GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 271
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Some people believe that tourists should never stay in hotels or resorts because living in such places does not allow them to get access to local cultures and traditions.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
Model Answer:
It is often argued that hotel or resort accommodation is not a handy option in order to obtain knowledge about local cultures and customs. This essay completely agrees with the statement and believes that homestay is the right choice when it comes down to having direct access to local cultures and conventions.
By staying in hotels, tourists can only experience the veneer of culture. This is because they cannot reach the heart of a community, so cannot immerse in cultures. To be more specific, holidaymakers can obtain knowledge about the local cultures and traditions from a tourist guide, appointed by the hotels, who explains them about the place, but there is little opportunity for them to interact with local people and their way of life that proves crucial in gaining knowledge about the local cultures and traditions. Therefore, this essay finds that hotel accommodation is not a good choice for acquiring knowledge about the local cultures, which is one of the major purposes of a holiday trip.
On the contrary, homestay allows travellers to observe the lifestyle, authentic culture-rituals, food or even language of a country. To put it another way, it provides tourists with various activities so that they can get the exclusive experience of the cultural nuances of the society. Take my case for an example. At a homestay in Rajasthan in India, I went on safari by camel rides into the countryside, interacted with tribes, and enjoyed a wealth of wildlife. Interestingly enough, my host family took me to their village, shared their local insights and history, a far different experience from the usual tourist trudge. Thus, homestay allows tourists to immerse themselves with locals and their authentic lifestyle.
In conclusion, staying in rated hotels is comfortable for tourists but to get the real experience of culture, travellers should not stay in hotels or resorts due to their limited access to the local community and culture.