Tourism controls

短文笔记+ Q&A练习

                             Tourism controls  

jet off乘飞机旅行   ；attraction景点； must-see sight必看景点
breathtaking美得惊人的；  beauty spot美景；historic site古迹
charge收费；  restriction限制；   overcrowding过度拥挤
wear and tear损耗，消耗；  tourist trap旅游陷阱
picturesque图画般的，美丽的；short-stay只在某处短暂停留的
mass tourism大众旅游；occupancy tax占用税
landing tax入境税（乘船进入威尼斯的游客需交纳的税费）
levy税款； infrastructure基础设施；love padlock同心锁

Questions：

1. According to the article, what is causing damage to delicate and ancient places?

2. Who will have to pay the new ‘landing tax’ when visiting Venice?

3. True or false? Edinburgh will soon be the only city in Europe to charge a tax on people staying in hotels and guest houses. 

4. What can you no longer do with ‘love padlocks’ in Rome?

5. Which word in the article means ‘character and atmosphere of a place’?

世界著名景点为控制游客数量出新招

随着旅游大众化，国际旅游人数不断增加，世界各地的著名景点变得越来越拥挤。限制参观人数，对游客收取城市税、占用税……本文介绍各国著名景点应对游客潮所采取的相应措施，以保护这些历史名胜和必看景点。

I love holidays! There’s nothing better than jetting off to a foreign destination to visit the attractions it has on offer. Of course, I’m not alone. Millions of people are doing the same, and why not? The world has an amazing variety of must-see sights, from breathtaking natural scenery to impressive old cities. But the problem is that too many of us are visiting them at the same time, putting pressure on these delicate and ancient places.

That’s why a number of beauty spots and historic sites have been introducing charges or restrictions on the tourists who visit. There are many reasons for this: to reduce overcrowding, which can spoil the ambience of a place, to manage wear and tear on old crumbling buildings, to tidy up the mess that visitors leave behind, or – as some may suggest – creating tourist traps to make more money out of the visitors.

The famous Italian city of Venice with its picturesque canals has, for example, introduced an entry fee of up to €10 for short-stay tourists. Venetians have long complained that mass tourism is swamping the city. Now, passengers arriving by cruise ship will have to pay a ‘landing tax’ which Mayor Luigi Brugnaro says, “would generate much-needed income to keep the city clean.”

Many cities in Europe already charge an occupancy tax on tourists who stay in hotels and guest houses. In the UK, Edinburgh is hoping to do the same, controversially making it the first city in the country to do so. This levy, that is usually charged per person per night of  accommodation, raises money to help protect the environment, pay for infrastructure, or promote tourism.

In Italy’s capital city, Rome, new laws are being introduced to clamp down on bad tourist behaviour, which some argue is spoiling the look and feel of the city. Rules include banning drinking water from fountains and attaching ‘love padlocks’ to bridges. 

As more of us can now afford to travel, tourist destinations are going to get busier, so maybe new laws and taxes are going to be a necessary part of the sightseeing experience.