IELTS collocations

Tourism collocations for IELTS

15 tourism collocations for questions about travel, holidays and the effects of tourism on local places. Each one has its meaning, an exam-style example and a register note.

Example

mass tourism

Mass tourism has damaged some of Europe's most beautiful coastlines.

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  • 15 collocations
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  • Writing and Speaking

Written byFizza Butool ZaidiandAli ZaidiUpdated 11 November 2026

15 collocations

Tourism collocations with examples

Formal pairs suit Writing Task 2. Neutral ones work anywhere. Informal ones belong in Speaking.

  1. 1.mass tourism

    formal

    travel by very large numbers of people to the same places

    Mass tourism has damaged some of Europe's most beautiful coastlines.

    Usually used critically.

  2. 2.a popular tourist destination

    neutral

    a place that many tourists visit

    Bali has become a popular tourist destination for Australians.

    Holiday destination is a close alternative.

  3. 3.boost the local economy

    neutral

    make local businesses earn more money

    Festivals boost the local economy by filling hotels and restaurants.

    Benefit and support also collocate with economy.

  4. 4.sustainable tourism

    formal

    tourism that limits harm to the environment and local people

    Sustainable tourism means fewer visitors who stay longer and spend more.

    Ecotourism focuses on nature in particular.

  5. 5.preserve cultural heritage

    formal

    protect a place's traditions, buildings and history

    Ticket income can help to preserve cultural heritage sites.

    Protect is a simpler alternative.

  6. 6.historical sites

    neutral

    places of historical importance

    Visitors should not be allowed to climb on historical sites.

    Heritage sites is the formal term.

  7. 7.a package holiday

    neutral

    a holiday where travel and hotel are sold together

    A package holiday is the cheapest option for many families.

    British. Book a package holiday.

  8. 8.go sightseeing

    informal

    visit famous places as a tourist

    We went sightseeing in Rome for three days.

    Do some sightseeing is also correct.

    Avoid: go to sightseeing → go sightseeing

  9. 9.travel abroad

    neutral

    go to another country

    More young people travel abroad before they start university.

    Abroad is an adverb, so no to before it.

    Avoid: travel to abroad → travel abroad

  10. 10.peak season

    neutral

    the busiest time of year for tourism

    Hotel prices can double in peak season.

    Off-season and low season are the contrasts.

  11. 11.the tourism industry

    neutral

    all the businesses that serve tourists

    The tourism industry employs one in ten workers in some countries.

    The tourism sector is a formal alternative.

  12. 12.off the beaten track

    informal

    far from the places most tourists visit

    I prefer villages off the beaten track to famous cities.

    An idiom for Speaking; avoid in Writing Task 2.

  13. 13.a tourist trap

    informal

    a place that charges high prices to tourists for poor value

    The restaurant near the cathedral is a bit of a tourist trap.

    Speaking only.

  14. 14.a strain on local resources

    formal

    heavy demand on water, roads and services in a place

    Millions of summer visitors put a strain on local resources such as water.

    Place or put a strain on.

  15. 15.seasonal employment

    formal

    jobs available only at certain times of the year

    Tourism often offers only seasonal employment, leaving workers without income in winter.

    Seasonal work is the more neutral version.

Band tip

Tourism topics invite holiday stories in Speaking and cost-benefit arguments in Writing. Switching between off the beaten track for Speaking and sustainable tourism for Writing shows the awareness of style that the Lexical Resource descriptors mention.

Source: the public IELTS band descriptors, summarised on ielts.org. Using these collocations will not by itself guarantee a band; accuracy and relevance matter most.

Writing Task 2

Use it in an answer

An excerpt we wrote to show these collocations working together. Collocations from this page are in bold.

Writing Task 2Sample excerpt

International tourism brings money to a country but also causes problems. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

There is no doubt that visitors boost the local economy: hotels, guides and restaurants all depend on the tourism industry. However, mass tourism can place a strain on local resources such as water, and it often offers only seasonal employment. Crowds can also damage the very historical sites that attract them. In my view, the benefits outweigh the problems only when governments promote sustainable tourism and use ticket income to preserve cultural heritage.

Use these collocations in a full essay

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Frequently asked questions

Is "travel to abroad" correct?+

No. Abroad is an adverb, so it needs no preposition: travel abroad, live abroad, study abroad.

Can I write "off the beaten track" in an essay?+

It is an idiom, so it is better in Speaking. In Writing, use remote or less visited places.

What is the difference between ecotourism and sustainable tourism?+

Ecotourism is travel to natural areas that supports conservation. Sustainable tourism is the wider idea of tourism that limits harm to any place, including cities.

Which tourism collocations work in Speaking Part 1?+

Go sightseeing, travel abroad, a package holiday and peak season are natural for talking about your own trips.

Keep going

More collocations

Practise in context

Real IELTS questions to try them on

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