International tourism is on the rise; there was a 182% year-on-year increase in international tourism from January to March 2022. But with ever-changing rules, tourists need the latest information on health and safety measures for successful travels. This is where tourism translation services come in.
Why is tourism translation so important today?
As the crisis eased and countries began to reopen their borders, tourists found themselves facing a wall of new travel information.
However, people were used to the rules that they knew. This is especially true for travelers from regions with freedom of movement or frequent fliers. So, it was (and still is) essential to provide up-to-date news available in the right languages.
Misunderstandings could be the difference between successfully welcoming tourists, boosting the sector in a safe way, and finding that people arrive unprepared.
Tourism translation is a tool for everyone, not just travelers. From those working in the industry to the health authorities, everyone needs to be on the same page.
Tourism translation challenges
Today, tourism is a constantly evolving industry. And, as the industry changes, so do other industries that work side by side with it. Translation professionals need to adapt to new challenges as they arise. Below, we’ve rounded up a few of the tourism translation challenges the sector faces.
Mistranslations
Accuracy and quality should always be at the heart of professional translations. So why is it that we still see so many mistranslated texts in the tourism world?
One reason is a lack of understanding of the skills involved. Some businesses don’t see the need to invest in professional-quality translations when they can rely on friends and colleagues who speak the target language.
However, between cultural nuances and technical vocab, this can lead to misunderstandings and poor-quality texts. In a world of changing health information and new laws, engaging the help of expert translators is now more important than ever.
Varying formats
Prior to the pandemic, the tourism sector saw almost uninterrupted growth for decades. The industry landscape evolved significantly over the years. As such, tourism information is available in a wide range of formats and on a multitude of channels today.
When planning a trip abroad, you might find a tour company that operates primarily on social media, a traditional hotel that uses physical brochures, and a restaurant that asks for booking via a third-party website.
This diverse range of formats means that tourism translation services need to have the tools to produce not only high-quality texts but work in a range of formats. This might be the technical skills to update a website while it’s live or the capacity to offer desktop publishing so that everything displays just right.
Constantly evolving terms
As the pandemic hit, citizens around the world found themselves using words they’d rarely heard of before. Terms such as social distancing became part of daily vocabularies.
However, as vocabularies change, it’s important to make sure documents include the right translations. This means not only understanding the local language, but also keeping up to date with news, looking for accepted terminology, and ensuring consistency.
Future Trans
At Future Trans, we specialize in translation and localization services across the MENA region. We work with native-speaking experts to create accurate, high-quality translations.
As an ISO17100-certified company, we work to the highest standards.
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