According to the above statistics, which form of tourism is the least popular at the present moment?
Spiritual tourism (at 2%)
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for correctly identifying 'Spiritual tourism' (with or without the 2% figure).
Hint
Write down all the percentage figures from the passage and circle the smallest one.
Quick Oral Answer
According to the passage statistics, Spiritual tourism is the least popular form of tourism at the present moment, accounting for only 2% of all travel, which is the lowest among all categories listed.
Analysis & Explanation
This is a data interpretation question requiring students to compare numerical values from the passage. The passage lists tourism percentages: Leisure (42%), Business (35%), Health (10%), Others (5%), Sports (3%), Educational (3%), and Spiritual (2%). By comparing these, Spiritual tourism at 2% is clearly the least popular. The question phrase 'at the present moment' is important -- it indicates the answer should reflect current data from the passage, not historical trends. Students often confuse Sports tourism (3%) or Educational tourism (3%) with the least popular because they are also relatively low figures. The key is careful reading: 2% is lower than 3%. Some students also mistakenly select 'Others' at 5% or forget that Spiritual tourism exists as a separate category. For exam technique, when dealing with statistics-based questions, it helps to quickly jot down all the numbers in ascending order on the margin before answering. This question is marked at the 'analyze' level because it requires comparing multiple data points to reach a conclusion, even though the cognitive demand is relatively straightforward.
Common Mistakes
- 1Selecting Sports tourism (3%) or Educational tourism (3%) instead of Spiritual tourism (2%) because students confuse 'low' with 'lowest' and do not compare all the figures carefully.
- 2Not mentioning the percentage in the answer, which weakens the response even though it may not cost a full mark -- always cite the data that supports your answer.
- 3Misreading the question as asking about the 'least important' form instead of the 'least popular', which are different -- popularity here is strictly based on the percentage figures.
Interesting Facts
Despite being listed as least popular in the passage, spiritual tourism to India has been growing rapidly -- Varanasi alone received over 6 million tourists in 2023, with many visiting for spiritual purposes along the Ganges.
The Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years in India, is the world's largest religious gathering, attracting over 200 million people in the 2019 edition at Prayagraj -- making it the biggest single spiritual tourism event globally.
Globally, spiritual tourism generates an estimated $18 billion annually, with major destinations including the Vatican City (receiving 5 million pilgrims yearly), Mecca, Jerusalem, and Bodh Gaya in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find the least popular tourism type from the passage?
List all the percentage figures given in the passage and identify the smallest number. Spiritual tourism at 2% is the lowest among all categories mentioned (Leisure 42%, Business 35%, Health 10%, Sports 3%, Educational 3%, Spiritual 2%).
What if two tourism types had the same lowest percentage?
In this passage, Sports and Educational tourism both share 3%, but Spiritual tourism at 2% is uniquely the lowest. If two were tied at the lowest, you would need to mention both in your answer.
Should I mention the percentage figure in my answer?
Yes, including the percentage (2%) strengthens your answer and shows the examiner that you have accurately read the statistics. For a 1-mark answer, writing 'Spiritual tourism at 2%' is ideal.