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Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. overtourism
    • ex. The famous beach is experiencing overtourism. There are too many visitors, so it's hard for people to relax.
  2. overcrowding
    • ex. Overcrowding on the train makes it difficult for passengers to find a seat during rush hour.
  3. affordability
    • ex. Many people like this store because of its affordability. The prices of their products are low.
  4. housing
    • ex. The government is building more housing to help people who can't afford high rent.
  5. regulate
    • ex. It's important to regulate your screen time so that you don't spend too many hours on your phone.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Spain welcomed 94 million tourists last year, making it one of the most visited countries in the world. The country is famous for its beautiful coasts and historic cities. However, the increase in tourists has caused some problems related to overtourism. Many Spaniards are worried about overcrowding, water use, and especially the affordability of housing.

To address these concerns, Spain’s government is taking action. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez introduced a plan to regulate housing, especially for short-term rentals for tourists. Housing prices are rising in big cities like Barcelona and Madrid, and this could be because most homes are offered as short-term rentals for tourists. However, Spain said it isn’t going to stop tourism, which makes up about 12% of its economy.

Some cities, like Malaga and Barcelona, have started regulating tourists’ rent on properties. Malaga is limiting new rents in certain neighborhoods, while Barcelona plans to turn 10,000 short-term apartment rentals into full-time ones by 2028. To be able to rent cars and book hotels, tourists will now need to provide more personal information. This includes sharing passport details and addresses with the government for security reasons.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Overtourism

  • Do you think Spain’s large number of tourists is a good thing or a bad thing? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think your country has the same overtourism problem as Spain? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • How do you feel about tourists overcrowding cities and other places in your country? Discuss.

Housing

  • What do you think about short-term rentals offered to tourists (ex. they shouldn’t be allowed)? Discuss.
  • What is the situation of housing in your area (ex. it’s expensive to rent a small apartment)? Discuss.
  • What do think is the best solution to the increasing prices of housing, especially in big cities (ex. build more apartments in cities, encourage people to live outside of the big cities)? Discuss.