Dialogue

Current Situation

The global tourism industry, once severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, is experiencing a robust recovery. Following years of travel restrictions and lockdowns, pent-up demand has fueled a significant resurgence in both domestic and international travel. Many regions are reporting tourism figures nearing or even surpassing pre-pandemic levels. While challenges such as inflation, staffing shortages, and sustainable tourism practices remain, the industry is adapting with renewed vigor. Travelers are rediscovering destinations, from popular city breaks to remote natural parks, eager to make up for lost time and experiences. This recovery is a key indicator of broader economic stabilization and reflects a widespread desire for connection, exploration, and leisure.

Key Phrases

• swamped: (adjective) Extremely busy or overwhelmed with work/people.

  Example: The restaurant was completely swamped during the holiday rush.

• tell me about it: (idiom) Used to express strong agreement with what someone has just said, often implying shared frustration or experience.

  Example: “I’m so tired of all this paperwork.” “Oh, tell me about it! It never ends.”

• bouncing back: (phrasal verb) Recovering quickly after a difficult period.

  Example: After a tough year, her business is finally bouncing back.

• packed to the gills: (idiom) Extremely crowded or full.

  Example: The concert hall was packed to the gills an hour before the show started.

• travel bug: (idiom) A strong desire to travel.

  Example: Once you catch the travel bug, it’s hard to stay in one place.

• through the roof: (idiom) Extremely high; rapidly increasing to a very high level.

  Example: The cost of housing has gone through the roof in recent years.

• worth the hassle: (idiom) The benefit outweighs the inconvenience or difficulty.

  Example: Waiting in line for two hours wasn’t fun, but seeing the Mona Lisa up close was worth the hassle.

• off the beaten path: (idiom) In a place that is not well known or popular with tourists.

  Example: We decided to explore some villages off the beaten path to experience authentic local culture.

Grammar Points

• 1. Present Perfect Continuous (e.g., “have been cooped up”): This tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing, or an action that recently stopped but has a result in the present. It emphasizes the duration of the action.
  • Structure: Subject + have/has + been + verb-ing
  • Example from dialogue: “People have been cooped up for so long…” (They started being cooped up in the past and the effect/feeling continues or just stopped.)
  • Further example: “I have been studying English for two years.”
• 2. Phrasal Verbs (e.g., “bouncing back”, “picking up steam”): These are combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb (or both) that, when used together, often have a meaning different from the original verb.
  • Example from dialogue: “The tourism industry is definitely bouncing back…” (recovering)
  • Example from dialogue: “…international travel is really picking up steam now too.” (gaining momentum/speed)
  • Further example: “We need to look up the meaning of that word.”
• 3. Idiomatic Expressions (e.g., “packed to the gills”, “through the roof”): These are phrases where the meaning isn’t obvious from the individual words. They add color and naturalness to language.
  • Example from dialogue: “…she says they’re packed to the gills almost every night.” (very full)
  • Example from dialogue: “…prices were through the roof!” (very high)
  • Further example: “It’s raining cats and dogs.” (raining very heavily)
• 4. Comparatives and Superlatives (implied, e.g., “busier than ever”): Though not explicitly stated with “than,” the dialogue implies comparison, like places being “busier” or “more crowded” than before.
  • Comparative: Used to compare two things (adjective + -er / more + adjective).
  • Superlative: Used to compare three or more things (the + adjective + -est / the most + adjective).
  • Example: “The café is busier now.” (Implied comparison to before)
  • Further example: “This is the most delicious cake I’ve ever eaten.”