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What is tourism?

An illustration of Stonehenge, Blackpool Tower and the Giant's Causeway

Tourism is when people travel from their home to other places for relaxation and pleasure.

An illustration of Stonehenge, Blackpool Tower and the Giant's Causeway

Watch: Learn about tourism in the UK

Find out more about tourism in two different UK cities - Edinburgh and Brighton.

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Why do people travel?

People travel for different reasons, such as work, visiting family and friends and shopping. When people travel for pleasure or to relax, they are called tourists.

Cartoon sandy beach with pine umbrella, blue sea and yellow sun in sky.
Image caption,
Beaches are often very popular places for tourists to visit.

The places people visit are called destinations, and they often depend on the reasons for travelling, such as:

  • to rest
  • to learn about new cultures and history
  • to go to a warmer climate
  • to take part in sporting activities
  • to spend time in nature
Cartoon sandy beach with pine umbrella, blue sea and yellow sun in sky.
Image caption,
Beaches are often very popular places for tourists to visit.
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Tourism in the UK

The varied landscape, coasts and historical cities attract many tourists each year.

Tourism is important for the of the UK and it provides many people with jobs. It often brings money to remote areas, where there are few other jobs and little natural resources.

Some popular tourist destinations are shown on the map below:

A map of the UK showing different tourist destinations - from Loch Ness in Scotland to Cornwall's sandy beaches in England.

Can you recognise any places on the map?

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Cities

With the invention of the steam engine and the building of railways, cities became more accessible and popular as a holiday destination.

When people visit cities, they choose them for many reasons. Click on the slideshow to find out more:

Reasons for visiting cities

Image gallerySkip image gallerySlide 1 of 8, Tower Bridge in London., History Historical landmarks and buildings, such as Tower Bridge in London, allow people to enjoy views, learn about history and discover how people lived at different times.
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Countryside

Unlike cities, places in the countryside are not always as well-connected and might be more complicated to travel to. This can mean that rural areas are not as crowded as cities.

When people go on holidays to the countryside, some of its can make tourists want to visit more or less.

Characteristics of the countryside

Sandy beach and blue sea of Cornwall.
  • Climate - Sunny and warmer areas, such as Cornwall in the South West region of England with its sandy beaches, attract people from colder regions of the UK.
Sandy beach and blue sea of Cornwall.
White cliffs of Dover on a sunny day with blue sky
  • Natural environment - the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District and the White Cliffs of Dover are all locations popular due to their scenery.
Two puffins sat on a rock overlooking the sea.
  • Wildlife - Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland is a location know to bird-watchers, because of the colonies of .

  • Accessibility - Some locations are only accessible by car, others only by foot.

Two puffins sat on a rock overlooking the sea.
Row of guest houses
  • Costs - In popular holiday destinations, such as the Lake District, there might not be enough accommodation for all the visitors, which means that the prices of hotels can be very high.
  • Safety - Tall mountains can have difficult, challenging routes to the top. Some remote areas might not have a telephone signal in case of emergencies.
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Activity

Quiz: Tourism

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