Tourist information

TOURIST INFORMATION 
English for Tourism page 1 
Unit 1 
Tourist Information 
Section 1 
Language Focus 
Vocabulary 
1. Work in pairs. Match the words to the correct pictures. 
a. Tourist Attractions 
a. Floating market 
b. Jungle 
c. Bay 
d. Waterfall 
e. Grotto 
f. Bird sanctuary 
g. Market 
h. Pagoda 
i. Beach 
1.___________ 2.___________ 
3.___________ 
4.___________ 
5.___________ 
6.___________ 
7.___________ 
8.___________ 
9.___________ 
b. Tourist Activities 
a. Fishing 
b. Swimming 
c. Bird watching 
d. Kayaking 
e. Scuba diving 
f. Skiing 
g. Skating 
h. Hiking 
i. Horse riding 
j. Playing golf 
k. Sailing 
l. Biking 
1. ___________ 
2. ___________ 
3. ___________ 
4. ___________ 
5.___________ 
6. ___________ 
7. ___________ 
8. ___________ 
9. ___________ 
10. ___________ 
11. ___________ 
12. ___________ 
2. Listen to some tourists telephoning a tourist information center in Sydney. What are 
they looking for? Complete the table. 
a. Somewhere to relax, swim and sunbathe 
b. Panoramic view of the city 
c. Battleships and historic ships 
d. Somewhere educational, interesting museum 
Enquirer What the enquirer is looking for 
1 
2 
3 
4 
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Compound nouns 
In English we can use nouns as adjectives. For example: 
Water sport Stork sanctuary Adventure tour 
The relationship between the two nouns can be of many kinds, including: 
Place: mountain slopes, city center 
Time: summer holiday, weekend break 
Function: golf course, swimming pool 
Material: paper bag, iron bridge, stone cathedral 
Practice 
1. Match the nouns in A and B. 
A B 
Theme 
Tour 
Shopping 
Boat 
Water 
Capital 
City 
Sports 
Trip 
Park 
Guide 
Mall 
2. Rewrite these sentences without changing the meaning. 
Ex: - It takes five minutes to walk from the hotel to the beach. 
 - It’s a five-minute walk from the hotel to the beach. 
a. It takes two hours o drive to the airport. 
b. You can visit the sanctuary which extends to over 4 hectares in Thot Not, Can Tho. 
c. We stayed in a hotel with three stars. 
d. The journey to Cai Rang floating market takes 3 hours. 
Advice and suggestions 
We can give advice to someone by using the following structures. 
• If you’re looking for .., then go to  
• Don’t miss  
• .. is a must for any visitors to ..(city). 
• You can’t leave .. (city) without  
Practice 
Pairwork: Student A: You have 2 days off work. You want to go somewhere 
relaxing this weekend. Go to a tourist information center to ask for some information 
for your trip. 
Student B: A customer comes and asks you some information for his/her trip. Give 
him/her some suggestions about where to go and what to do. 
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Section 2 
Reading 
1. Pre-reading 
a. Where did you spend your last vacation? What did you do there? Which places 
did you visit? 
b. Where did you get information about that trip? (From your relatives? Friends? 
Coworkers? Internet?) 
c. Do you feel satisfied with the information you got? Why? 
2. Reading 
TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES 
The tourism department operates tourism information offices in many origin 
countries. A tourism information office promotes, or builds, travel to a destination 
country through advertising and special promotional activities. For example, 
representatives of the information office give brochures about vacations, the 
destination country, and special tours to travel agents in the origin country. A brochure 
is a printed folder, or pamphlet, about a place, product, or company. Brochures 
advertising tourism are written, printed, and supplied to information offices in origin 
countries by the tourism department. 
Mr. Carter is the director (manager) of a tourism information office. He has a 
large staff. A staff in a business office is a group of people who work together. The 
staff includes people who work directly with travel agents; others who do work with 
companies and businesses; people who contact newspapers and television and radio 
stations; some who work with airlines and hotels; people who write advertising; and 
information clerks and secretaries. 
 One of Mr. Carter's most important jobs is that of public relations director. The 
purpose of this job is to establish a good attitude toward his country among the public 
(people) of the origin country. As part of this job, he supervises the writing and 
distribution of press releases (news stories) for the media. Media refers to all the ways 
of spreading information, such as newspapers, radio, television, and other means of 
communication. Media is a plural word, meaning it refers to all these means. Radio is 
a medium of communication; it is one of the media used for advertising. Public 
relations people place special news stories in the media to help build interest in the 
destination country. Advertisements in the media, paid for by the tourism department, 
also help establish interest. 
 Employees in public relations and advertising must be fluent in English if they 
work in English-speaking countries. "To be fluent" means to speak, read, and write a 
language almost as well as the natives do. Mr. Carter's staff members write 
advertisements, news releases, and brochures to promote travel to their country. They 
give lectures (talks) and show films about their country to groups of people. They 
answer questions about travel to their country. 
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Mr. Carter holds press conferences whenever something of importance or 
interest happens in his country. A press conference is a meeting attended by reporters 
from newspapers, magazines, radio, or television. At a press conference, someone 
makes announcements that their readers, listeners, or viewers might find interesting. 
Whenever an important person from his country visits, Mr. Carter holds a press 
conference to introduce that person to the representatives of the media. Such news 
items help to build interest in and knowledge about his country. 
Information offices also give tourists and immigrants helpful information. The 
clerks give them any necessary documents or visas that may be required for entrance. 
The staff can also tell them about different laws and regulations in the destination 
country. 
 Mr. Carter and his staff also work with businesses and industries that might be 
interested in either moving to or doing business with the destination country. Mr. 
Carter's country wants foreign industries to come and help build industry there. The 
country is also interested in exporting some of its products. In turn, the country is 
anxious to get the best prices on products imported from other countries. 
Wherever they go and whatever they do, the information staff members 
represent their country. "We are the face of our country to the rest of the world," Mr. 
Carter says. "Before they know anything about our country, people form their 
impressions and attitudes about it from the things we do and say." 
(Adapted from English for the Travel Industry 
by Benedict Kruse and Bettijune Kruse,1982) 
Answer the following questions. 
a. What does a tourism information office do to promote travel to the 
destination country? 
b. Why is the job of public relations important? 
c. What are some of the duties of public relations people? 
d. How well do employees who work in English-speaking countries have to 
know English? 
3. Vocabulary 
Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence. 
1. The country from which the tourist comes is called the _______ country. 
a. destination c. vacation 
b. origin d. native 
2. A _______ office promotes travel to the destination country. 
a. representative c. travel agent 
b. tour packager d. tourism information 
3. A _______ is a printed pamphlet about a place, product, or company that is 
used for advertising. 
a. media c. visa 
b. passport d. brochure 
4. The purpose of public relations is to establish a good _______toward something 
among the public. 
a. advertisement c. attitude 
b. interest d. contact 
5. Newspapers, magazines, and books are print _______ that spread information. 
a. medium c. brochures 
b. media d. advertisements 
4. Speaking 
Choose a tourist destination in Vietnam which you 
know well. In groups of four or five students, prepare 
a presentation about tourist attractions and activities 
in that place. 
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Section 3 
DO YOU REMEMBER? 
1. What are some famous places and activities for tourists in the Mekong Delta? 
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2. If you want to give some suggestions, what can you say? 
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Unit 2 
Tour Itineraries 
Section 1 
Language focus 
Referring to the future 
When referring to the future itinerary, we can use a wide range of tenses. 
• The present simple can be used for a program or regular schedule which is 
unlikely to change. 
• WILL can be used to make a deduction, a factual prediction or a spontaneous 
offer. 
• GOING TO can be used to predict future events based on a present evaluation 
of circumstances. 
Practice 
1. Work in pairs, one as a travel agent, the other as a tourist. Ask and answer questions 
about this day trip from London to Oxford. 
08.15 Coach departs from London, Victoria. 
10.00 Arrival in Oxford. 
10.15 Tour of Oxford University colleges. 
12.45 Lunch at the Turf Tavern. 
14.00 Coach leaves for Woodstock. 
14.30 Tour of Woodstock and Blenheim Palace. 
17.30 Coach departs for London. 
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2. Listen to the travel agent explaining the tour from Bangkok to Malaysia and 
complete this tour itinerary. 
Day 1 Arrival in Bangkok 
You arrive in Bangkok and transfer to your hotel. 
Day 2 Bangkok 
You are free to 1 in your hotel or 2 the city. 
Day 3 Bangkok 
After visiting the 3 in the morning, we spend the afternoon touring 
the Grand Palace and watching the display of Thai 4 In the evening, 
we take the overnight 5 to Nakorn Sri Thammarat. 
Day 4 Nakorn Sri Thammarat Krabi 
On arrival, we visit the 7th century 6 and the museum, before going 
on to see the famous 7 at work. After lunch we drive to Krabi on the 
8 coast. 
Day 5 Krabi / Phuket 
After 9 the night in Krabi, we set off early for Phuket. The rest of the 
day is yours to enjoy on Thailand’s 10 island. 
Day 6 Phuket / Penang 
We take the early flight to Penang for the 11 part of the tour. You 
are free to explore the 12 and mosques of Penang, or relax on the 
13. 
(Adapted from a listening exercise in First Class, 1991) 
Section 2 
Reading 
1. Pre-reading 
a. What means of transport do you like for a short journey? for a long journey? 
Why? 
b. What are some of the most popular means of transport available in Can Tho 
that tourists can use? 
2. Reading 
THAILAND, CAMBODIA AND LAOS 
16 DAYS 
The trip: An Exciting journey through the 
festinating kingdoms of Cambodia and Laos by 
boat, train, and bus. A busy trip, but with lots of 
time for shopping, relaxing and exploring. 
Size of group: 5-15 plus group leader and local 
guide 
Accommodation: 11 nights in hotels, 2 nights 
in local houses 
ITINERARY 
Day 1 
Day 2 
Day 3 
Day 4 
Day 5 
Day 6 
Day 7 
Day 8 
Day 9 
Depart Heathrow Airport 
Arrive Bangkok 
Visit the Grand Palace, the take train to 
Aranyaprathet. 
Cross the border by train to the old town 
of Battambang in Camodia; explore in 
the afternoon. 
Take boat down river to Tonle Sap, then 
a short bus journey to Siem Reap; 
afternoon sightseeing in Banteay Srei. 
A day to explore the amazing temples of 
Angkor, including the Bayon, Angkor 
Wat, Angkor Thom, and countless 
others. 
Early morning boat ride to Phnom Penh; 
afternoon visiting the Royal Palace and 
Silver Pagoda. 
Fly to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. 
Morning tour of Vientiane; afternoon bus 
journey to Vang Vieng past rice paddies 
and through dense forests. 
Day 10 
Day 11 
Day 12 
Day 13 
Day 14 
Day 15 
Day 16 
Free day to wander around peaceful Vang 
Vieng, or take a walk and explore the 
spectacular limestone caves or the 
surrounding hills. 
Drive to Luang Prabang, a world heritage 
sight. 
Early morning climb of Mount Phousi to see 
the sunrise; rest of the day free to visit the 
waterfalls or simply relax. 
Speedboat trip to Pak Beng, stopping off at 
the Pak Ou caves. 
Another boat trip to the border town Huay 
Xai and cross the Mekong back into 
Thailand. 
Fly to Bangkok in the morning. Night flight 
to London. 
Arrive Heathrow Airport. 
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Find out where you can: 
a. See many ancient temples 
b. Cross the border from Laos to 
Thailand 
c. Visit caves (two places) 
d. See the sunrise 
e. Visit the Silver Pagoda 
f. Cross the border from Thailand 
to Laos 
__________________________ 
__________________________ 
__________________________ 
__________________________ 
__________________________ 
__________________________ 
Angkor 
3. Writing and Speaking 
Write an itinerary for a 4-day tour in the Mekong Delta. Then, explain your tour 
itinerary to the whole class. 
EXLORING THE MEKONG DELTA 
Tour code: MK-A03 
Duration: 4 days 
Discovering the Mekong Delta is an unforgettable experience for you. Paddy fields, 
orchards and small hamlets will be in your view along your way down the Mekong 
Delta. Come and join us. 
Day 1 
Day 2 
Day 3 
Day 4 
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Section 3 
DO YOU REMEMEBER? 
Complete the following statements. 
• The simple present can be used for: 
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• WILL can be used for: 
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• BE GOING TO can be used for: 
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Unit 3 
Tour Booking 
Section 1 
Language Focus 
Taking booking 
Here are some of the expressions the travel agent uses when taking the booking. 
Can I help you? 
I’ll check availability on the 14th of November. 
Do you want to confirm it? 
Can I take some details? 
I’ll just give you the booking reference number? 
Asking questions 
In formal situations it is more polite to ask questions indirectly, especially at the 
beginning of a conversation. For example, it can be better to use an indirect form such 
as Could you tell me when you were born? rather than When were you born? 
Direct questions Indirect questions 
What kind of tour would you like? Can I know what kind of tour you’d like? 
How many people is it for? Can you tell me how many people it is for? 
How long does the journey take? Do you know how long the journey takes? 
PRACTICE 
1. Listening 
a. Discuss the following questions. 
1. When you stay in a hotel, what kind of room do you prefer? 
2. Do you like to have meals at the hotel or go to local restaurant when you’re 
on holiday? Why? 
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b. Listen to a conversation between a travel agent and a customer. Complete this 
customer enquiry form. 
 Real Holidays Ltd. Customer enquiry form 
Resort Playa Blanca 
Hotel 
Room † single † twin † balcony † sea view 
Meal plan † self-catering † B & B † half-board † full-board 
Airport From ______________ 
Departure on ________ Nov. 
Return on ___________ 
To ____________________ 
Dep: 09.35 Arr: _______ 
Dep: _____ Arr:________ 
Client name 1. 2. 
Contact phone 
number 
Booking reference 
(Adapted from a listening exercise in Going International, 1998) 
c. Speaking 
Student A is a travel agent. Student B is a customer. Role-play the following situation. 
After you’ve finished, change roles and repeat the role plays. 
Student A: Travel agent 
You will be given a list of the tours 
with specific details. A customer will 
come and ask you about the tour which 
he/she is interested in. Try to sell 
him/her a tour. Then, take the booking. 
 Student B: Customer 
You want to have for a vacation. Ask 
for information about the tour you like 
and book it. 
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Section 2 
READING 
1. Pre-reading 
Which of th