Tourism and Hospitality Translation

The second feature is that two different worlds of text sit side by side. Marketing copy calls for flexibility and cultural adaptation; contracts and terms and conditions call for precision and exact accuracy. Within a single project these two disciplines have to be handled separately.

The typical set of documents and content

Tourism content falls into three groups – promotional, transactional and contractual – and the language of each group is markedly different.

Which of these belong to free adaptation and which to exact translation is dealt with on our translation services page. Keeping transactional texts such as booking conditions from being mixed up with the language of promotion heads off the disagreements that can arise later.

Where do the risks of terminology and register concentrate?

The greatest difficulty in tourism translation is that an exact rendering is usually not enough. The expressions that make a destination appealing do not carry the same associations in every culture; translated word for word, they can strike the target reader as cold or as overblown. Marketing copy therefore calls for cultural adaptation. That adaptation, however, must not turn into an inflation of what the source text promises.

The second risk is precision in transactional texts. Cancellation terms, refund rates and statements of period admit of no adaptation at all; every liberty taken here is a source of dispute. The third area is place names and dish names; whether names with an established equivalent are translated or left alone has to be settled by a consistent decision.

The regulatory context

In tourism texts, the regulatory dimension shows up under the headings of consumer information and package tour conditions. The points to keep in view in translation:

• The consumer is expected to be informed plainly about booking, cancellation and refund terms; these texts must be translated completely and clearly.
• That the promises made in promotional copy can actually be delivered matters in many markets from the point of view of consumer protection.
• In package tour content, the limits of what is covered – the services included and excluded – must not be left indistinct.
• On multilingual sites, the terms and conditions have to carry the same scope in every language.

These headings set out the general framework; consumer legislation differs from market to market and should be verified against the current rules of the target country.

Interpreting and the guest experience

Part of the translation work in tourism happens while the guest is on the spot. Welcoming guests, guiding tours, resolving complaints and running events all call for interpreting, and the quality of that service shapes the guest’s sense of the experience as a whole. However good the written text may be, a breakdown in face-to-face communication can overshadow the whole impression.

One aspect peculiar to interpreting in tourism is cultural mediation. The interpreter carries across not only the words but the forms of courtesy and the expectations behind them; an expression that is unremarkable in one culture can seem cold or overblown in another. Striking that balance is what allows a guest to feel at ease.

Transactional moments call for a different kind of attention. In conversations about payment, cancellation or a problem that has arisen, the interpreter must convey the terms exactly as they stand, without adding any interpretation. Holding to that distinction between the warm register of the experience and transactional precision prevents misunderstandings later on.

Why specialist translation is needed

Tourism translation calls for a team that knows both the tastes of the target culture and the precision of transactional texts. Someone who merely knows the language will leave the promotional copy flat, or translate the terms and conditions too loosely and create a risk. A guide to terminology and register that preserves the brand voice secures consistency across multilingual content.

The success of a tourism text is measured by the impression it makes on the target reader, and it is therefore worth having the translation assessed through the eyes of a reader who speaks that language natively. A phrase that looks appealing in the source can end up bland or overblown in translation, and only a local ear will notice.

In transactional texts the measure is a different one: what is wanted here is not impression but a precision that leaves no gaps. A good team does not confuse these two measures; it adapts the promotional copy freely while carrying the booking conditions across exactly and in full, and lets neither text’s language contaminate the other.

How we work

In tourism the relationship is usually built around the calendar of the season. Before the busy period begins, the fixed texts – promotional copy, terms and conditions, frequently used replies – are prepared; during the season only current campaigns and correspondence for individual guests need working on. When that rhythm is planned from the outset, response times stay short even at the busiest moment.

For hotels, agencies and tour operators producing content continuously, the framework model is the right fit: the brand style guide and the glossary are settled once, and seasonal content is handled quickly within that framework. A single contract or campaign, on the other hand, can be run on a project basis. You can see our prices by volume on our pricing page, and for an arrangement ahead of the season you can use the quote form.

This page is for information; the process and the requirements may be revised from time to time. For definitive information, rely on the current announcements of the institution concerned.