IELTS Speaking · Part 3
Travel and tourism: IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions
Last updated 2 September 2026
In short
Discussion questions
The examiner usually opens the discussion with: "Why do you think travelling to other places has become so popular?", then works up from concrete to abstract.
Warm-up (concrete)
What do people usually gain from travelling to other countries?
Opinion
Development (societal)
How is the way people travel today different from in the past?
ComparisonDo you think tourism does more good or more harm to local communities?
EvaluationWhy do some places become tourist destinations while others don't?
Cause & effect
Depth (abstract & hypothetical)
Should there be limits on the number of tourists certain places allow?
OpinionHow might the way people take holidays change in the coming years?
SpeculationIf air travel became far more expensive, how would tourism change?
HypothesisDoes travel really help people understand other cultures, in your opinion?
Evaluation
Useful vocabulary for this theme
Band 7+ language for discussing travel and tourism.
- off the beaten track
- away from popular, crowded tourist spots
- “I much prefer holidays that take me off the beaten track.”
- a tourist hotspot
- a very popular place with visitors
- “The old town has become a real tourist hotspot in recent years.”
- soak up the atmosphere
- fully enjoy the mood of a place
- “I love to sit in a little café and soak up the atmosphere.”
- a once-in-a-lifetime trip
- a rare, unforgettable journey unlikely to be repeated
- “Visiting the Himalayas was a once-in-a-lifetime trip for me.”
- travel on a shoestring
- travel on a very small budget
- “As a student I travelled on a shoestring right across Europe.”