Tourism and Economy

Active learning helps Year 3 students grasp the real-world impact of tourism on the Mediterranean economy. Through role play, collaboration, and visual analysis, students move beyond abstract ideas to see how tourism shapes lives, jobs, and landscapes in concrete ways.

• Year 3
• Geography
• 3 activities
• 25 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Compare the physical features of Mediterranean coastlines that attract tourists with those of non-Mediterranean coastlines.
2. Explain how the Mediterranean climate acts as a primary 'pull factor' for tourism.
3. Analyze the economic benefits of tourism for Mediterranean communities, citing specific examples of jobs created.
4. Evaluate the potential negative environmental impacts of mass tourism on Mediterranean ecosystems.
5. Propose solutions for balancing economic gains from tourism with the need for environmental protection in the region.

Role Play

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Role Play: The Resort Meeting

A new hotel wants to build on a beach where turtles lay their eggs. Students take roles: the Hotel Manager (jobs and money), the Environmentalist (save the turtles), and the Local Shopkeeper (more customers). They must try to find a 'middle ground' solution.

Prepare & details

Why is the Mediterranean a popular destination for tourists?

Facilitation Tip: During the Resort Meeting role play, assign clear roles (hotelier, fisher, tour guide) and provide props like toy money or tourist brochures to ground the discussion in real scenarios.

Setup: Open space or rearranged desks for scenario staging

Materials: Character cards with backstory and goals, Scenario briefing sheet

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: The Tourist Pound

Give students a 'budget' of 100 tokens. They must 'spend' them on a Mediterranean holiday (hotel, food, tours, souvenirs). They then map out where that money goes, does it stay in the local village or go to a big international airline? This introduces the concept of economic impact.

Prepare & details

How does tourism help or hurt the local environment?

Facilitation Tip: While completing The Tourist Pound investigation, circulate and ask guiding questions like 'Who benefits when tourists spend money here?' to push students toward economic reasoning.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 25 min·Whole Class

Gallery Walk: Pull Factors

Display photos of different Mediterranean attractions (a beach, an ancient temple, a water park, a local market). Students walk around and use 'dot voting' to show which would 'pull' them to visit. They then discuss which attractions bring the most money and which cause the most 'wear and tear'.

Prepare & details

What would happen to the economy if the climate became too hot for visitors?

Facilitation Tip: For the Gallery Walk: Pull Factors, have students rotate in small groups, record one example on a sticky note, and post it under the correct category (sun, sea, history, etc.) to build a shared visual reference.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Start with concrete examples students can relate to, like a favorite holiday spot or family trip, before introducing broader economic concepts. Avoid overcomplicating the idea of 'the economy'—focus on how money moves between tourists, businesses, and locals. Research shows that role-play and tangible materials (e.g., fake currency, maps) help young learners grasp abstract systems like tourism economies more effectively.

What to Expect

Students will explain pull factors for Mediterranean tourism, evaluate its economic benefits and costs, and use evidence to discuss the industry’s impact on local communities. Success looks like thoughtful participation in discussions, accurate identification of factors, and balanced reasoning about tourism’s effects.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Gallery Walk: Pull Factors, listen for students who only identify beaches. Redirect them to the history and cultural images in the gallery, asking, 'What do these ruins tell us about why people visit beyond the beach?'

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After the Gallery Walk: Pull Factors, distribute postcard-sized cards. Ask students to draw one pull factor on one side and write two sentences on the back explaining how it helps the local economy and one sentence about a potential environmental concern.

Discussion Prompt

After the Resort Meeting role play, facilitate a class discussion with the prompt: 'Imagine you are a local shop owner in a Mediterranean village. How does tourism help your business? Now, imagine you are a park ranger protecting a local beach. What problems might too many tourists cause?' Compare these perspectives using evidence from the role play.

Quick Check

During The Tourist Pound investigation, provide a short list of Mediterranean attractions (e.g., ancient ruins, sandy beaches, ski resorts, rainforests). Ask students to circle the features that are 'pull factors' for tourism and underline those that might cause environmental problems. Review answers as a class to check understanding.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to design a new tourist attraction that balances economic benefits with environmental protection, then present their idea to the class.
• Scaffolding: Provide a partially completed 'Pros and Cons' T-chart with sentence starters for students to fill in during The Tourist Pound activity.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research a specific Mediterranean city (e.g., Barcelona, Dubrovnik) and create a short presentation linking its tourism industry to local economic changes over time.

Key Vocabulary

Pull Factor	A feature or aspect of a place that attracts people to visit or move there. For the Mediterranean, these include climate, beaches, and historical sites.
Tourism Economy	The part of an economy that is made up of businesses and activities related to providing services for tourists. This includes hotels, restaurants, and tour guides.
Infrastructure	The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise. For tourism, this includes airports, roads, and accommodation.
Environmental Impact	The effect that human activities, such as tourism, have on the natural environment. This can include pollution, habitat destruction, and resource depletion.