Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457): Topic: Transport, travel and tourism – Study Guide

This guide follows the Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457) syllabus for examination in 2025, 2026 and 2027, Version 2 (published April 2025). Transport, travel and tourism is one of the topics in the topic list in section 3. The skills come from section 2 (the assessment objectives) and section 4 (details of the assessment). The syllabus says the topic list is for all components: Component 1 Written Exam, Component 2 Individual Report and Component 3 Team Project.

Read this first. The syllabus states that “knowledge of content is not assessed”. You will not gain marks for knowing facts about airlines, roads or holiday resorts. This page shows you how to use the topic to practise the assessed skills: research, analysis and evaluation (AO1), reflection (AO2), and communication and collaboration (AO3).

Use it with the Transport, travel and tourism revision notes and the Transport, travel and tourism practice questions. The 0457 course hub and the 0457 checklist show how the whole course fits together.

Coverage table

Syllabus reference	What you must be able to do (from the document)	Where assessed
Section 2, AO1 Research, analysis and evaluation	Identify and analyse issues, arguments and perspectives; evaluate evidence, reasoning and sources; develop a line of reasoning	Components 1, 2 and 3
Section 2, AO2 Reflection	Consider different perspectives objectively and with empathy; justify a personal perspective; reflect on how research and teamwork shaped your learning	Components 2 and 3
Section 2, AO3 Communication and collaboration	Present arguments, evidence and perspectives clearly, with citations and references; contribute to the Team Project	Components 2 and 3
Section 3, topic list and key terms	Explore issues within a chosen topic; use the meanings of issue, perspective, research, evidence and argument	All components
Section 4, Component 1	Analyse sources; evaluate research or evidence and suggest how to test a claim; evaluate arguments; assess actions. Understand bias, claim, fact, generalisation, opinion, prediction, value and vested interest	Written Exam, 1 hour 25 minutes, 70 marks
Section 4, Component 2	Research a global issue that divides opinion; local and/or national and global perspectives; causes and consequences; propose one course of action; evaluate sources	Individual Report, 1500-2000 words, 60 marks
Section 4, Component 3	Identify a local issue; research different perspectives; plan, carry out and measure an action; reflect	Team Project, 70 marks

Transport, travel and tourism as a source of issues

The syllabus defines an issue as “an important subject or problem for discussion”. An issue is narrower than the topic, and people disagree about it. “Should popular cities charge day visitors to enter?” is an issue.

• Global: emissions from flying and shipping; overtourism at famous sites; road deaths; who gains from international tourism money.
• National: whether to fund high-speed rail or new roads; taxes on flights; visitor fees; safety rules for motorbikes.
• Local: traffic outside your school; a bus route being cut; holiday rentals pushing up rents; a crowded beach or old town.

Key terms you will meet in sources

• Overtourism: so many visitors that residents’ daily lives or the place itself are harmed.
• Carrying capacity: the number of visitors a place can take before damage or crowding becomes serious.
• Congestion charge: a fee for driving into a busy zone, often at peak times.
• Modal shift: people switching from one way of travelling to another, such as car to bus.
• Sustainable tourism: tourism planned to protect the environment and local communities over the long term.
• Short-term rental: a home let to visitors by the night, often through an app.
• Vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, who have little protection in a crash.

A real example to anchor the global level. The World Health Organization’s Global status report on road safety 2023 estimated about 1.19 million road traffic deaths a year, a fall of 5% since 2010. It said road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young people aged 5 to 29, and that nine in ten road deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries.

Evaluation. The WHO gathers data from many governments, which makes it a credible source. But countries record road deaths differently, and some under-report them, so treat the figure as an estimate. It also says nothing about which actions work best.

Worked paragraph (analysing the level of an issue). “The source shows road safety is a local issue in the fictional town of Benmoor, where parents want a crossing. It is also global: the WHO reports road crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 5 to 29. So a crossing helps Benmoor’s pupils, but the wider problem also needs national action, such as speed limits.”

Perspectives: who sees transport and tourism differently, and why

The syllabus defines a perspective as “a viewpoint on an issue based on evidence and reasoning”. The Individual Report asks you to show that you understand why different people hold different perspectives.

Group	Likely concern	Why
Residents of a tourist area	Rents, crowding, noise, local services	They live with the effects all year
Tourism businesses	Visitor numbers, spending	Their income depends on visitors
Tourists	Cost, access, experience	They pay and choose where to go
Commuters and drivers	Travel time and cost	Daily travel shapes their work and family life
Environmental groups	Emissions, damage to sites	Their aim is protection
Governments	Jobs, tax, safety, votes	They balance many groups and answer to voters

A real example. Stockholm, Sweden, ran a trial congestion charge from January to July 2006. In a referendum in September 2006, 53% of voters in the city of Stockholm voted yes. In several surrounding municipalities, which held their own votes, most voters said no (about 40% yes overall). The charge became permanent in August 2007.

Evaluation. The split shows how position shapes perspective. City residents gained quieter streets; many people in surrounding areas drove into the city and would pay. When you write about perspectives, name the group, its reason and the evidence behind it. (For transport emissions and climate, see the Climate change, energy and resources guide.)

Worked paragraph (explaining why perspectives differ). “The hotel owner in the source wants more flights to the island, while the fisher wants fewer boats in the bay. They differ because the hotel owner’s income rises with every visitor, while the fisher bears the cost of crowded water and damaged reefs. Both views are reasonable from their own position, so an action that shares tourism income with fishing families may gain more support than either a ban or unlimited growth.”

Causes and consequences

The Individual Report must analyse “the reasons for conflict or disagreement/causes of problems and the consequences/impacts of the issue”. A cause-consequence chain helps you to show links rather than list points.

Example chain for overtourism in a historic town:

1. Cause: cheaper flights and cruise calls bring more short visits.
2. Cause: social media makes a few spots famous, so crowds gather there.
3. Consequence (personal): a resident struggles through crowded streets to work.
4. Consequence (local): homes become holiday lets; rents rise; families leave.
5. Consequence (national): tourism tax income rises, but so do cleaning and policing costs.
6. Consequence (global): more travel adds to emissions from aircraft and ships.

Real example: Venice. Venice, Italy, began a trial day-visitor fee on 25 April 2024. Day-trippers paid 5 euros on 29 selected days; overnight guests and residents were exempt. Officials said the aim was to discourage visits at the busiest times and gather better visitor data. On the first day some residents protested with banners saying “No to tickets, yes to services and housing”. In 2025 the fee ran on 54 days, at 5 euros if booked at least four days ahead and 10 euros if booked later.

Analysis. This case separates two problems often merged: crowding (short-term) and residents leaving because of housing costs (long-term). The protesters argued that the fee tackled the first but not the second.

Worked paragraph. “On the fictional Kerrow Island, summer-weekend cars on the causeway fell from 5,400 to 4,050 (25%) after a shuttle bus started. This suggests some modal shift. However, the source does not say whether weather or visitor numbers were similar in both years, so other causes cannot be ruled out.”

Judging sources and evidence

For Component 1, the syllabus says you will benefit from understanding bias, claim, fact, generalisation, opinion, prediction, value and vested interest, and should be able to “analyse and evaluate use of evidence and language”.

Term	Transport, travel and tourism example
Claim	“Visitor fees reduce crowding.”
Fact	“The fee applied on 29 days.” (checkable)
Opinion	“Cruise passengers ruin the town.”
Generalisation	“Tourists never respect local customs.”
Prediction	“Electric planes will replace jet aircraft within ten years.”
Value	Freedom to travel, fairness, safety, protecting nature
Vested interest	An airline group commenting on a flight ban
Bias	A tourism board quoting only happy visitors

Real example 1: a trial as evidence. In Stockholm’s 2006 trial, traffic across the charging boundary fell by about 20-25%. Strength: it was measured in a real trial, not predicted. Limitation: a few months cannot show long-term effects. Here, a 2012 study of the first five years found the fall had lasted. Ask how long evidence was collected for.

Real example 2: competing claims about a national action. In May 2023 France brought into force a ban on some domestic flights where the same trip can be made by train in under two and a half hours. In practice it covered three routes, from Paris-Orly to Bordeaux, Nantes and Lyon. Connecting flights were not covered. The government presented it as part of its climate law. The industry group Airlines for Europe called it “symbolic” and said it would have little effect on emissions.

Evaluation. Both sides have a stake: the government wants its policy to look effective, and the airlines’ group has a vested interest in fewer restrictions. Ask what evidence would settle it, such as the emissions from those three routes compared with all French flights, and whether passengers switched to trains.

Worked paragraph (Component 1 style). “The fictional Kerrow Hoteliers’ Association says ‘most visitors oppose the shuttle bus’. This is weak evidence. Only 45 of its 300 members replied (15%), and they reported what guests said rather than asking visitors directly. The association also has a vested interest, as hotels with car parks may lose an advantage. To test the claim, I would survey a random sample of visitors at the ferry port on several days, asking the same neutral question.”

Courses of action and their effects

The Written Exam asks you to “assess actions in response to the global issue”. The Individual Report must consider different courses of action and propose one, explaining how it could be implemented. Judge each action against clear criteria:

• Effectiveness: does it tackle a cause, or only a symptom?
• Feasibility: cost, time, who must agree.
• Fairness: who gains and who pays?
• Sustainability: will it last, and does it protect the environment and community?
• Evidence: has something similar worked elsewhere?

Action	Possible benefit	Possible drawback
Congestion charge	Fewer cars; money for buses	Hits lower-income drivers; needs alternatives
Visitor fee or cap	Spreads visits; raises money	May not fix housing; can feel like a “theme park”
Limits on short-term rentals	Returns homes to residents	Fewer beds for visitors; owners lose income
Rail investment	Lower-emission travel	Slow and costly to build
Flight taxes or bans	Signals a cut in emissions	Small effect if routes are few
Speed limits and safe crossings	Fewer deaths	Needs enforcement

Real example: changing an action after evidence. Bhutan charges most international visitors a daily Sustainable Development Fee. When it reopened to tourists in September 2022 the fee rose from 65 to 200 US dollars a night. From 1 September 2023 it was cut to 100 dollars for four years. An official said visitor numbers had not recovered as hoped after the rise. An action can be adjusted once its effects are clear, so when you assess actions, say how success will be measured.

Worked paragraph. “The park-and-ride is the most effective action because it tackles a cause in the sources, that most day visitors arrive by car. A fee alone may cut crowds on busy days, but visitors with no other way to arrive may simply pay. The park-and-ride’s weakness is cost, so funding it from a small fee could combine both strengths.”

Individual Report ideas

The syllabus asks for a global issue “that divides opinion”, a question you devise yourself, local and/or national and global perspectives, and one proposed course of action. Possible questions (adapt them; do not copy):

• Should popular destinations limit the number of tourists?
• Should governments tax frequent flyers more heavily?
• Should cities charge drivers to enter busy centres?
• Do the benefits of international tourism reach local communities?

Check each idea has sources for at least two levels and clearly different perspectives. See the Individual Report guide and Individual Report practice.

Team Project ideas

The Team Project needs a local issue and an action you can carry out and measure.

• Issue: congestion and unsafe driving at the school gate. Action: a “walk or cycle to school” week with a safe-route map. Measure: count cars at the gate before and during the week.
• Issue: visitors drop litter at a local beauty spot. Action: a bilingual sign and bin campaign with a local group. Measure: bags of litter collected before and after.

Each member researches a different perspective, such as parents, pupils or a shopkeeper. Your teacher will confirm what is feasible. More help: Team Project guide and Team Project revision notes.

Common errors

• Writing what you know about tourism instead of analysing the sources; in Component 1 prior knowledge is not assessed.
• Treating a short trial’s result as proof of long-term success.
• Calling a source “biased” without naming the vested interest, such as an airline group commenting on a flight ban.
• Merging crowding and housing costs into one problem, so the action you choose does not match the cause.
• Choosing an Individual Report question that does not divide opinion, such as “Is road safety important?”
• Proposing several courses of action in the Individual Report instead of choosing one and explaining how it would work.
• A Team Project action that cannot be measured.

Where to go next

• Transport, travel and tourism revision notes and practice questions
• Written Exam guide and Global Perspectives revision notes
• Related topics: Environment, pollution and conservation and Migration and urbanisation
• 0457 course hub and 0457 checklist

Official syllabus

This guide is based on the Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives (0457) syllabus for examination in 2025, 2026 and 2027, Version 2 (published April 2025). Check the syllabus and your teacher’s guidance for the current requirements.