tourism
B1Formal, neutral, academic, business
Definition
Meaning
The commercial organization and operation of holidays and visits to places of interest.
The wider social, cultural, and economic activities and impacts related to travel for leisure, recreation, or business.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a collective, uncountable noun referring to the industry or phenomenon. Can be used attributively (tourism board, tourism revenue). Rarely pluralised except when referring to distinct types (e.g., 'adventure tourisms').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and some collocational preferences (e.g., 'holiday' vs. 'vacation' in related contexts), but the word itself is identical in usage.
Connotations
Identical core meaning. The industry's scale and economic importance may be more frequently highlighted in American discourse.
Frequency
Equally common and fundamental in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Tourism is vital for...The impact of tourism on...A rise/decline in tourismTourism based on...To develop/promote tourismVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The tourist dollar/pound”
- “On the tourist trail”
- “A tourism boom/bust”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Discussions of market trends, revenue, investment, and job creation in the tourism sector.
Academic
Analysis of socio-economic impacts, sustainability, cultural exchange, and tourism management theories.
Everyday
Talking about holidays, local attractions, or the effect of visitors on a town.
Technical
In fields like hospitality management, destination marketing, or environmental impact assessment.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The region hopes to tourism its way out of recession. (Informal/rare)
- They are trying to tourism the historic site.
American English
- The city aims to tourism its new museum complex. (Informal/rare)
- Can you really tourism a former factory?
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form. Use prepositional phrases like 'for tourism', 'in tourism').
American English
- (No standard adverb form. Use prepositional phrases like 'for tourism', 'in tourism').
adjective
British English
- The tourism potential is enormous.
- A tourism-dependent economy.
American English
- The tourism boost was welcome.
- Tourism-related jobs.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Tourism is important for Spain.
- We talked about tourism in our class.
- The city's economy relies heavily on tourism.
- Sustainable tourism helps protect the environment.
- The government launched a campaign to revive tourism in the coastal regions.
- Mass tourism has drastically altered the character of the old town.
- Critics argue that the commodification of culture for tourism can lead to a loss of authenticity.
- The ministry is developing a strategic framework to diversify the nation's tourism offerings beyond beach holidays.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: TOUR the world, and you support the TOURISM industry.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOURISM IS A RESOURCE (to tap, to deplete); TOURISM IS A FORCE (driving the economy, overwhelming a location).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'туризмом' как активным отдыхом (походы). В английском 'tourism' шире и чаще относится к индустрии.
- Прямой перевод 'туристский' звучит странно. Используйте 'tourist' как атрибут (tourist attraction) или 'tourism' (tourism infrastructure).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'tourism' as a countable noun (e.g., 'many tourisms' - incorrect).
- Confusing 'tourism' (industry) with 'a tour' (a specific journey).
- Misspelling as 'turism'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a common collocation expressing concern about tourism's negative effects?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily an uncountable noun. You do not say 'a tourism' or 'two tourisms'. It refers to the general industry or activity.
'Tourism' is the general business/activity of travelling for pleasure. 'A tour' is a specific journey or visit to several places, often with a guide (e.g., a city tour, a tour of the factory).
Not typically. The adjective form is 'tourist' (e.g., tourist attraction, tourist visa) or the noun is used attributively (e.g., tourism industry, tourism minister).
It refers to tourism that is managed to minimise negative environmental, social, and cultural impacts, while providing long-term economic benefits to the local community.
Collections
Part of a collection
Travel and Culture
B1 · 48 words · Cultural experiences and traveling the world.