tourism

Lulworth Cove, Dorset, is a very popular tourist attraction on account of its remarkable geological formations. However, the sheer number of tourists places great strain on the area. Some of the land has been built on, to make a large car park for coaches and cars, and footpath erosion is caused by the volume of people walking between Lulworth Cove and other nearby attractions, such as Stair Hole and Durdle Door.

Benidorm, on the Costa Blanca in Spain, was once a small fishing village. It is now a resort town with a seafront of high-rise apartment buildings and hotels.

Travel and visiting places for pleasure, often involving sightseeing and staying in overnight accommodation. Regarded as an industry, tourism can increase the wealth and job opportunities in an area, although the work is often seasonal and low paid. Among the negative effects of tourism are traffic and people congestion, and damage to the environment.

Tourism is the world's largest industry. It sustained 120 million jobs in 1995, accounting for 7% of the global workforce. It is estimated that the number of international travellers in 1994 will double to 1 billion by 2010, and 80% of tourists come from the 20 richest countries.