The big idea: International tourism is travel to another country for leisure, business or visiting relatives. It is one of the world's largest industries and a major engine of development for many countries.
Niche tourism is a specialised, small-scale form aimed at a particular interest — for example film (movie-location) tourism, adventure tourism, heritage tourism or ecotourism. Niche tourism lets a place stand out and attract higher-spending visitors.
This micro is about why international and niche tourism grow and the debate over whether tourism is a good way to develop a country.
Key terms
- International tourism — tourists crossing a national border (measured as international arrivals).
- Niche tourism — a specialised form targeting one interest (film, adventure, heritage, eco).
- Film / movie-location tourism — visiting places used as film or TV sets (e.g. New Zealand for The Lord of the Rings).
- Adventure tourism — travel for physical, often risky activities (bungee jumping, white-water rafting, trekking).
- Diaspora — people living abroad who keep ties to a homeland; they drive visiting-friends-and-relatives travel.
- Leakage — the share of tourist spending that flows out of the host country (to foreign-owned TNCs).
Mass vs niche: Mass tourism moves large numbers cheaply to a few honeypot resorts. Niche tourism targets a special interest, is smaller in scale, and the visitors usually spend more per head — so a country can earn well without huge visitor numbers.
How this is tested: A line graph of international tourist arrivals over time is the classic stimulus here — sometimes a niche-growth index instead. Read the axes first, then Describe or Identify the trend, quoting figures, before a short Outline [2] on a factor that raises or reduces arrivals. Always develop the Outline to how it changes visitor numbers.
Read the axes first. Which country rose most steeply, and which grew fastest in proportion to its 2010 start?
Interactive diagram
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Describe the trend in international tourist arrivals shown on the graph.
Model answer plan
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| Country | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 | Main draw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 2.5 | 3.1 | 3.9 | Film + adventure tourism |
| United Arab Emirates (Dubai) | 7.4 | 14.2 | 16.7 | Luxury + business + events |
| Spain | 52.7 | 68.2 | 83.5 | Mass coastal + heritage |
| Iceland | 0.5 | 1.3 | 2.0 | Adventure + nature niche |
Factors that change international arrivals
- Marketing & branding — a strong image or film exposure pulls visitors (New Zealand's LOTR campaign).
- Accessibility — more flights, lower fares and new airports widen the market (Dubai's hub airport).
- A growing diaspora — people abroad return to visit friends and relatives, lifting arrivals.
- Events — the London 2012 Olympics and Expo 2020 in Dubai created short-term arrival spikes.
- Negative shocks — conflict, disease outbreaks, disasters or a bad exchange rate cut arrivals.
Describe = trend + figures: To Describe a trend off the table, give the overall direction (e.g. all four rose) plus a figure (e.g. Dubai more than doubled, 7.4 to 16.7 million). One mark trend, one mark quantification.
International tourist arrivals to a low-income country fell sharply in one year. Outline one factor that could reduce international tourism to a country, and develop how it does so.
Model answer plan
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Many countries use a niche to grow tourism: it gives them a unique selling point, draws higher-spending visitors and creates jobs in tours, equipment and hospitality. To answer an Explain [3] you name the way it grows tourism, develop it, and anchor it to a real place.
| Niche type | 2010 | 2015 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure tourism | 100 | 165 | 240 |
| Film-location tourism | 100 | 150 | 210 |
| Heritage / cultural tourism | 100 | 130 | 165 |
How a niche drives tourism growth
- A unique draw — a niche gives a place something rivals lack, so it stands out in a crowded market.
- Higher spending — niche visitors (adventure, film, heritage) pay more per trip, raising income.
- Jobs and the multiplier — guides, equipment hire, hotels and transport all gain, spreading spending.
- Free publicity — a hit film or event markets the place to a global audience at no cost.
Film tourism — New Zealand: After The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were filmed in New Zealand, the country marketed itself as 'Middle-earth'. Film-location tours to sites such as Hobbiton draw thousands of fans a year, supporting tour companies, guides and local towns — a clear case of a niche growing tourism.
Adventure tourism — Queenstown: Queenstown, New Zealand brands itself the 'adventure capital', offering bungee jumping (the sport was commercialised there) and white-water rafting. Overseas thrill-seekers pay for activities, gear and guides, boosting local spending and jobs.
Events & heritage — Dubai, London, Venice: Dubai uses luxury, mega-malls and events (Expo 2020) to grow arrivals; the London 2012 Olympics lifted the UK's visitor numbers and image; Venice trades on its World-Heritage cityscape — though it now suffers overtourism, a reminder niche success can backfire.
Explain one way movie-location (film) tourism can be used to grow tourism, developing the point with an example.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Always name the place: An Explain on niche tourism with no example caps low. Tie it to a real place/film/event — New Zealand (film/adventure), Queenstown (bungee), Dubai (events), Venice (heritage).
How this is tested — the [10] Examine essay: Paper 1 Option E ends with a 10-mark Examine essay, marked on markbands. Recurring versions: whether tourism is a good development strategy, the role of TNCs in expanding tourism, and whether niche (film/heritage) tourism works as a national strategy.
Top band needs: accurate terms, a balanced two-sided argument with named examples and data, attention to different stakeholders and scales, and a justified conclusion.
Examine whether international tourism is a good strategy for developing a country.
Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Markband marks: (1) Argue both sides — gains AND costs (one-sided caps mid-band). (2) Anchor each side to a named place + figure. (3) Weigh stakeholders (locals, TNCs, government). (4) End on an explicit judgement that answers the command term.