Band 5+: You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: Some people think that we should replace old buildings and houses in cities with more modern buildings. Other people think we should protect old buildings. Discuss both these views and give your opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Write at least 250 words.

Some would argue that old-fashioned buildings, even houses, should be demolished and replaced with new, modern ones, while others think that it is not correct, so we have to save them and protect them.

From my point of view, fashionable, new buildings are safer and look really good, so they can affect tourism positively, while saving traditional buildings can illustrate how historical the city is.

As I mentioned, relocating or destroying conventional monuments and houses can lead to tourism development, due to unique and unusual buildings looking attractive and involving more visitors. For instance, Thailand had a huge increase in the amount of tourists in 2004, due to the massive demolition and reconstruction of primitive public places and buildings, such as World War II soldiers’ camps and temples. In 2003, all processes had finished, and inhabitants were not arguing; even vice versa, they were visiting and publishing their new attractions. In 2004, data showed that tourists, compared to then, increased twice as much as it was. So, I believe that it is better to destroy ancient constructions and replace them with more modern housings.

However, outmoded constructions also can be helpful, exactly for the historical importance of the country, due to their major part in the history of that province. To be more precise, old-fashioned monuments, houses, and churches can represent what the cost of freedom or their ancient relatives’ hard work was, so that kind of building can play a huge role in the tradition and mentality of citizens. For example, Mongolia is one of the most historical countries in the world; their government officials tried to replace ancient buildings, but inhabitants disagreed because of their value in their culture, so in the end, those constructions were just restored, and it led to a stronger ethnicity code. However, I think it would be better if the country developed similarly to others.

To conclude, old constructions should be replaced or relocated to develop tourism in the country by attracting tourists with fashionable, speechless buildings.