Tourist trap — ready-made English lesson, B2

Lesson goal: Students can plan a trip, compare types of holiday and talk about travel disappointments using past modals (should have, needn't have).

Add the lesson to get your own copies of the word set and exercises; the lesson opens in the builder, where you can adjust the steps and teach it.

Lesson plan

1
Warm-up
Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.
- What's the best holiday destination you've ever been to?
- Do you prefer package holidays or planning everything yourself?
- Have you ever been somewhere that was too crowded to enjoy?
2
New words
Meet the words and practise them in games.
Spell itOpen the box
destination · package holiday · all-inclusive · off the beaten track · tourist trap · accommodation · high season · itinerary · breathtaking · resort · eco-tourism · overcrowded · guided tour · stopover · travel insurance
All words in the set
3
Exercises
The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.
1. Fill the gap
  We paid twelve euros for a coffee — the café by the cathedral is a real ___.
  Answer: tourist trap
2. Fill the gap
  We planned a detailed ___: two days in Rome, three in Florence and one in Pisa.
  Answer: itinerary
3. Fill the gap
  Book early — ___ is really hard to find in the high season.
  Answer: accommodation
4. Fill the gap
  We ___ (should / book) the hotel earlier — now everything is fully booked.
  Answer: should have booked / should've booked
5. Fill the gap
  We ___ (need / not / take) so much cash — everywhere accepted cards.
  Answer: needn't have taken / need not have taken / didn't need to take
6. Multiple choice
  If a place is off the beaten track, it is ...
  far from the usual tourist areasnext to a main roadfull of touristsclosed to visitors
7. Multiple choice
  Our flight was cancelled, but luckily we had taken ___ travel insurance.
  outoffupover
8. True / false
  Read: "Ten years ago, the fishing village was off the beaten track. Then a famous series was filmed there. Now cruise ships bring up to 5,000 visitors a day, the main street is overcrowded, and many locals have moved away because they can no longer afford the rent." The village has always been a popular destination.
  Answer: False
9. True / false
  Read the text again. Tourism has made life harder for some local people.
  Answer: True
10. Discussion question
  Describe a trip that didn't go as planned. What went wrong, and what should you have done differently?
  Sample answer: Last summer we went to the coast in the high season. The beach was overcrowded and our accommodation was much further from the sea than the website said. We should have read the reviews more carefully, and we needn't have rented a car — there was a bus every ten minutes.
4
Speaking
The student answers using the new words.
- Is eco-tourism really better for the environment, or is it just marketing?
- Should popular cities limit the number of tourists?
- Would you rather have an all-inclusive holiday or explore off the beaten track?
- Is a guided tour a good way to get to know a place?
- How can tourists avoid tourist traps?
5
Review
A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.
Quiz

Lesson plan

Warm-up

Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.

What's the best holiday destination you've ever been to?
Do you prefer package holidays or planning everything yourself?
Have you ever been somewhere that was too crowded to enjoy?

New words

Meet the words and practise them in games.

Spell itOpen the box

destination · package holiday · all-inclusive · off the beaten track · tourist trap · accommodation · high season · itinerary · breathtaking · resort · eco-tourism · overcrowded · guided tour · stopover · travel insurance

All words in the set

Exercises

The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.

Fill the gap
We paid twelve euros for a coffee — the café by the cathedral is a real ___.
Answer: tourist trap
Fill the gap
We planned a detailed ___: two days in Rome, three in Florence and one in Pisa.
Answer: itinerary
Fill the gap
Book early — ___ is really hard to find in the high season.
Answer: accommodation
Fill the gap
We ___ (should / book) the hotel earlier — now everything is fully booked.
Answer: should have booked / should've booked
Fill the gap
We ___ (need / not / take) so much cash — everywhere accepted cards.
Answer: needn't have taken / need not have taken / didn't need to take
Multiple choice
If a place is off the beaten track, it is ...
far from the usual tourist areasnext to a main roadfull of touristsclosed to visitors
Multiple choice
Our flight was cancelled, but luckily we had taken ___ travel insurance.
outoffupover
True / false
Read: "Ten years ago, the fishing village was off the beaten track. Then a famous series was filmed there. Now cruise ships bring up to 5,000 visitors a day, the main street is overcrowded, and many locals have moved away because they can no longer afford the rent." The village has always been a popular destination.
Answer: False
True / false
Read the text again. Tourism has made life harder for some local people.
Answer: True
Discussion question
Describe a trip that didn't go as planned. What went wrong, and what should you have done differently?
Sample answer: Last summer we went to the coast in the high season. The beach was overcrowded and our accommodation was much further from the sea than the website said. We should have read the reviews more carefully, and we needn't have rented a car — there was a bus every ten minutes.

Speaking

The student answers using the new words.

Is eco-tourism really better for the environment, or is it just marketing?
Should popular cities limit the number of tourists?
Would you rather have an all-inclusive holiday or explore off the beaten track?
Is a guided tour a good way to get to know a place?
How can tourists avoid tourist traps?

Review

A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.

Quiz