Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Popular natural long-haul
destinations
Popular long-haul historical/cultural
destinations
Destinations with natural attractions are important for
travel and tourism since people will travel a long way to
view something spectacular, such as a mountain range,
deep gorge of waterfall. Many of the world's most
important natural destinations are given protected
status, e.g. by being designated as a National Park
to protect their environment for future generations.
Here are some of the world's natural destinations that
are popular with British tourists on long-haul trips -
the Himalayas, Victoria Falls, the Grand Canyon, the
Everglades, Niagara Falls, the Andes, Great Barrier
Reef, the Rocky Mountains, Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kruger
National Park, the Great Lakes, Serengeti National
Park, Mount Kilimanjaro and the Brazilian rain forest.
Destinations with historical and cultural attractions are
very popular with British people travelling long-haul,
for example the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu,
Agra Fort, the Taj Mahal, Imperial Palace Beijing and
the Tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (home of the
terracotta warriors).
DESTINATION FOCUS
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL DESTINATION -
MACHU PICCHU
Machu Picchu is an ancient deserted city containing
the ruins of nearly 200 buildings surrounded by
terraces that were used to grow food by the Incas
from 1400 AD onwards. Located 112km (70 miles)
north-west of Cusco in Peru, it is the most spectacular
and best-known Inca site in South America. Awarded
World Heritage Site status by UNESCO, Machu
Picchu is located high on a mountain top, bordering
a sheer 400-metre drop over the Urubamba River
canyon. The attraction is very popular with tourists
from all over the world - so popular that there are
now restrictions on the numbers allowed to visit, in
order to preserve this ancient monument for future
generations to enjoy. Many tour operators feature
Machu Picchu in their tour programmes, often
combined with visits to other historic sites in Peru
and surrounding countries. The attraction appeals
particularly to tourists who are interested in history
and culture, but it has a much wider appeal given
its status as one of the most important ancient sites
in the world. Tourists can travel to the site by train
or by following one of the Inca trails, a network of
paths that snake their way through the mountains
and gorges found in the area. This is one of the best
trekking areas in the world, combining spectacular
scenery with rich archaeological sites.
Activity 8.4
Locate the 14 natural attractions and the 8 purpose-
built attractions listed above on an outline map of
the world (which registered tandtonline users can
download from
www.tandtonline.co.uk
).
This activity is designed to provide evidence for P1.
Weblink
Check out this website for more
information on Machu Picchu.
www.peru.info
Machu Picchu
