TOEFL iBT Wriging for an Academic Discussion Will more people travel abroad after the pandemic? (Revised)

In recent years, it has become easier to travel abroad due to advancements in technology and transportation. However, the number of people traveling internationally has not fully recovered since the pandemic. Do you think more people will be willing to travel abroad in the future or not? Discuss the potential reasons for your opinion, considering factors such as technology, economic conditions, and social trends.

 

 

 

☆Let’s think

1.       Are more people traveling now than before the pandemic as of 2026?

2.       What are the factors that can increase or decrease the number of international travelers?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Note: International tourism has exceeded pre-pandemic level in terms of in-bound arrivals.

 

Factors to encourage traveling

1.       Technology: easier arrangements for traveling such as online booking for airline tickets and accommodation, translation apps, social media information, new medicine, etc.

2.       Economic conditions: economic growth, lower currency rates, promotion of tourism, etc.

3.       Social trends: globalization, viral videos, cultural exchange programs, etc.

 

Factors to discourage traveling

1.        Technology: spread of virous, increase of carbon footprints, etc.

2.        Economic conditions: widening wealth gap discouraging people from traveling a long distance

3.        Social trends: xenophobia, nationalism, etc.

 

 

☆Sample Answer for ideas and expressions

【Thesis】Ignorance is bliss, and we are forgetful when it comes to epidemics especially when fun and adventure are involved. Therefore, I think Alice is right. People will promote international traveling, expecting its positive impacts on economy and social trends. However, I am concerned about promoting more robust international traveling without proper containment of COVID-19, which has taken lives and devastated businesses. The speed of the infection and reality of politics must be taken into account.

【Supporting Details】The pandemic of COVID-19 started in China at the end of 2019. The next month, a luxury cruise ship named Diamond Princess was found to be carrying infected passengers and was kept off the coast of Yokohama, Japan, without proper treatment. In a couple of months, the virus was rampant around the world. It has killed over 7.1 million as of 2026.

【Counterargument-treatment】It is true that airport quarantine and proper government countermeasures ought to prevent the spread of virus, but the fact is that we are living the 7^th year of the pandemic. Not all governments can make proper moves based on science for the public good.[ns1]  In Japan, government officials didn’t notice the airborne nature of the coronavirus even after the release of the related article of The Lancet, and after they noticed the truth, they have covered up their mistake by not providing PCR tests. Once vaccine was available, it degraded Covid on the list of infectious diseases down to the level of influenza, lifted mask-mandate, raised the price of the drugs, putting the real situation of the disaster under carpet. In the U.S.A, Trump pretended not to know the virus is airborne, with the idea of applying social Darwinism to pandemic to eliminate those who were socially vulnerable. US under Biden and some other countries contained the virus well for a while, but soon they started getting variants from other countries. As long as the world is connected by advanced transportation, without measures based on successful models, which won’t be taken, the next pandemic is on its way. Meanwhile, health is precious enough to give up the short-term benefits and profits.

【Conclusion】As many governments are getting in the hands of those who lack scientific reasoning and compassion, and as development keeps invading animal habitats, increasing the risk of human contacts with unknown viruses, not to speak of new variants of coronavirus, it is not a good idea to keep the human flow free. If the world majority start thinking that less vibrant social activities are better than deaths and lockdown, international traveling will not be on top of their wish list in the future. (433 words)

 

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