What is tourism? Holidays and transport
Tourism means travelling to a place away from home for fun, rest or to learn, and staying there for a short time. A person who does this is a tourist. A trip for rest and fun is a holiday.
Common types of holiday: a beach holiday, a city break, a mountain or nature trip, a cultural trip to old places, and a visit to family.
Ways to travel (transport): by bus, by train, by car, by plane, by ship, by bicycle or on foot. Each has good and bad points.
- Plane: very fast, but costly, and you wait long at the airport.
- Train: medium speed, comfortable, fair price.
- Bus: cheap, goes to small towns, but slow.
- Car: you decide the stops, but you must pay for fuel and drive.
Work out the travel time
Speed is how far you go in one hour. So time = distance ÷ speed. Add the waiting time for check-in, security, or changing buses. Then total time = distance ÷ speed + waiting time.
Example: a train goes 100 km/h and waits 0.5 h. For 400 km: 400 ÷ 100 = 4 h, plus 0.5 = 4.5 hours. A plane is much faster in the air, but the long wait at the airport makes it worth it only for long distances.
Sights and directions
Tourists visit places of interest (also called sights): museums, forts, temples, old towers, parks, beaches, markets. A guide book, a map and a tourist office help you plan.
To find a sight you must ask for and understand directions:
- Go straight (keep walking forward)
- Turn left / turn right
- At the traffic lights / at the corner / at the crossing
- Next to, opposite, behind, near, far from
Be polite: "Excuse me, how do I get to the museum, please?" End with "Thank you." You can also use a map app on a phone.
Problems when travelling
Many things can go wrong on a trip:
- The train or plane is late or cancelled.
- You lose a bag, a phone or a ticket.
- You miss your connection (the next bus or train).
- You get ill or the hotel room is not as promised.
- The weather is bad.
What to do: stay calm, go to the information desk or ask a staff member, explain the problem in simple words ("My bag is missing. It is blue."), ask for a new ticket or a refund, keep your documents safe, and tell your family. Keep copies of tickets and phone numbers. Planning ahead reduces problems.
Try it
In the 3D: go to the last step. Set the distance to 200 km and press Go for bus, train and plane. Predict first: which is quickest? Then set 1500 km and check again. Does the answer change?
At home: plan a one-day trip to a place near you. Write the distance, the transport, the time, two sights to see and one problem that could happen with how you would solve it.
Key formulas and definitions
- time = distance ÷ speed
- total time = distance ÷ speed + waiting time
- Directions: go straight, turn left, turn right, at the lights, opposite, next to
- Problem plan: stay calm, ask staff, explain simply, keep documents safe
Worked examples
1. A train goes at 100 km/h and waits 0.5 h at the station. How long does a 400 km trip take?
Travel time = 400 ÷ 100 = 4 h. Add waiting 0.5 h. Total = 4.5 hours.
2. A bus goes at 60 km/h with 0.25 h of waiting. How long for 300 km?
300 ÷ 60 = 5 h. Add 0.25 h. Total = 5.25 hours (5 h 15 min).
3. A plane flies at 700 km/h but the airport wait is 3 h. How long for 1400 km?
1400 ÷ 700 = 2 h. Add 3 h. Total = 5 hours.
4. For 200 km, which is quicker: train (100 km/h, wait 0.5 h) or plane (700 km/h, wait 3 h)?
Train: 200 ÷ 100 + 0.5 = 2.5 h. Plane: 200 ÷ 700 + 3 = 3.29 h. The train is quicker for short trips.
5. At which distance do the train and the plane take equal time (same speeds and waits as above)?
d/100 + 0.5 = d/700 + 3. So d/100 − d/700 = 2.5. d × (6/700) = 2.5, so d = 2.5 × 700 / 6 ≈ 292 km. Beyond about 292 km the plane is quicker.
6. You are at the traffic lights. The museum is "straight on, then second turn on the left". Describe the walk.
Walk straight past the first turning. At the second turning, turn left. The museum is there.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting waiting time. A plane is fast in the air but total time includes check-in and security.
- Mixing up left and right when giving directions. Point and say it slowly.
- Planning too many sights in one day.
- Panicking when something goes wrong. Ask staff and keep copies of tickets and documents.