In recent years, the world got a glimpse of life without travel. Since then, the tourism industry has rebounded strongly, with people flocking to road trips, getaways, and vacations, both locally and internationally. While many Americans dream of traveling abroad, countless people worldwide dream of visiting the US and Canada. Attracting these visitors requires translated marketing materials that specifically cater to the needs of travel translations.
The Importance of Translation in the Travel and Tourism Industry
English is widely spoken, but not everyone traveling to North America speaks it. French, Spanish, German, and Chinese are among the most widely spoken languages in the world’s most popular tourist destinations, underscoring the importance of translating tourism marketing materials into these languages.
Consider your last vacation abroad. You likely sought information in your own language, not the local one. The same applies to visitors coming to the US and Canada: travelers want information in a format and language they understand.
Thanks to the internet, people in Turkey can discover a cave in Kentucky, or residents of Panama may plan a trip to the Canadian Rockies. But knowing a destination exists is only half the battle. Visitors also need to know where to stay, eat, explore, and get around. If this information isn’t available in their native language, or if multilingual translations are not available, they may choose another destination or have a less enjoyable visit.
Using Data to Drive Tourism Translation Services
How do you choose which languages to translate your marketing into? Start with data:
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Target languages of your current visitors.
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If uncertain, focus on widely spoken languages and monitor traffic and conversions.
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Use website analytics to identify visitor origins.
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Check state or regional tourism organizations for data on international travelers.
Professional translation services make cities, towns, and states more accessible and appealing to diverse audiences.
Case Studies: US City Travels and Multilingual Communication
As one of the top tourist destinations in the world, translation services in NYC make information available in various languages to welcome everyone. For example, the city’s language‑access policy covers translation of public‑facing documents into 10 designated citywide languages (Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Korean, Arabic, Urdu, French, and Polish).
Another example of a city with a multilingual website to serve its visitors and residents is Boston. The city website offers a translated version via Google Translate, accompanied by a disclaimer regarding the quality of the translation provided. This is another indicator that translation services in Boston are important for the services and information provided by the city.
Localizing Your Travel Translations
Translating your tourism marketing is as important as deciding to do it. Clunky translations can result in materials that are inaccurate at best and laughable or offensive at worst. All you need to do is Google “translation fails” to find an array of embarrassing mistakes, such as KFC’s campaign in China that urged people to “eat their fingers” (a poor translation of “finger-licking” good).
Substituting word-for-word from a source to a target language may get the job done, but it won’t resonate with your target audience. Localization is a key piece of travel and tourism translation. A localized translation considers the region’s grammatical structure, vocabulary, and cultural nuances and incorporates this into the translation. It also manages measurements, formats for time zones, and currency. An experienced translator should translate your tourism marketing materials into a linguistic equivalent that retains your core message while presenting it in a way that resonates with your target audience.
Industries That Benefit from Tourism Translation
Businesses in tourism and hospitality that often need translation services include:
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Hospitality: hotels, resorts, hostels, B&Bs
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Food & Beverage: restaurants, bars, cafés, wineries
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Transportation: airlines, buses, cruises, ferries, trains
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Services: tour guides, events, activities
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Attractions: museums, theme parks, monuments, malls
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Organizers: travel agencies, tour operators
Materials to be translated include websites, travel guides, brochures, maps, menus, blogs, emails, social media posts, paid advertisements, audio tours, videos, and press releases. Translations help create welcoming environments for global visitors and businesses hosting meetings, retreats, or training. Also, don’t forget to translate the SEO strategy for your tourism service websites. Keywords are essential for search engine optimization. Most companies focus on English SEO, but an international audience requires multilingual keywords. Partnering with a professional translation company ensures high-quality results without overburdening your team.
Travel and Tourism: Take Advantage of Professional Translation Services
Creating content and marketing materials in multiple languages is more important than ever. With the right translation services company, you can make your destination accessible, appealing, and engaging for international travelers. At JR Language Translation Services, we collaborate with businesses worldwide to deliver accurate translations and interpretations tailored to the travel industry. We ensure your messaging resonates across languages and cultures.
