Professional translation is the best friend of the tourism industry. For hotels, tour operators and travel agencies alike, the most efficient way to expand is through being able to communicate with as wide a customer base as possible. With high quality translations of magazines, brochures and websites, it’s possible for tourism businesses to reach out to a massive new audience.
However, tourism businesses need to be careful when approaching this. Anything less than 100% accurate translation and native-speaker fluency will quickly alienate any potential new customers. Translated materials need to be clear, comprehensive and eye-catching. Let’s take a closer look at what this means, key aspects when thinking about multi-lingual communication.
And if you ever doubt the importance of translations to inform and communicate, please read this student take on the subject over at SciTable. Like science, and a hundred other disciplines, the world would still be in the Dark Ages without widespread translation of information.
Language Must Be Accessible
Translation for the tourism industry is unique in that it’s one of the few fields that do not require translators to have an in-depth knowledge every complex and technical term under the sun.
That being said, tourism translation is far from easy. Tourist businesses still need to present a clear and friendly message, and to do so the industry generally makes use of colloquial terms, the kind of everyday language that people use amongst themselves. Therefore, translation for tourism requires the translator to possess an intimate knowledge of the nuances of each language – the source language and the target language – if they really want to make an impression.
Translated Materials Need a Touch of Flair
Simply conveying the original message of the source text isn’t going to be enough. Marketing materials are designed to be eye-catching and conjure up excitement in the reader. This kind of material is very difficult to translate.
What this means is that a direct translation of the original material is unlikely to have the same level of appeal. Translators need to have a way with words when it comes to tourist industry materials. They need to be able create an attention-grabbing text while staying true to the original message.
The Small Details Count
In order to make a real impact with the target audience, it’s important not to forget the finer points of a language when translating tourism materials. Some things are fairly obvious – for example, the audience would certainly appreciate prices being translated into their own language. There are also less obvious nuances. Many cultures use different dating systems, or use different measurement systems. For example, in Thailand, it is now the year 2554, and any translation into the Thai language needs to reflect this.
Professional translation companies tasking events and needs abroad, such as ComTranslations (which is ramping up to meet the needs of UEFA 2012 in Poland and Ukraine), understand the importance of conveying all of these details to make a truly great impression. Add to these, the need for marketing flair and the delicate translation of colloquial terms, and all of a sudden it becomes clear that translating for the tourist industry is not as easy as it first seems.
No matter which services you choose for meeting your company’s or your personal translation needs, be sure and get accuracy, accessible, and upbeat communications to engage your audience. There is nothing more welcoming than speaking a visitor’s language, or greeting a host in their native tongue. Professional and timely translation services are as important as your business.
Note: ComTranslations is a client of Pamil Visions PR, the parent company of Argophilia Travel and Travel News.
View Comments (1)
Thanks for an insightful article. From a translator's perspective, translating for tourism can be really tricky! Especially if you do it from English into another language. The peculiarities of language lead very often to localisation, rather than just translation. And these materials are essential in marketing!