rd
Revision guide for Paper 2 – Wednesday 3 June (pm start) – 1hr 15mins
You only answer 3 questions out of 6. The three topics we have studied are;
Question 1 Coasts . Question 2 Weather and Climate. Question 4 Tourism.
Question 1 Coasts
Waves
Waves are created when wind blows over the surface of the sea.
Destructive waves are formed by strong winds and they erode the coastline.
Constructive waves are gentle waves which deposit material.
Fetch is the distance the wind has travelled over the sea before reaching the coast. The larger the fetch the larger the
waves
What processes are associated with the sea?
Erosion
Hydraulic action Waves crash against the cliff, compressing water and air into cracks and forcing the rocks apart.
Abrasion Waves pick up sand and rocks from the sea bed or beach and smash them against the cliff.
Corrosion Minerals such as calcium carbonate (found in limestone and chalk) are dissolved by sea water.
Attrition Sand and pebbles are picked up by the sea and smash against one another wearing them down into smaller and
rounder particles.
Transportation
Longshore drift
Longshore drift is the zig-zag movement of sand
and shingle along the beach. The beach material
is transported by the swash and backwash in the
following way; Winds blow across the coast, at
an angle. The swash of waves runs up the beach
at the same angle as the wind. The backwash
runs straight down the beach at 90o to the shore
line under the influence of gravity.
Depostion
Beaches of sand and shingle are formed when constructive waves lack the energy to transport material.
What landforms result from these processes?
Features of erosion
Cliffs and wave cut platforms
Hydraulic action, abrasion and corrosion undercut the face of the cliff between high and low water mark. This creates a
wave cut notch. The rocks above overhang the notch and as it widens the cliff above is unsupported and collapses.
The cliff retreats inland. As the cliff retreats inland it leaves a gently sloping rocky platform, called a wave cut platform, at
the base of the cliff.
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Headlands and bays
Caves, arches, stacks and stumps
Features of Deposition
Beaches – see deposition
Spits e.g. Spurn Head in Humberside
Longshore drift transports beach
material along the coast. Where
the coast changes direction, e.g.
at a river mouth, beach
material is deposited creating a
new strip of land called a spit. The
end of the spit will often be
hooked if wind sometimes blows
from a different direction. Silt is
deposited in the sheltered water
behind the spit and a salt marsh is
formed.
.
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How do these landforms and processes affect the lives of people living along the coast?
There are advantages and disadvantages of coastal processes and landforms. The natural arch Durdle Door in Dorset
attracts tourists to this area and therefore creates jobs in the tourist industry. The bay and wide sandy beaches of
Bournemouth also attract tourists. These beaches are not completely natural as groynes have been built in Bournemouth
to reduce long shore drift. Further along the coast at Barton-on-Sea cliff erosion is taking place because the sands are not
being replenished and therefore cliffs are left exposed to the waves. Cliff erosion leads to loss of land. Farmers therefore
have less land to farm on and businesses such as cafes at the top of the cliff are threatened and are forced to close. This
can lead to a reduction in tourism and loss of jobs and services. Houses are also threatened with collapse into the sea.
People who live in these houses may not be able to get house insurance and when their houses are destroyed they can be
left homeless or move away from the area.
In 2012 Charlotte Blackman was killed by a collapsing cliff, highlighting the fact that cliff erosion poses danger to lives.
There is also a danger of flooding at the coast if sea levels rise. In Wallasey coastal management designed to protect
against flooding and erosion such as breakwaters look ugly and are very expensive to build and maintain.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of hard and soft engineering strategies used to
manage the coast?
Every stretch of coastline in the UK has a shoreline management plan where local councils decide how to protect
coastlines from erosion and flooding. They must decide whether to do nothing, hold the line, retreat the line or advance
the line. In Wallasey a number of hard and soft engineering strategies are currently used to hold the line. The soft
engineering strategies used are sand dune protection and land zonation. The sand dunes are protected by fencing them
and creating pathways within them so that people do not trample the Marram grass which holds the dunes together. These
dunes then absorb wave energy and will adapt to changing sea levels. The dunes are fairly cheap to protect and look
natural. The dunes also provide a habitat for many rare species of animal such as newts and Natterjack toads. This strategy
is therefore economically and environmentally sustainable. However, sand dunes are not as effective during severe
storms as they can be breached more easily than sea walls. Land zonation is another soft engineering strategy used at
Wallasey means that land close to the sea is not built on. The advantage of this is that homes are less likely to flood or
collapse into the sea and it costs little.
Hard engineering strategies used in Wallasey include the use of breakwaters such as fish tail groynes. These are expensive
to build and can look ugly. They also reduce the transport of material further down the coast thus starving these beaches
of replenishment sands. However, they do build up the beach which encourages tourism in this area and reduces wave
energy which reduces erosion and flooding. Concrete wave return sea walls along this coast are expensive to build, look
ugly and need constant repair and as sea levels rise will need to be replaced with even higher walls. Beach scour occurs at
the base of the sea wall because the curved top reflects the waves down and therefore revetments have been built at the
base at a further cost. However these walls are very effective at stopping flooding and reducing erosion of the land which
is extremely important in New Brighton where businesses and housing require protection.
In the future the local council are considering retreating the line in Wallasey in front of Wallasey golf course where the
land is less valuable. Once they have removed the sea wall they hope that the sea will deposit mud at high tide and
therefore over time create natural mudflats which will absorb wave energy. This strategy is cheaper and more sustainable
than using hard engineering strategies to hold the line but the loss of land will upset golfers and other users of this area.
Advancing the line (building further out to sea) is not used in this area because it is the most expensive option. However it
is used in Japan where flat land is in short supply and needed for housing .
Why are sea levels changing and how will these changes affect people?
Sea levels are rising for a number of reasons;
1. Global warming
The increase in greenhouse gases because of human action means that more solar radiation is being trapped and global
temperatures are rising. As the oceans warm the water expands and se levels get higher. Also ice sheets that cover
Antarctica and Greenland are melting. The water from these ice sheets flows in to the Oceans and further increases sea
levels.
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2. Postglacial rebound
During the last ice age, ice covered the northern parts of England and Scotland and this land sank. Now the ice has melted
and the land in the North has started to rise. However, the land in the south west is sinking by about 2mm per year (like a
see-saw). The rise in sea level is therefore greater in these areas.
3. River estuaries
At the estuaries to rivers sediment is deposited. The land in this area sinks because of the extra weight of the deposited
material.
How will these changes affect people
Rising sea levels will increase the rate of coastal erosion. (See Barton-on-Sea to see the problems caused because of this).
More expensive sea defences will be needed to ‘hold the line’ in places such as Wallasey.
Climate change means more frequent and stronger storms, hurricanes and storm surges. These storms will reach latitudes
they previously did not as the water gets warmer further north and south e.g. 2012 hurricane in New York. In places such as
Bangladesh where land is low lying and sinking because of river deposition there will be more frequent flooding and people
may be forced to flee. They would become environmental refugees.
What is the most sustainable way to manage the coastline in the face of rising sea levels?
As sea levels rise and coasts come under greater threat of flooding more hard engineering strategies might be employed to
hold the line. However, this will only be socially and economically sustainable where the land being protected is expensive
such as in New Brighton or London. Where land is less expensive such as the Wallasey Country Park and golf club the most
environmentally and economically sustainable way to manage the coast in the future may be to retreat the line, (this is also
called managed realignment). Here the sea defences such as the sea walls will be removed and the sea allowed to flood the
area. At high tide mud will be deposited creating mud flats and salt marshes. The mud flats will absorb wave energy and act
as a natural buffer against erosion. In addition sand dunes in this area will act as a further barrier to flooding if they are
managed correctly (see strategies explained before). The dunes will adapt naturally to sea level rise eroding on the seaward
side and building up closer to land. Some people have suggested that sand from the Sahara should be imported to build
giant sand dunes along the coastline of other parts of England.
Some people argue that more of the coast should be protected to build houses as the UK population is increasing. Those
who suffer from the loss of land because of managed realignment, such as farmers and the golfers in Wallasey also argue
that their land should be protected. However, others argue that the increase in tax they would have to pay to protect the
land of other people using hard engineering strategies is unfair and not worth it.
Example exam questions
1. Name and describe the four types of coastal erosion.
2. Explain how waves transport beach material. What is this called?
3. Explain how hydraulic action erodes cliffs.
4. Draw an annotated diagram(s) to explain why processes of coastal erosion result in cliff retreat.
5. Explain how named processes lead to the formation of one coastal landform.
6. Explain how spits are formed giving an example of a spit.
7. Describe ways in which rapid erosion by the sea affects the lives of people who live along the coastline.
8. Describe how sea-level rise may affect people.
9. Use examples to explain advantages and disadvantages of different strategies used to manage the coastline.
10. Describe and explain ways that could be used to protect the coastline from erosion. Use an examples.
11. Why are sea levels rising?
12. What is a sustainable way to manage the coast in the face of rising sea levels.
13. How do coastal landforms and processes affect people’s lives? Use examples in your answer
You are likely to be asked map skills question in this section so make sure you can do grid references and know how to
use a key. You may need to recognise the landforms on a map. Coastal areas are more likely to flood where maps show
low spot heights and contours lines that are far apart.
Question 2 Weather and Climate
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Weather is the day to day changes in the atmosphere. Climate is the average pattern of weather (temperature and
precipitation) over a long period of time (usually 30 years).
What factors create the variations in weather and climate experienced within and around the
British Isles?
Air masses
When air masses move
towards the British Isles
they bring with them the
weather from their place
of origin (see diagram)
There are other factors that affect the temperature of the
UK at different times of the year. The pattern of
temperature is that it is warmer towards the South in
summer but the West coast is also warmer than similar
latitudes in the winter. This is due to the influence of
latitude and ocean currents.
Latitude
Ocean currents
The west coast is kept
warmer in winter because the
warm North Atlantic Drift
Ocean current brings warm
water from the South West to
warm the coast.
Altitude
Altitude also changes temperature. Temperature falls by 1oc for every 100m in height. This is because solar radiation heats
the ground first and then the warmth of the ground heats the air above. As it rises and gets further from the ground it
cools.
Aspect
North facing slopes are usually cooler than south
facing slopes in the UK. This is because South facing
slopes face the sun. In winter when the sun is low in
the sky the north facing slope will be in shadow
How does it rain?
There are 3 types of rainfall. These are convectional rainfall, relief rainfall and frontal rainfall. The process of creating rain is
the same for all 3. Moist air must rise, cool, condense and form clouds (3 Cs). The difference is what causes the air to rise.
Convectional rainfall
The ground being heated by the sun causes the air to rise, cool, condense and form clouds. This usually occurs on hot days.
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Relief rainfall
Mountains force the air to rise with relief rainfall
Relief rainfall occurs in the
West of the UK leaving a
rain shadow in the East.
1. Winds blow in from the south-west
2. The mountains e.g. Cambrian Mountain force the air to rise.
3. As the air rises it cools and water vapour condenses.
4. Clouds form and it rains.
5. The air sinks when it gets past the cloud and it warms so evaporating any moisture.
6. The rain shadow – an area of low rainfall, occurs to the East of the mountains e.g. The Midlands.
Frontal rainfall
At a warm or cold front the warm air is forced to rise above the cold air. It then cools, condenses and forms clouds. (see
depressions)
The passage of a depression
As a warm front approaches cirrus clouds appear, followed by stratus clouds. The nimbostratus clouds bring sustained
rainfall. As the warm front passes the wind gets stronger and temperatures increase. Rainfall decreases and cloud cover
decreases. As the cold front approaches wind speed increases, temperatures fall and cumulonimbus clouds bring heavy
rain for a short period. As the cold front passes and moves away temperatures remain low and there may be showers.
What are the weather hazards associated with high and low air pressure systems over the
British Isles and with tropical storms?
Anticyclones
These are areas of high pressure. Air is moving
down and moisture evaporates as it warms. It
therefore bring dry weather. Winds are usually
light or non-existent and blow in a clockwise
direction. In summer the lack of cloud gives very
warm, sunny conditions. In winter the weather is
sunny and dry but cold and can result in frost and
fog.
Depressions
These are areas of low pressure. Air rises at fronts
creating cloud and rain. Winds are strong and in
an anti-clockwise direction. In the summer and
winter heavy rain and strong winds occur. In the
winter there may also be heavy snow.
How do weather hazards affect people, the environment and the economy?
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UK high pressure weather (anticyclone)
In the summer of 2006, parts of England were suffering their worst drought for 30 years. The water shortage was worse in
south-east England. Farmers crops were parched and died and people suffered heat stroke. Fish in some rivers died due to
low water flow and therefore low levels of oxygen and higher water temperatures. Reservoirs were low and a hose pipe
ban was imposed to reduce the use of water
There are several problems caused by anticyclones in winter. Frost and fog caused by low temperatures can make driving
hazardous, cause the cancellation of flights and damage water pipes which can effect businesses and schools.
UK low pressure weather (depression)
In 2004 Boscastle in Cornwall was flooded by a depression sitting above the area and causing 200mm of rain to fall in 4
hours. The rain caused the River Valency to burst its banks. Residents had little time to react. 50 cars were swept out to
sea, 37 buildings were badly damaged and 5 collapsed. People had to act quickly to survive. Fortunately, nobody died thanks largely to a huge rescue operation involving helicopters - but there was millions of pounds worth of damage. There
was also environmental damage to local wildlife habitats and coastal pollution caused as debris and fuel from cars flowed
out to sea.
As well as heavy rain, low pressure can bring damaging gusts of wind and large waves or storm surges onto the coast.
Coastal regions such as New Brighton have experienced storm surges in the past (1990) when the outdoor pool was
destroyed by the storm surge.
Hurricane Sandy, USA (MEDC) (low pressure / tropical storm)
Hazards - Hurricane Sandy swept through the Caribbean and up the East Coast of the United States in October 2012. The
hurricane made landfall in the United States about 8 p.m. on Oct. 29, striking near Atlantic City, New Jersey, with winds of
80 mph. A full moon made high tides 20 percent higher than normal and amplified Sandy's storm surge which reached a
record storm surge of water into New York City. The surge level at Battery Park topped 4.25 metres and the damage caused
earned Hurricane Sandy the nickname Frankenstorm."
Impact on people
Impact on the economy
Impact on the environment
72 deaths
The total economic damage was $70
Streets were flooded, trees and
People were left stranded in
billion. Airlines lost money as 15,000
power lines knocked down causing
their homes and waited for
flights were cancelled. A tanker ship ran
power shortages and the city's
rescue teams in boats to rescue aground costing thousands to recover. The boardwalk was ripped apart. Sea
them.
flooded infrastructure needed repair (see
water inundated tunnels, subway
Fires destroyed 80 homes and
environmental damage)
stations and the electrical system
flooding left thousands
that powers Wall Street.
temporarily homeless.
A crane was toppled.
Beach erosion in Florida
Cyclone Mariam, Bangladesh (LEDC) (low pressure / tropical storm)
Hazards - On April 30, 1991, Cyclone Marian swept across the southeastern coast of Bangladesh, lashing the area with
winds up to 210 kilometres per hour. A storm surge of over six metres submerged coastal areas and small offshore islands,
causing massive loss of life and destruction. Heavy rain made flooding worse and rough seas hampered relief efforts.
Impact on people
Impact on the economy
Impact on the environment
139,000 died mostly on the
The cost of reconstruction and
300,000 tons of crops were
small sand islands which were
rehabilitation was put at $1.78 billion to
destroyed
washed away by the storm
pay for housing, 9,300 schools and 655
About 224,000 head of cattle,
surge
health centres which were damaged or
218,000 goats, and 2.4 million
140,000 injured
destroyed. Other costs were for power,
chickens died.
780,000 homes destroyed
water, and communications lines that were 31,000 hectares of shrimp farms
Thousands were left homeless
destroyed and train, road, and air services
were destroyed.
and could not be rescued
that were disrupted. More than 190
Coastal mangrove plantations were
because of rough seas.
kilometres of coastal embankments were
damaged, increasing the possibility
Over 2000 died from diarrhoea destroyed and 940 kilometres of timber
of serious coastal erosion in the
and dysentry because of
was lost as forests were destroyed
future.
contaminated water.
Australia (MEDC) (high pressure)
Hazards - At the end of January, south-east Australia experienced a heatwave. In Victoria temperatures reached 47oc. A
ten-year drought made the lands and forests very dry and 400 bush fires were triggered in this region.
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Impact on people
200 people died in Melbourne
400 were injured in Melbourne.
2000 homes were destroyed
7000 people had to leave their
homes temporarily
Impact on the economy
The total estimated economic cost of
damage was $4.3 billion.
There were financial losses to businesses,
particularly the timber industry as forests
were destroyed. Money was needed to pay
for repairs to the infrastructure (roads,
bridges) of SE Australia.
Impact on the environment
1 million wild animals died.
11,800 farm animals, including more
than 4,500 sheep, 4,000 cattle and
200 horses perished.
Fires severely burnt about 10,000
hectares of the mountain ash forest.
See Sahel for the LEDC example of the effects of a high pressure weather hazard
How can technology be used to (1) forecast the weather and (2) reduce the impact of its
effects?
In the UK (MEDC) weather data is collected by satellites, automatic weather stations and weather stations on buoys out to
sea. This information is collected by the Met Office, which then issues a weather forecast. The weather forecasts are
updated on websites, broadcast on TV and radio stations, printed in newspapers and sold to businesses such as
supermarkets.
Low pressure weather e.g. hurricane/cyclone examples
Preparation and prediction techniques to help cope with hurricanes can be very different in MEDCs and LEDCs.
USA (MEDC)
MEDCs e.g. the USA have the resources and technology, such as satellites e.g MeteoStat and MetOp and specially
equipped aircraft, to predict and monitor the occurrence of storms. They are also equipped to train the emergency services
appropriately and to educate people about necessary precautions. Storm warnings can be issued to enable the population
to evacuate or prepare themselves for the storm. People can prepare by storing food and water or boarding up their
windows. In the USA the National Hurricane Centre in Florida is responsible for tracking and predicting the behaviour of
storms. They send warnings to news media and NOAA weather radio usually 36 hours before storms hit. They also keep
detailed hurricane history and give advice on hurricane preparedness.
Bangladesh (LEDC)
LEDCs are often less prepared. They may rely on aid (sometimes reluctantly) from MEDCs for the rescue and recovery
process, as was the case with Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh, November 2007. However, the Bangladesh Meteorological
Department also gives cyclone warnings. This enables people to evacuate to cyclone shelters. Unfortunately there is a
shortage of these to accommodate everyone who is in danger. In most rural areas earth embankments which are easily
breached are the only protection from storm surges. The urban areas are better protected having the rivers straightened
and the banks concreted to allow water to drain away more quickly and so reduce flooding. Dams are also built upstream
to hold back flood waters. The Mangrove forests along the coast of Bangladesh have acted as a barrier against the winds of
cyclones in the past. However, there is now concern that this area is suffering from deforestation.
High pressure weather e.g. drought
Spain (MEDC)
Barcelona is a major city in Spain. In 2007/8 a drought order was imposed to ensure the city did not run out of water
because of a severe water shortage. This restricted activities such as watering the garden or washing the car. In addition
public fountains were turned off. Those who did not comply with the restrictions had to pay fines. By May 2008 a fleet of
tankers each carrying 28 million litres of water brought water into the port. This water bridge transferred water from
Tarragona in Spain and Marseille in France. To try and resolve the problem a desalination plant was built in 2009 to turn
sea water into fresh water. Those who opposed the scheme say that it uses too much energy.
Sahel (LEDC) - appropriate technology (this is appropriate because the farmers are poor and would not be able to pay for
expensive technology to reduce the impact of of drought as Spain does)
Rainfall in the Sahel region of North Africa is very low. This leads to drought. The drought conditions means that parts of
Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Mali and Niger all suffer from food scarcity and have experienced famine leading to the deaths of
millions of people. The high temperatures and dry climate as well as overgrazing and deforestation in this area has
increased desertification of countries surrounding the Sahara Desert. One problem is that rainwater is evaporated quickly
or is lost by run-off. Winds then blow away the dry soil and growing crops becomes very difficult. The use of
high-technology strategies to reduce this problem would not be appropriate or sustainable because farmers could not
afford the expense. However, farmers are using a method that is proving successful and improving crop yields by 20-30 per
cent. In Mali low stone lines are built known as bunds. Sometimes they are reinforced using tough grasses. The lines of
stone reduce run-off and encourage infiltration. Rainwater sinks into the ground and in addition soil that has been eroded
by run-off is trapped by the bunds and can be spread back onto the fields.
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Example exam questions
1. You may be asked to interpret a climate graph like the one
opposite. Questions may include;
2. 1. What is the total rainfall (add all the bars)
3. 2. What is the temperature range (hottest temp minus the coldest
temp)
4. 3. Are there wet and dry / hot and cold seasons.
1. What affects temperature
2. Explain the pattern of rainfall for the UK?
3. If it was 3oc at sea level what would you expect the temperature to be at 500 metres above sea level? Explain your
answer.
4. What type of weather would you expect tropical maritime air to bring to the UK? Explain.
5. Explain the pattern of temperature for the UK.
6. Why is it warmer in the West during the winter?
7. What would you expect the weather to be like at a cold front?
8. What would you expect the weather to be like at a warm front?
9. Describe and explain the weather associated with a winter anticyclone.
10. Describe and explain the weather associated with a winter depression.
11. Describe and explain the weather associated with a summer anticyclone.
12. Describe and explain the weather associated with a summer depression.
13. Explain how weather hazards affect people and the environments in which they live. Use examples
14. Explain the differences in temperature in a depression.
15. Explain how different technology can be used to reduce the impact of storms. Use examples
16. Explain how high pressure weather can cause problems for people.
17. Explain how low pressure weather can cause problems for people.
18. Explain why countries at different levels of development are affected in different ways by weather hazards.
19. How can technology be used to forecast extreme weather?
20. How can technology be used to reduce the impact of extreme weather?
21. What are the weather hazards associated with tropical storms?
22. Why are north facing slopes often cooler than south facing slopes?
4 figure grid
references
6 figure grid
references
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Question 4 Tourism
What are the factors, both physical and human, that affect the nature of tourism?
Kenya (LEDC)
Description
What activity does this factor allow people to do?
FACTOR
Landscape
Climate
Flora and fauna
hotels
camping
entertainment
culture and
heritage
accessibility
Sport
Beaches – golden sands
Clear, calm, warm sea
Mountains (Mount Kenya – Africa’s second
highest mountain)
Tropical climate 14-30oc average temp all year
Wildlife safari (Masai Mara National Reserve) –
buffalo, elephants, baboons, lions
Haller – eco park
Watamu Marine Park
Luxury hotels with pools, luxury lodges on Safari
On Mount Kenya or in Masai Mara camping is
available
Live music, Maasai dancing
Traditional towns / temples in Mombasa
Maasai people - dancing
Fly to Nairobi airport and Mombasa – 9 hours
from London
Golf courses, calm, warm, clear waters
sunbathing
Sailing, windsurfing, snorkelling, scuba diving
Climbing, trekking
sunbathing
Jeep or hot air balloon Safari – photography
Hand feed monkeys
Dolphin watching
Relax in the pool and observe the animals
camp
Listen to music, watch dancing
Tour Hindu temples
Buy wood carvings, watch Maasai dancing
This is long haul but still one of the closest
countries to the UK to do a safari
Golf, fishing, watersports
The Lake District, UK (MEDC)
FACTOR
Description
Landscape
Mountains (Scafell Pike, Englands highest mountains),
Lakes (Lakes Windermere, Englands longest Lake)
Forests e.g. Grizedale and rare animals e.g. Osprey
Flora and
fauna
hotels
camping
entertainmen
t
culture and
heritage
accessibility
Sport
Cosy holiday cottages, luxury boutique hotels and bed
and breakfasts.
Many lakeside campsites are available and can be booked
with the National Trust or other land owners e.g. farmers
There are plenty of bars, pubs and restaurants in villages
around the Park. Children can visit The World of Beatrix
Potter in Bowness, visit the cinema in Ambleside
One of the purposes of having a National Park is to
conserve cultural heritage. Villages such as Grasmere
have been given conservation status. The poet William
Wordsworth spent most of his life in The Lake District
and is buried in Grasmere, a honeypot site.
Beatrix Potter World
Castles e.g. Muncaster
The M6 runs to the East of the Lake District.
There is a train station in Windermere
Outdoor pursuits
What activity does this factor allow people to
do?
Outdoor pursuits e.g. climbing, hiking,
mountain biking, sailing, fishing, canoeing
Go-Ape orienteering, bird watching
All types of accommodation are available for
all needs and budgets
For people on a budget or those who want to
be closer to nature and the Lake.
Many people enjoy a drink and a meal after a
days walking.
Visit Wordsworths house and grave or join a
poetry class studying his poems
Discover her writing for children at the centre
Take a tour of the castle
Most of the North West of England live within
a 2 hour drive.
climbing, hiking, mountain biking, sailing,
fishing, canoeing
In what ways and why is tourism changing?
Tourism has changed considerably in the last 50 years. Not only has there been a dramatic increase in tourist numbers, but
there is now a wider range of holiday destinations and attractions. People also seem to be travelling further, and more
often than ever before. There are several reasons for these changes.
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Reasons for the growth in tourism
Greater affluence – People are generally wealthier now than in the past. They have more money to spend on luxury items
such as holidays and leisure pursuits.
More leisure time – People now have a shorter working week and longer paid holidays, and tend to retire earlier. This gives
them more time to take holidays and for leisure pursuits.
Greater mobility and accessibility – The increase in car ownership and improvements in road, rail and air travel have
reduced journey times and made travel easier.
What are the changing patterns of tourism?
Patterns of tourism are also changing rapidly. As well as an increase in tourism there has also been a change in the way we
travel, the distance we travel and the frequency of our holidays. These changes are largely due to changing technologies. In
particular there has been a huge growth in air travel as aeroplanes become faster and larger. At the same time air travel
has become much cheaper, so more people can afford to fly more often. The cost of flying fell particularly steeply during
the 1990s when there was a massive rise in the number of airline companies offering cheap flights. These are known as
budget airlines e.g. Ryan Air. UK budget airlines typically offer frequent, cheap flights to other airports in the UK (internal
flights) or to other short haul destinations in Europe. The low cost of these flights has encouraged customers to take
several short breaks a year rather than just one annual two-week holiday abroad. Another trend that has had an impact on
tourism has been the rapid growth of communication technologies. It is much easier for people to discover what tourist
attractions are available in distant places than ever before. People now have access to a wealth of information on the
internet which was not available before the 1990s. Changes in the media have also made it easier to find out about
holidays in distant places. Up until the early 1990s everyone in the UK only had 4 TV channels. Now travel programmes and
holiday advertising is accessible on multiple channels on TV due to online, cable and satellite broadcasting. This has made it
much easier for people to research and book holidays to long haul destinations such as South and Central America,
Australasia and Asia. This has meant that traditional holidays abroad to the beach have declined in some areas in favour of
other more active breaks and cruises. Tourists are also less inclined to book package holidays than they did a few years ago.
With the information at their fingertips people are booking online and choosing flights, destinations and accommodation
separately. In addition as tourists travel more frequently they become more confident in foreign countries and therefore
self-catering has become a more popular choice of accommodation. In recent years there has been a trend for short
camping breaks in the UK. This is partly due to an increase in leisure time but it may also be a result of climate change and
an increase in temperature. The recession and the need to take cheaper holidays may also be contributing factors to this
new trend. This and a number of other reasons could see a decline in tourism in certain areas. In Kenya for example there
was a decline in tourism in 1998 after several terrorist attacks. Other areas of the world may experience declines in tourism
due to outbreaks of disease such as the Avian flu pandemic (Bird flu in China), changing exchange rates or conflict / instability.
1. What are the impacts of the development of tourism on people, the economy and the
environment in an LEDC and an MEDC region?
2. How may tourism be developed in a sustainable way?
Impacts of tourism in Kenya (LEDC)
Positive impacts of tourism (sustainable tourism)
Tourism is sustainable if the environment (flora and fauna) is protected and local people benefit from it.
The environment
In the Masai Mara National Reserve money is paid to the Nature Reserve Park Wardens and Maasai people to help protect
the wildlife. The wardens try to ensure there are not too many safari buses crowding around the park animals. Some of the
Maasai people are employed as lion guardians. In the past they would have killed lions for hunting their cattle. Now they
track and try to protect these animals. As a result lion numbers are increasing in the Park. In other areas such as Watamu
north of Mombasa a marine reserve has been established to protect marine life such as the sea turtle. Money from visitors
is used to employ local people to educate tourists about the wildlife in the area. Fishermen who would traditionally have
killed turtles for food are now paid compensation for reporting the whereabouts of injured turtles. The turtles are
rehabilitated by conservation groups such as Watamu Turtle Watch and in this way both local people and animals benefit.
People and the economy
Tourism is Kenya’s largest foreign exchange earner. The country is keen to encourage tourists who bring valuable income
which can be spent on infrastructure (roads,water supplies), health care and education for its expanding population.
Tourism has generated jobs such as safari bus drivers and hotel waiters, improving the living standards for local
communities. Some tour operators organise visits to Maasai villages. Here the Maasai people are paid to perform
traditional dances for the tourists. They also sell hand carved sculptures which the tourists buy as souvenirs. In this way not
only are the Maasai people’s traditions preserved but they earn money which is used to help build wells to supply clean
water and schools to educate their children. A small number of tented camps owned and run by Kenyans has been set up in
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Kimana on an important migration corridor for wildlife. The Maasia are paid rent for the use of their land. Local people are
employed to run the camps and local food is used to feed tourists. The small camps are less environmentally damaging
than large hotels and local people have a greater interest in protecting wildlife as it provides them with a source of income.
Negative impacts of tourism
The environment
Roads and tracks for safari jeeps can erode grass cover, damaging plants and animals and disturbing local habitats. Animals
which are disturbed by safari jeeps or hot air balloons sometimes do not mate or leave the parks where they are protected.
They are then under threat from poachers. Some animals such as baboons feed on the waste that is dumped from large
hotels. They become obese and in some cases die. The same is true in coastal resorts such as Mombasa. Here turtles feed
on plastic bags that are washed into the ocean. They choke on the bags believing them to be jellyfish. In Mombasa huge
numbers of boats take tourist out to the coral reefs. Here they drop anchor on the delicate reefs. The tourist swim around
the reefs touching the animals and plants which inhabit them and in some cases walk on the reef. The damage caused by
tourists and the boat operators kills the reef which is then unlikely to grow back. Tourists also buy shells and coral from
local stalls. The high prices tourists pay encourages the stall holders to collect more shells and coral which further damages
the fragile ecosystem.
People and economy
Often the profits of tourism are reaped by wealthy landowners or the hotel and travel companies in MEDCs. The highly paid
staff are often imported from MEDCs. The jobs created by tourism such as drivers and waiters are unskilled, poorly paid
and seasonal. Visitor numbers to Kenya vary. Between 1990 and 1997 figures fell from 900 000 to 350 000. The reliance on
tourism as the main foreign exchange earner can have severe economic consequences for the country. The Maasai's way of
life and traditional farming methods have been disrupted by setting up the Masai Mara National Park. They have been
moved out of their traditional farming areas so that the wildlife and safari tours can move in. When their cattle are killed by
lions they are not allowed to kill the animals as they once would have done and therefore they experience repeat killings
from the same lions. Sometimes tourists treat local people badly and look down on them. Some of the Maasai people’s
lifestyle and traditions are also disappearing as they copy visitor’s clothes and style. Drugs and crime have increased in
Kenya as wealthy tourists provide a temptation. Aids is also spread due to an increase in prostitution.
The impact of tourism on the Lake District, UK (MEDC example)
The Lake District is the largest and most popular National Park in Britain.
The Lake District is the most visited park due to the following reasons: easier access by the M6, more leisure time due to
part time jobs, earlier retirement and longer paid holidays, and increased car ownership: 23million people live within 3
hours’ drive ofAmbleside. Visitors are attracted to the mountain and lake scenery of the Lake District. They usually visit to
participate in outdoor pursuits. As a result there is a demand for more visitor facilities such as hotels, leisure complexes and
car parks. Many of the impacts of tourism are positive, but others present challenges which need to be overcome if tourism
in the Lake District is to be sustainable.
Advantages of tourism
Tourism brings great benefits to the area. Visitors spend money on accommodation, food, drink and leisure activities and
indirectly support other business such as wholesalers and the building trade. In 2009 visitors spent £925.7 million in the
Lake District. Tourism provided 11,575 jobs in the National Park. The money earned by local people is then spent in local
shops and businesses. This is called the positive multiplier effect. Much of this money is spent in honeypot sites such as
Ambleside. Here tourists spend money on boat trips along Lake Windermere, England’s longest lake, in gift shops, cafes
and in hotels. This helps Ambleside and other honeypot sites like Windermere to maintain essential services such as
schools and hospitals, bus and rail networks, village shops, public houses and various recreational amenities. Services
provided for the use of tourists, eg leisure facilities, also benefit local people. Money spent by tourists is also used to help
conserve the area.
Disadvantages of tourism
Employment can be seasonal and wages low because many of the tourist facilities are not as well used during the winter
period. Wealthy tourists who visit often decide to buy a second home or holiday home in the Lake District. House prices in
the area can rise due to a demand for second homes and often locals cannot afford to live in certain areas. School leavers
often look for work in larger settlements due to low wages and high house prices. This causes rural depopulation of some
areas. Local shops on the margins of profitability often close to make way for more profitable gift shops and tea rooms. This
leaves local people without essential services, eg butchers and greengrocers. Traffic causes noise and air pollution and
narrow roads can become congested in high season. Large numbers of hikers cause footpath erosion, which is expensive to
repair. Watersports can be noisy and cause erosion of lake shores and there can be conflicts of interests between different
lake users. Farmers complain about gates being left open and crops being trampled on. Visitors looking for peace and quiet
often complain about mountain bikers and noisy powerboats.
Sustainable tourism
Sustainable – activities which have a long term future because people are working with the environment upon which they
depend. The aim of sustainable development is to hand over the Earth and its resources to the next generation in the same
condition that they are today. Sustainable development contributes to social, economic and environmental well-being. This
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can be helped by conservation and ensuring that local people’s livelihoods are protected. The Lake District Planning Board
including the National Parks Authority and other groups help to protect the environment of the Lake District in several
ways. One of their main jobs is to educate tourist about the damage that can be done by dropping litter and how using
things such as public transport can help protect the environment around the National Park Strict panning regulations
imposed by the Planning Board ensures that local stone is used in buildings and that only low rise buildings are given
planning permission. This helps maintain the character of the villages around the Park and local craftsmen are used for
construction. Car Parks are provided for tourists to ensure they do not park on narrow roads and cause congestion. Often
these car parks are screened with trees to help them blend in with the landscape. Some Lakes have been identified as ‘free
access’ which allow water activities to take place e.g. Windermere. A speed limit has been imposed on Lake Windermere
recently to reduce noise pollution and ensure that other lake users and wildlife are not affected by the waves created by
water skiing. Other Lakes have been designated as ‘natural’ lakes and only lakeside owners are permitted to use them e.g.
Wastwater. Three areas in the Park have been identified as quiet areas and characteristics that encourage visitors are not
allowed here e.g. parking will be restricted, caravan sites discouraged - this is known as ‘negative planning techniques.’
Another concern for people in the Lake District is that of people buying second homes. The Lake District National Park has
an unusually high number of second homes. Near Hawkshead 40% of all homes are second homes. One solution being
considered is to increase on the current amount of council tax people have to pay on their second home. Fix the Fells are a
charity who raise money and use volunteers and National Park rangers to repair heavily worn footpaths such as those
leading to the summit of Scafell Pike.
Example exam questions
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What physical factors affect the nature of tourism?
What human factors affect the nature of tourism?
In what ways and why is tourism changing?
How has technology changed the patterns of tourism?
Explain why tourism has increased?
Why could foreign travel be increasing?
Why might domestic holidays (holidays at home) increase?
What are the impacts of tourism on people and the economy in MEDCs? Use examples
What are the impacts of tourism on people and the economy in LEDCs? Use examples
What are the impacts of tourism on the environment in MEDCs? Use examples
What are the impacts of tourism on the environment in LEDCs? Use examples
How can tourism be developed in a sustainable way? Use examples
Explain how weather and climate could influence the number of UK visitors abroad?
To what extent do you agree that more people might start to take their holidays in the UK?
How can tourists bring advantages and disadvantages to the people and the environment of an MEDC you have
studied?
16. How can tourists bring advantages and disadvantages to the people and the environment of an LEDC you have
studied?
17. Annotate the photograph explaining the factors that influence tourism in this area.
Exam terms
Describe– describe what something is like. Use figures, dates and trend ( up, down, level) if it is a graph. DO NOT
EXPLAIN
Explain / suggest reasons – Say why something happens
Describe the pattern – Say where – north, east, south, west, central, near the coast etc
Annotate – label and explain in your labels
Examples you have studied– places / case studies
Why, What, How, explain how – describe and explain
Impacts – advantages and disadvantages
Processes – how something happens e.g. explain how coastal processes cause .... = explain how types of
erosion, transport, deposition cause.......
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If you are given a map extract in the exam you will be given the map symbols. However, it is worth making yourself aware
of some of them. For the coastal question the water features, heights, rock features and the tourist information might be
useful.
Example map skills questions