Lara’s Travel Story: Anything All-Inclusive

Ugh! I hate planning vacations. I mean, I do love traveling but I don’t want to think about it. All those little details – I  can’t be bothered !

I prefer those  all-inclusive  kinds of vacations for a  little R&R . You know, those places where  all you do is show up  and that’s it.

You have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Activities, the beach, the pools, dancing. Sure, they usually cost a little more but if I don’t have to plan everything then it’s worth it. The only thing is you have to be careful of those  hidden extras ! I’ve definitely been surprised by the final bill a few times.

My fiancé and I are talking about an all-inclusive cruise for our honeymoon. It sounds amazing but I’ve never been on a ship for that long.

can't be bothered

Don’t want to waste time doing something.

all you do is show up

Show up = to arrive for an appointment or gathering. “All you have to do is …” means that there is nothing else expected of you.

An exaggerated way to say, “a lot of.”

all-inclusive

(Almost) all activities and food are included in the total cost.

hidden extras

Expenses that are not included (or unexpected) in the final cost.

The services or perks that a hotel provides with the reserved room.

a little R&R

A little r est and r elaxation.

island-hopping

To visit one island after another.

To pack too much.

Jean-Luc’s Travel Story: Exotic Adventure

I’m always dreaming of my next  far-off, exotic destination . I’ll go anywhere as long as it’s adventurous.

Last year I  chartered a boat  with a friend to sail around the Greek Islands. In the afternoons, we’d  pull into ports , dive into the water, enjoy dinner on the beach and then  head back  to the boat for the night. On really warm nights we actually sleep right on the deck  under the stars .

What’s next? I don’t know. Maybe Colombia, Peru, or Chile? I’ve never been to South America and I love the idea of spending time in the Andes Mountains. Hiking in the  middle of nowhere , you know what I mean?

Those kinds of places give you such a better  perspective on life . It’s easy to forget we’re all just a tiny piece of this earth.

Or maybe Thailand? That’s another of my  bucket list  destinations.

far-off destination

A destination remote (in time or space).

To return to a place.

perspective on life

A particular attitude toward or belief about something; a point of view.

charter a boat

The reservation of a plane, boat, or bus for private use.

under the stars

To be outside with no covering.

bucket list

The achievements or experiences a person hopes to have or accomplish in their life.

pull into port

The place where a vehicle or driver stops into. In this case, a boat stops in a port.

middle of nowhere

A remote place far from any city, town, or village.

Now I’d love to hear your travel story!

Practice and build your vocabulary by sharing your own travel story in the comments below!

Using the vocabulary from the stories above, describe your favorite travel experience or tell me about a trip you’d like to take in the future.

Don’t forget to read and comment on stories from other Confident English readers. You might learn something new or have an interesting question to ask.

Happy travels!

~ Annemarie

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Thank you for this lesson ,Annemarie ,

Very useful to me and as complete as possible

There is a typo. The last line should be a bucket list for not of.

Good eyes, Harsha, and thank you. We’ve corrected the sentence.

Dear Annemarie, Am new to this site and blog .AM very thank ful to you for sharing all these good phrases and vocabularies which helped a lot . looking forward for great lessons .Your videos are so good which helped me alot to get the correct pronunciation and also i have seen you are reading all the comments and giving a positive feedback which is so appreciated am looking forward for your comment. I have read and seen lot of english leaning sites but they usually wont reply to the comments . thanks Neetha

I’m very happy to hear you’re enjoying the Speak Confident English website and the lessons we have here. We definitely work hard to create lessons that will truly help you advance your English skills. And yes, my team and I definitely read all the comments and respond. 🙂

Hi Annamarie,

Thanks so much for this lesson. I have an advanced student and new vocabulary is always helpful.

I live in Chile, so if you need any tips or recommendations, plesase let me know, I would be happy to help you out if you are still planning to visit South America,

Awesome! I’m so glad this lesson was helpful to use with your student. And I’d LOVE to visit Chile one day. I’ll definitely ask you for recommendations if I get the opportunity. 🙂

Wow, Your have shared here such an amazing and best post which is useful for all of us. I like it and wanna say that your travel story is really fantastic and know I want to bookbus for visiting NY after reading your post.

Hi Ammy, thanks so much. I’m glad to know enjoyed and felt inspired by the lesson.

Dear Annemarie I’ve been to Iceland two years ago and I had a wonderful vacation! As Sharon, I had a real sense of adventure so I convinced my best friend to come with me, we packed up our backpacks and then we departed. We chartered a car and we traveled all over the country for 11 days. We saw amazing landscapes, waterfalls, geyser, volcanos, glaciers, and we did whale watching. We had nothing but our backpack, our tent and a burning desire to explore. Iceland is a great place. I look forward to come back there and have one more …  Read more »

Sounds like an amazing opportunity and adventure, Davide! Thanks for sharing. I’ve always wanted to visit Iceland. I really liked your use of “a burning desire to explore.” What a great expression!

Hi Annamarie, my last trip was in the city of Madrid. A wonderful city. At the time I was always without money because of I was unemployed but in the same time I craved traveling. So my sense of adventure took me to packed up my stuff buying an airline one-way ticket for Madrid. After few days in Madrid I found a job just in the week ends. I didn’t waste my time because there’s no time like present and every day I walked through the parks , visited museums and, I always looked around the city, the square, I …  Read more »

Hello Annemarie I’m from Thailand. I just learned your lesson. It was very useful. I have to say that I really like your blog, especially this topic because I love traveling. So today I have my travel story to share with you. Last month, I went to Phuket, which is an island in Thailand. I’ve already been there two or three times actually but I couldn’t get enough of it. Somebody even calls me an “island queen” and yes I truly am. I got a chance to do some diving and island hopping with one-meter-high waves. And of course, I …  Read more »

Dear Annemarie , I love these adventaures and I love going and having a trips with my friends and my family,Ande mountains I love pack packing that is my adore and I did it before with my family in sinai we climbed the mountains of sinia I loved it because the sunset seen was wonderful and we took exactly 6 hours with the tour guide and we had a rest so I wish to make a trip like me in sinia with your family or you friends Egypt is wondeful Thank you

Dear Annemarie , I really enjoyed reading Sharon’s Travel Story” A Staycation on a Tight Budget ” , it has little details which helped me in imagining the story , I felt every line in the story and how enjoyable was the trip . In addition I’ve learned many expressions like : – sense of adventure – outdoor gear – set up camp – from scratch – trail mix – stay cation – pack up – roast over the fire – on a tight budget Waiting for more ….. 🙂

Hello Rana,

Thank you for your comments. I’m so glad to know that you enjoyed this lesson and found some useful vocabulary. I hope you have the opportunity to use that vocabulary soon.

Hi Ms Annemarie! I loved this story about travel it have lots of adventures, i also loved your interesting language, and i`ve learned more vocabulary from you. I wish you more success on your project.

Hello Renad,

Thank you. I’m happy you enjoyed this lesson and I hope you’ll have the opportunity to use the vocabulary you learned. Learning + immediately practicing is the best way to improve your vocabulary knowledge.

Dear Annemarie thanks for this beautiful stories , it’s very useful and i have loved them so much. the most beautiful one is the “Jean-Luc’s Travel Story: Exotic Adventure” it’s really simple , understandable, meaningful and exciting . the most expression i had loved it in this story is “under the stars”. i hope you can do more than this , by the way you can make this stories like in an audio track or on a cd , it will be more helpful and skillful to the students who are get bored from reading stories. great job hope to …  Read more »

Hello Arwa,

Thank you for your comments and suggestions. I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson and learned some useful vocabulary.

Hi Annemarie , I really enjoyed getting to read your story about jean ,also i liked your language so much it was so helpful , although i love reading adventurous stories. I wish you every success on your projects, I will continue following and sharing them on social networks. yours, ahmed

Thank you for the kind comments, Ahmed. I’m glad you enjoyed the lesson.

Dear Ms Annemarie, I’ve read your story “Lara’s Travel Story: Anything All-Inclusive”. And I learned so much new vocabulary expressions such as; – can’t be bothered -all you do is show up -a ton of -all-inclusive -hidden extras -amenities -a little R&R -island-hopping -over pack I liked the idea of it, it is creative and simple. And I’m waiting for another one, and looking forward to reading your next stories. Every good story you get here in this website and upload it gives you a push froward to reach your goal, so I advice you to complete uploading stories alike …  Read more »

Thank for sharing your thoughts, Bishoy. I appreciate them and I’m glad you learned so much useful vocabulary.

Dear Annemarie My name is Abdullah, i am a student in the 8th grade. I am from Egypt. It’s the first time to read stories with this exciting an I would be so glade to read more for your stories. At first, my teacher in the school told us to read it as a homework and Summarizes, but now I would to read more from you. best wishes , abdullah

Hello Abdullah,

Wonderful. I’m glad this lesson was interesting for you and I hope you’ll continue to find useful lessons on this website.

Hi , I like this type of stories , I’ve learned new vocabulary and new phrases . This type of stories make me excited to continue reading and choosing another one.

Hello Ahmed,

I’m so glad you enjoyed this lesson and that it makes you want to continue reading. Thank you.

I’m really very thankful to you because travel stories helped me so much in teaching my students new vocabulary about journeys . Hope to find more and more in future lessons

Hello Antar,

Thank you for the comment. I’m very happy to know this has been helpful to you in your classroom and with your students.

Hi Annemarie , Thanks a lot for sharing this post on travel stories. Actually my English not well but I can understand at all, I really like that it help me improve my English as well. Thanks again 🙂

Thanks for your comment, Sakuta. I’m happy that you enjoyed this lesson and have learned some new vocabulary!

Hi Annemarie, First of all, thank you very much for sharing this post on travel stories. I have been following your weekly posts since a couple of weeks, I like this post a lot, it is always exciting listening and talking of travel stories. Sharon’s staycation story resonates well with me as I like going out with family even if it is not such a significant or a popular place to go visit. The feel of going out together and experience the joy of spending time with family outside is worth experiencing and treasure the memories. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go …  Read more »

Hello Hari,

Thank you so much for your comments. I’m thrilled to have you following my Confident English lessons.

Very impressive vocabulary with your sentence, “Sharon’s staycation story resonates well with me…” Nicely said.

This was very well written and you did a great job using vocabulary from the lesson.

Hey AnneMarie to be honest the traveling now is the most important thing in my life, I sounds good when i travel abroad and discouvir a new places, traditions, cultures, countries. I love that !! when I’m thinking of my next trip I be happy for searching for a cheap fly and think in all little details (hotels, food , bus from airoprot to the city centre then to hotel, mesuems, things to do in that city) so for the me the word of cant be bothered doesnt exist in this kind of things. and i dont like all inclusive …  Read more »

Hello Alami,

Thank you for sharing about your travel preferences. Your love of travel is like many of us here. 🙂 As you described, I think planning a vacation can be fun, almost as fun as the vacation.

Do you have a favorite country or place that you like to visit? Best, Annemarie

Mahmoud on May 06.05.2016 Hi Annmarie As this is my first challenge I hope that you like it and that it’s good. On Last May and during a party I won a two hotel full board nights pouch for two in Aqaba_Jordan. Me and my wife were very existed and started to plan for when,how and what kind of activities we can do in Aqaba while staying there, off course budget wise it was affordable due to the pouch, First of all we picked the right weekend to do so, and then I rented a car. Meanwhile, using the net …  Read more »

Hello Mahmoud,

Welcome and thank you for sharing your story!

How wonderful to win an all-inclusive two-day trip to Aqaba! It sounds wonderful. And Petra! I have always wanted to visit Petra! And was this the first time you or your wife scuba dived? How was it?

A few small corrections: “… I won a [full-board two-night hotel stay …]” “My wife and [I] were very [excited] …”

It sounds like the perfect two-day quick trip to get away! Thanks again for sharing. ~ annemarie

Hello Annemarie! Fortunately, I have some free time to accomplish the task and to tell about my vacations. A new trip always means that I will open something new. I always have a sense of adventure when taking some journey, so I always look forward to my holidays and therefore to travelling. It doesn’t matter what kind of holidays I’m going to take, the main thing is what emotions I will have. It may be a camping where I can spend wonderful time roasting meat over the fire, singing campfire songs, eating some trail mix and chatting with my friends …  Read more »

Hello Alexandra – I loved this! You used so many of the key words and expressions! Fantastic work. And I really like the expression: “… if I’m squeezed like a lemon …” I assume that means to feel really stressed, is that correct? What a perfect description for feeling stressed and needing a break! One question, when you say “the main thing is what emotions I will have” do you mean emotions or experiences? When I see emotions, I think of happy, sad, angry, frustrated, joyful, etc. If that is what you mean, that is okay but I wanted to …  Read more »

Thanks a lot for your comments, Annemarie! I appreciate them greatly!!! Frankly speaking I’ve thought that the expression “to be squeezed like a lemon” (that really means “to be very tired and stressed” as you have said) really exists in English, because I leart it at university, but now I doubt… Do native speakers use it in their speech? As for the phrase “the main thing is what emotions I will have”, I’ve meant here that I always get some positive emotions after having travelled, because travelling enriches me, gives the opportunity to meet new people, to get to know …  Read more »

Hello Alexandra,

You are so welcome.

As for “to be squeezed like a lemon” it is possible that it is an idiomatic expression. Idioms can be regional, so it is possible that it is used in another country or a specific region. For me it was new, but I understood what you meant. It was easy to understand from the context. I’ll have to do some research to see if I can find where they use it. 🙂

Best, Annemarie

Thank you, Annemarie!

Hello Annemarie! I miss our challenge and such short stories :)) I will tell you about my nearest travel just in a few days – from Saint-Petersburg to Helsinki by bus. If my budget not so tight, I would prefer the train because it is faster and more comfortable, but I am going to spend two nights in a bus… awesome! It is a business trip just for one day and I will have a lot of free time in the city. So, I hope weather will be well and I have pleasure of the walking and sitting near the …  Read more »

Hello Yulia, I miss our daily challenges too!! It makes me excited for the June challenge. And how fun to go to Helsinki for work! It sounds like you have some good plans for your free time there – the idea of coffee and a sandwich by the sea sounds perfect. A few things: “If my budget [wasn’t] so tight …” — we need to have a verb. ” …spend two nights [on] a bus.” Prepositions are so tricky. We can say “in a car” or “in a truck” but for larger vehicles we say “on a bus,” “on a …  Read more »

Hello Annemarie! I missed your reply on my travel story. Thank you very much for your comments and correction of my text. As you already know, my trip was success and also I had extra practice in English. And weather was really amazing! The local people jocked that we have a chance to get very unusual gift from Helsinki – a sunburn!

A sunburn in Helsinki! That is the first time I’ve ever heard about that! 🙂

I’m so glad it was a successful trip, Yulia. It really made me happy to hear about your experience! ~ annemarie

Everybody loves traveling and I’m not an exception! There is no point in choosing the best way of traveling, all of them are good to get new impressions, to relax and to reload your mind. As a rule it’s me who arranges family vacation from scratch. The choice of vacation depends on a budjet, on a season and its length. Especially I love short holidays for 3-4 days because they are so dynamic, full of events; it’s really a great short break in a busy life. We usually stay at small private hotels without many amenities but with picturesque views …  Read more »

This sounds like the perfect long weekend, Olga! Especially now that spring is starting, I’m dreaming of an easy 3-4 day trip on the countryside. Do you enjoy the planning for vacations or is it stressful for you?

Perfect use of: from scratch, without many amenities, not any hidden extras.

A few changes for articles: “…it’s me who arranges [the] family vacation” “…on [the] season and its length.” “… [a] friendly atmosphere.”

I hope you get to go on a vacation like this soon! 🙂 ~ Annemarie

Hello, I am Rafif Last summer I travelled to Turkey with my family ; my husband and my four daughters, my father and mother, my sisters and brother and their own families . We were 21 persons which means different ages, different needs and expectations about vactions, and I can’t be bothered by all those details. For that I have chosen All_inclusive kind of vactions. Our choice settled on Kartepe (green park ) for a littlr R&R. They also offer breakfast, dinner and afternoon snack time and a lot of amenities like Turkish bath, ( sauna and Jacuzzi), paint ball …  Read more »

Hello Rafif – great travel story! And wow, 21 people! I can imagine that packing was a problem and I love that you watched a Mr. Bean video to help. Great use of: I [couldn’t] be bothered, I [chose an] all-inclusive kind of vacation, all we [had to do was] show up, hidden extras and several more. Two corrections: There were 21 of us (instead of We were 21 persons). The final bill was acceptable [,it wasn’t that much] or [, it wasn’t that big.] I really enjoyed this and you did a great job using some of the more …  Read more »

Thank you Anne marie for your comment and the correction

I love traveling, I do believe that traveling gives you a better perspective on life, it changes you. When you come back home you are a bit different! You have tons of new ideas, stories to tell! I think it is a good way to reboot all your system and we all need a little R and R after all! I remember when a child we would go to the seaside like every year. Our parents would pack up a car and all our belongings and our trip would begin. You know Ukraine is the biggest country in Europe, so …  Read more »

Excellent!!!! You described your memories in that way I felt I was there!!! It’s wonderful that you love traveling and can go anywhere easily without a doubt! I think you are really interesting person to have among friends!

Thank you so much! You are adorable!:) It is always fun to travel with a great company!:)

What wonderful details, Maria! I can imagine getting up early and into the car to start a 10-hour road trip! And I love your 3 must-haves (don’t forget the ‘s’ on ‘haves’ since it’s 3). Like you, I love the idea of the seaside, the sunset, and grilling over the fire! Great use of: sense of adventure, perspective on life, a little R&R, tons of, on a tight budget and several more! A couple things: I remember when [I was] a child or I remember [as] a child, stroll [on] the beach Thanks so much for sharing this! I enjoyed …  Read more »

Thank you! I do have a quick question (this is your phrase, I know:)): stroll on – is it always with “on”? Or it depends? Could you help me with this one, please? I like this word and want to use it correctly! Thank you!

Great question. Actually, it isn’t the verb (stroll) that is important. It is the noun that follows: on the beach. We can use any verb with this: jog on the beach, run on the beach, stroll on the beach, etc. Other examples: along the river, around the city. So you could say: stroll along the river, stroll around the city.

Frankly speaking, I love travelling a lot. I love spending my free time or vacation with my family and my friends! By the way, I can have a great vacation even if I’m on a tight budget. The alternative variant is to have a staycation. My city is so amazing and beautiful! There are a lot of places of interest here. I also like to go out of the city, to go to the country, for example. Love that feeling when you pack up the kids, friends, dogs into the car, pack all outdoor gear. And It goes without saying …  Read more »

And here we go – well marinated meat is a must-have thing!;)

We have something in common- we both love shashlik))

Tatyana, you’ve done such a great job creating your own story and sharing your memories! Great use of: on a tight budget, staycation, pack up the kids, outdoor gear, all-inclusive. I was quite impressed with your use of prepositions and articles. There are just a couple missing: [the] outdoor gear, [an] all-inclusive. Really impressive! And I agree with you completely, with some inspiration and desire, any vacation can be magical! Thank you so much for sharing your story! ~ Annemarie

Dear Rachel, I am Tanja Kuzmanoska from Macedonia. I follow your posts and videos, but I resonate with this post the most, it came just in time. I love traveling, I have traveled places and been on interesting vacations. Recently I started a blog on traveling , the first post I wrote was in Macedonian, but few days ago I translated it in English. It is written in a different style, rather a blend of travel guide and prosaic, emotional text. I would love if you read it and give me a feedback. I send you the link below. Thank …  Read more »

Thank you for your comment. How exciting that you have started a blog on traveling! I’d be happy to read it.

I do have a quick question – I wasn’t sure who Rachel was?

Thanks again for the comment. I’ll be sure to email you with any feedback on your English travel story! ~ Annemarie

Hi again Annemarie, I am so sorry I have mistaken your name for Rachel, I hope you will forgive me! Regards, Tanja

🙂 Hi Tanja, No problem. It happens. I just wasn’t sure who you meant. I’ll look forward to reading your blog later today! ~ Annemarie

Dear Tanja,

I really enjoyed getting to read your story about your hometown or where your ancestors are from. You have a gift with words. I could really get a feeling for the area. How interesting that there are only two families there now!!

Thank you for sharing your site. I hope you will continue to write! ~ Annemarie

Dear Annemarie

Thank you so much for your time to read my story, your comments mean a lot to me. I am happy that you enjoyed reading it, and I appreciate your support very much. I will certainly continue to share my stories in words and photos and you are welcome to visit my site 🙂

I wish you every success on your projects, I will continue following and sharing them on social networks!

Many thanks and all the best, Tanja

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This month’s Teacher’s Corner explores the world of travel and tourism. Specifically, each week covers travel-related topics that students can use to practice speaking, reading, and listening.

For many English learners, traveling the world is one of the many reasons they study English. No matter where you travel, it is easy to find a speaker of English to help you on your journey. However, as every good traveler knows, it is best to be prepared. This month’s Teacher’s Corner is devoted to giving students the chance to practice and prepare their English for the world of travel.

The activities this month are designed to give students the opportunity to creatively practice their English while thinking about travel both at home and abroad:

• Week 1 – Around the World
• Week 2 – What to See in Town
• Week 3 – Planning a Trip
• Week 4 – Over-tourism

Week 1 begins the month with a Pecha Kucha style presentation. In these fast-paced presentations, students must describe an around-the-world trip in three minutes using only six presentation slides. In Week 2, students practice common phrasal verbs used in travel and tourism. In Week 3, students describe the tourist attractions in their home countries by preparing a six-day trip for a new visitor. Finally, this month’s Teacher’s Corner concludes with a debate activity focused on the increasing concern of over-tourism.

Table of Contents

In this week’s Teacher’s Corner, students are tasked with creating a Pecha Kucha presentation on an around-the-world trip. Pecha Kucha is a presentation style where each presenter is allowed twenty slides which are shown for twenty seconds each. The goal is to encourage the speaker to be concise – to not talk too long. For this activity, students will get six slides shown for thirty seconds each, with each slide showcasing a place they would like to visit on a trip around the world.

Intermediate to Advanced

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Speaking, reading (primary focus) Listening (secondary focus)

Students will practice speaking, reading, and listening through

• Researching locations they would like to visit on a trip around the world
• Delivering a three-minute presentation about their around-the-world trip
• Teacher: computer, projector, stopwatch or other timing device, a map
• Students: notebook, pencil, paper, computers (for research to be done as homework, or books and encyclopedias)

PREPARATION

• Read through all the materials carefully.
• For this activity, students will be giving presentations to the class. To save time, be sure that students submit their presentations as a homework assignment before the day they will present them. The teacher should then have all the presentations loaded onto the class computer, ready to go at the start of the class. Having the presentations already loaded will save time, compared to each student separately loading his or her presentation on the computer. Having the presentations ready to go at the start of class will save time, compared to each student separately loading his or her presentation on the computer. If a computer is not available, this can be done on sheets of large paper as well.
• During this activity, students will be giving presentations that have a set time limit of three minutes. To keep students on time, the teacher controls when the slides of the presentation change. Optionally, a student can be selected as the official timekeeper. This student can sit at the presentation computer to advance the slides instead of the teacher.

PART ONE: PREPARING TO DEPART

• Begin the class by showing a map of the world. To warm students up for the activity, ask students to come to the board and point to countries that you name.
• If none of the students know the meaning of the word, give them a clue. For example, point to the United States and tell the students, “The United States is a country.” Next, point to Mexico and tell the students, “Mexico is a country, too.” Finally, point to Canada and say, “Canada is also a country.” Then tell the students, “The United States, Mexico, and Canada are all on the same continent.” While speaking, use your finger to draw a large circle around the North American continent. (Don’t forget to include Central America too!)
• To check the students’ comprehension of the word continent ask the class, “How many continents are there in the world?” Students should respond with “seven”; if they answer “six,” they may have forgotten about Antarctica!
• Ask the students which continent they most want to visit and why. Tell the students to think about their answers.
• Next, have the students form pairs and share their answers with their partners.
• Finally, have students share their answers with the entire class.
• Inform the class that for homework they are going to plan an around-the-world trip.
• Explain to the students that they will prepare a presentation to show the class about their around-the-world trip.
• Instruct the students that their one location per continent must be a city, national park, or sightseeing location. An entire country is too large to select as one location!
• Students must travel in one direction around the world (either east or west).
• Each slide should have some basic information about the location and at least one picture of the location.
• Finally, inform the students that they will only have three minutes to give their presentation to the class, and each slide will only be shown for thirty seconds. So, students should practice their presentations before class!

PART TWO: CLASS PRESENTATIONS

• On the day students give their class presentations, remind them they only have thirty seconds for each slide. If time permits, give the students a few minutes to check their notes and prepare for their presentations.
• Have the first student presenting come to the front of the class.
• Open the student’s presentation and start the timer. After thirty seconds move to the next slide; after another thirty seconds move to the third slide; and so on.
• Optional: After all the students have presented their around-the-world trip, have the class vote on the most interesting trip!

This week’s Teacher’s Corner provides students with the opportunity to practice using phrasal verbs in an activity about New York City.

Reading, speaking (primary focus) Listening (secondary focus)

During this activity, students will

• Practice speaking skills through a matching activity
• Practice reading skills and using travel-related phrasal verbs in a worksheet activity
• Teacher: whiteboard or chalkboard, markers or chalk
• Students: pencils or pens, notebooks or writing paper
• Print out copies of the phrasal verb cards in Appendix 1. a. Students will use the phrasal verb cards in a pair-work activity. Print enough copies of the phrasal verb cards for each pair of students to have a set.
• Cut out the phrasal verb cards and for each set, mix the cards so that the phrasal verbs and definitions are mixed well.
• Print out copies of the phrasal verbs fill-in-the-blank worksheet in Appendix 2. Students will use the worksheet in a pair-work activity. Print enough copies of the worksheet for each pair of students to have one. The answer key is in Appendix 3.

ACTIVITY PART ONE: PHRASAL VERB WARM-UP

• Begin the class by having the students form pairs. 
• Give each pair a set of phrasal verb cards (already mixed up) from Appendix 1.
• Have the students work together to match each phrasal verb to its correct definition.
• After the students have completed the matching activity, review the answers as a class.
• Next, ask the students, “What do the phrasal verbs have in common?” a. Answer: Each of the phrasal verbs is related to travel.
• Next, ask the students, “What is the one city in the world you would like to visit?” a. Optional: Ask the students this question as part of a Think, Pair, Share activity.     i. First, have the students think about their answer individually.     ii. Next, have the students share their answer with their partner.     iii. Finally, encourage the students to share their answer or, even better, to share their partners’ answers with the class.

ACTIVITY PART TWO: PHRASAL VERB WORKSHEET

• Begin this part of the activity by asking the students if they would like to visit New York City.
• Next, ask why they would like to visit the city, or ask what they would like to do if they visited the city.
• As students answer the questions, pass out the phrasal verb fill-in-the-blank worksheet to the pairs of students. Instruct them to read through the worksheet and circle any vocabulary they don’t know. a. If students have questions about vocabulary, take a few moments to answer their questions before moving on to Step 4.
• Next, have the pairs of students fill in the blanks on the worksheet with the phrasal verbs on the cards they used in Part 1 of this activity. As students work, walk around the room to check on their progress.
• Once the pairs have finished filling in the blanks, check their answers as a class.

APPENDIX 1: PHRASAL VERBS MATCHING CARDS

week2_chart.png

APPENDIX 2: PHRASAL VERBS FILL-IN-THE-BLANK WORKSHEET

appenx2_3.jpg

New York has been called “The City That Never Sleeps!” With so many things to do at any time of day, New York is a great place to visit on vacation. Thanks to New York’s many transportation options, you don’t need anyone to __________ you __________ at the airport. Instead, you can take a bus or the subway into the city, or even have one of the city’s famous yellow taxis __________ you _________ at your hotel. After you ___________________ to your hotel, you can ____________________ on your NYC adventure!

If it is your first visit to New York, be sure to take some time to ____________________ the city by taking a walk. It can be a great way to get to know the city and experience the New York way of life. Some of the best things about New York can be found by ___________________ the many diverse neighborhoods full of great food, interesting events, and historical landmarks. Even though New York is famous for its busy streets, you can ___________________ from the crowds by visiting Central Park. There you can walk through the trees, sit by the lake, and even get a famous New York City hot dog.

Of course, no trip to New York would be complete without visiting the Statue of Liberty. To visit, you need to ____________________ a ferry at Battery Park. While crossing the water, you can ____________________ a wonderful view of the city. Once on Liberty Island, you can walk around the statue, visit the museum, or climb the 377 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty. It is an incredible experience, but tickets sell out quickly!

As you leave New York and your plane ____________________, be sure to enjoy the view out the window to get one last look at the city that never sleeps!

APPENDIX 3: PHRASAL VERBS FILL-IN-THE-BLANK ANSWER KEY

New York has been called “The City That Never Sleeps”! With so many things to do at any time of day, New York is a great place to visit on vacation. Thanks to New York’s many transportation options, you don’t need anyone to ____pick you up_____ at the airport. Instead, you can take a bus or subway into the city, or even have one of the city’s famous yellow taxis ______drop you off________ at your hotel. After you _____check in________ to your hotel, you can ____set out_________ on your NYC adventure!

If it is your first visit to New York, be sure to take some time to __look around____ the city by taking a walk. It can be a great way to get to know the city and experience the New York way of life. Some of the best things about New York can be found by __checking out___ the many diverse neighborhoods full of great food, interesting events, and historical landmarks. Even though New York is famous for its busy streets, you can ___get away_________ from the crowds by visiting Central Park. There you can walk through the trees, sit by the lake, and even get a famous New York City hot dog.

Of course, no trip to New York would be complete without visiting the Statue of Liberty. To visit, you need to ____get on__________ a ferry at Battery Park. While crossing the water, you can _____take in________ a wonderful view of the city. Once on Liberty Island, you can walk around the statue, visit the museum, or climb the 377 steps to the top of the Statue of Liberty. It is an incredible experience, but tickets sell out quickly!

As you leave New York and your plane ___takes off________, be sure to enjoy the view out the window to get one last look at the city that never sleeps!

This month’s Teacher’s Corner explores travel and tourism. This week’s activity asks students to think about their own cities or countries by designing a six-day trip for a visiting tourist.

LEVEL Intermediate to Advanced

FOCUS Reading, writing (primary focus) Speaking, listening (secondary focus)

GOALS During this activity students will

• Practice speaking skills while creating a travel plan for their country or city
• Practice presentations skills while delivering their travel plans to the class
• Teacher: whiteboard or chalkboard, markers or chalk, poster paper (optional)

In this activity, students will prepare a travel plan for someone visiting their country or city for the first time. This activity can take place during one class period or across two classes depending on how much time your students need to prepare their travel plans.

• Print out copies of Appendix 1 Travel Plans. Print enough copies so that each group of two to three students has one to complete.

ACTIVITY PART ONE: HOMEWORK – TRAVEL PLANNING

• Begin this activity by having the students form groups of two to three students.
• Give each group a copy of the Travel Plan from Appendix
• Have the students work together to brainstorm a six-day travel plan to their country. a. If your students are from a large city, they could plan the entire six-day trip just in their city. If your students are from a smaller city or more rural area, they can plan a regional or nation-wide trip.
• As the groups work, walk around the room asking groups for details about their trip. Encourage them to be as specific as possible. For example: if they write “stay in a hotel,” instruct them to be more specific: What hotel? Where in the city? What makes that hotel or area of the city interesting?
• Optional: Depending on time and student levels, this activity can also be a homework assignment. After the groups have finished their travel plans, the homework can challenge the students to use the travel plans to create a poster, a flyer, or even a video where students can show off their six-day travel plans.

ACTIVITY PART TWO: TRAVEL SHOWCASE

• After the groups have finished their travel plans, give them time to prepare a speaking presentation to the class. a. Instruct the students that for the presentation each student in the group must speak. For example, in a group of three students, each student can present on two days of the trip. b.  Note: Depending on students’ level and ability, this presentation part of the activity can be done on a separate day to give the students more time to prepare.
• Next, have each group come to the front of the class and describe the travel plan they made to the rest of the class. a. For additional speaking practice, encourage the rest of the class to ask questions about the trip.
• After each group has presented their travel plan, have the class vote on the presentations. Which travel plan was the best? Which was the most adventurous? Which was the most historic?

APPENDIX 1: TRAVEL PLANS

Directions: Plan a six-day trip to your country for a person who has never visited before. Choose a city, region, or the entire country. Include everything, such as what to visit, where to stay, and what to eat!

This month’s Teacher’s Corner explores the world of travel and tourism. With travel becoming easier and cheaper all around the world, people who live in popular tourist locations have begun to ask if too much tourism can be a problem. In this week’s activity, students will debate the positives and negatives of tourism.

Speaking, listening (primary focus)

Reading, writing (secondary focus)

• Practice reading skills while reading an article about over-tourism
• Practice speaking and listening during a debate on tourism
• Teacher: whiteboard or chalkboard, markers or chalk, a timing device, Internet (optional)
• Before class, read the article " Too Much Tourism "and listen to the audio version of the story.
• Print out copies of Appendix 1: “Too Much Tourism” article. Print enough copies so that each student has one. Note: If a computer lab is an option for your class, have the students read the article by visiting this URL: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/too-much-tourism/4118421.html
• On the website, the article has an audio version that can be streamed over the Internet or downloaded and played on a computer in class.

ACTIVITY PART ONE: "TOO MUCH TOURISM" ARTICLE

• Direct students' attention to the board.
• On the board write the word tourism . Ask the students what the word tourism means.
• Next, as a check of their understanding, ask the class where in their country is popular for tourism?
• Then, write the word over in front of the word tourism to create the new word over-tourism.
• Again ask the students to provide a definition for this word. a.    Note: Over-tourism is a recent issue that has gained attention in the news and travel industry. It does not have an exact definition, but as long as students describe a problem of too many visitors to a place, their definition is acceptable.
• Once again, check the students’ understanding by asking if there are any locations in their country that they think face problems with over-tourism. a.    Note: Depending on the level of the students, this question can be asked as a Think, Pair, Share. First have the students think about the question, then have them share their answers with a partner, finally have the pairs of students share their answers with the class.
• Next, provide each student with a copy of the “Too Much Tourism” article in Appendix 1. Give students time to read the article. a.    Note: To provide students more listening practice, have them listen to the article by playing the audio version of the story from the webpage.
• To check their comprehension, ask the following questions: a.    How many trips are tourists expected to take by the year 2030? (Answer: 1.8 billion) b.    What is Croatia doing to help stop over-tourism? (Answer: Limiting the number of daily visitors to the city of Dubrovnik.)
• Finally, as a show of hands, ask the students who thinks limiting tourism is a good idea? Tell the class they will have the opportunity to share their opinions in a debate. 

ACTIVITY PART TWO: THE TOURISM DEBATE

• Note:  For this debate, students will argue for and against tourism. If you teach a large class, you may want to break students into groups and then have these groups form two teams that can debate. Another option for larger classes is for students to volunteer to participate in the debate, while the rest of the class can act as audience and decide which team won.
• Begin the debate by dividing the class (or a group of students) into two teams. Decide which team will be the For side, which will argue in favor of the topic, and which will be the Against side, which will argue against the theme of the topic.
• While the students are forming For and Against teams, go to the chalkboard and write the theme and topics for the debate: Debate Theme: Tourism  Topic #1: Whether tourism is always good for the local economy, and the economy is more important than too many tourists. Topic #2: Whether too much tourism can harm the local culture of a city. Topic #3: Whether people should travel less. a.     Note:  If time permits have the students debate all three topics. For large classes, students can take turns debating: one group of students debates one topic, then the next group of students debates the next topic, and so on.
• Direct the students’ attention to the three debate topics that you have written on the board and tell the students they should prepare their ideas on these topics for the debate. a.     Note: For more advanced lessons, assign the debate preparation as homework so students can research the topics and prepare with more details.
• Once the students are prepared, have the students who are going to debate first come to the front of the class. Have the two teams form lines on opposite ends of the board. Begin the debate by having the first student in line of the For team present his or her argument for one minute. Then the first student from the Against team has one minute to challenge the ideas presented by the For team’s student.
• After the first students from each team have spoken for a minute, have them move to the back of the line and have the second student in each line more forward. They will now debate against each other. This time the Against student goes first for one minute. The student for the For team then gets to present his or her argument on the topic. Continue until all students have had the opportunity to debate.

Remember:  An effective debate is not only about presenting an argument but also challenging the argument of one’s opponent. For more information on debates and ideas for using debates in class, check out The Great Mini-Debate on the American English webpage.

APPENDIX 1: TOO MUCH TOURISM?

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English Vocabulary for Tourism – A Corpus-Based Approach

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• Jaroslav Kacetl 16 &
• Blanka Klímová 16  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 9405))

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The aim of this article is to determine the most frequent and important English vocabulary used in the area of travel and tourism. This is done on the basis of an analysis of the compiled corpus consisting of the collected tokens from Deutsche Welle video clips by using the software programme called Sketch Engine. In addition, the authors of this article set several useful implications for the teaching of this specific vocabulary, particularly the head nouns.

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Flowerdew, L.: Corpora and Language Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke (2012)

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Frydrychová-Klímová, B.: English for Academic Purposes: Developments in Theory and Pedagogy. UHK, Gaudeamus (2013)

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Greenbaum, S.: The Development of the International Corpus of English. Longman, London (1991)

Kacetl, J.: English Listening Exercises. Gaudeamus, Hradec Králové (2011)

Kacetl, J.: English Listening Exercises II. Gaudeamus, Hradec Králové (2014)

McEnery, T., Xiao, R.: What corpora can offer in language teaching and learning. In: Hinkel, E. (ed.) Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning, vol. 2, pp. 364–380. Routledge, London (2010)

The Sketch Engine, http://www.sketchengine.co.uk/

Thomas, J.: Discovering English with the Sketch Engine. Laptop Languages, USA (2014)

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Jaroslav Kacetl & Blanka Klímová

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George A. Papadopoulos

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Kacetl, J., Klímová, B. (2015). English Vocabulary for Tourism – A Corpus-Based Approach. In: Christiansen, H., Stojanovic, I., Papadopoulos, G. (eds) Modeling and Using Context. CONTEXT 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9405. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25591-0_37

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English worksheets & lessons for beginners

Words related to travel and tourism list 🗿

Words related to travel and tourism 🗿.

To download and print this free English vocabulary list, click here.

aquarium a backpack a bag a blanket a boarding pass a booking, a reservation a border a brochure / a travel brochure a bus station a business trip a camera a camp site a compass a complaint a cottage a cruise a custom officer a customer a day trip a delay a deposit a double bedroom a fare a first aid kit a flashlight a flight a foreign country a foreigner a guest a guidebook a highlight a hostel/a backpacker hostel a hotel a journey a label a local a locker a luggage a map a monument a notepad a passenger a passport a phone card a phrasebook a pillow a postcard a present a public holiday a receptionist a safe / deposit box a seaside resort a single bedroom a sleeping bag a socket a souvenir a swimming-pool a tent a ticket a ticket collector a time zone a tip a tour / a package holiday a tourist a tourist trap a touristic attraction a towel a train station, a railway station a travel adaptor a travel agency a travel agent a travel diary a travel insurance a traveller a twin-bedded room a vaccine a youth hostel abroad accommodation advanced booking required air condition (ou ‘aircon’) airport all inclusive an airline an amusement park an estate an excursion an information desk an overnight stay arrival available B&B baggage hold batteries bed and breakfast boarding boat booked booking by bicycle/bike by boat by bus by car by ferry by motorcycle/motorbike by plane by train camera camping site cancelled / delayed carriage number cruise cruise ship currency custom officer customs delayed departure destination direct booking disabled duty free shop ferry boat first class flip-flops handbag Harbour hitchhiking holidays itinerary jetlag journey luggage, baggage mass tourism mosquito repellent notes / coins on foot one way ticket / single ticket optional package holiday, a package tour package price passenger passport passport control phrasebook places of interest queue here / wait here rates / fares reasonable / exorbitant prices return ticket scuba diving sightseeing tour snorkelling stamps suncream / sunscreen sunglasses the bill the change the country / countryside the custom the deck the hight/ busy – the low season the local food the mountains the reception the seaside the sunrise the sunset the tourist office the touristic season ticket officeu toilets tourist information centre touristic travel documents travelbag VAT

USEFUL VERBS

to land go out at night to arrive to be insured to be on holiday to be seasick to board to book to book to camp to cancel to cancel a booking to charge to check in to check out / to pay the bill to confirm to depart, to leave to depend on tourism to do kayaking to do scuba-diving to do some sunbathing to drop somebody off to explore to follow the tourist trail to get off the beaten track to get sunburnt to give a lift to someone to go abroad to go camping to go on a journey to go on a package holiday to go on a safari to go on a tour to go on holidays to go rock climbing to go sightseeing to go skiing to go trekking to hitchike to look around to pick somebody up to pitch a tent to plan / to take a holiday to relax to rent to stop over to suffer from jetlag to take pictures to travel to travel around the world to travel light to visit / to go sightseeing try the local food

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