Spain is one of the most popular and beloved tourist destinations. Our cities, coasts and countryside are brimming with architectural, artistic, cultural and natural wealth, not to mention our outstanding cuisine and Mediterranean lifestyle. It’s no wonder then that we attracted more than 71 million visitors in 2022.
A large percentage of tourists don’t speak Spanish and represent a great variety of mother tongues. But that’s not an issue. Translation and interpretation erase language barriers and allow us to sell everything that makes Spain so special.
What is travel and tourism translation?
As the name suggests, travel and tourism translation consists of translating spoken or written content pertaining to the travel and tourism industry. If the message in question is oral and is translated immediately, this is called interpretation.
Have you ever noticed where interpreters work in the travel and tourism industry? They go unnoticed, but you can spot them at the stands during major trade fairs or on exclusive guided tours. And if you have a travel agency, it’s worth knowing that interpreters are indispensable in problem solving; for example, to mediate between your customer and the authorities in case of theft or robbery of documents or belongings.
Apart from this distinction, did you know that travel and tourism translation is one of the sectors with the highest job demand? The reason: translation and tourism go perfectly hand in hand. In order to give our visitors the welcome they deserve, we must make ourselves understood in their mother tongue.
What makes translation services in the travel and tourism industry so important?
It goes without saying that translation is essential in the travel and tourism industry. This industry’s key players, such as travel agencies and large hotel chains, are well aware of the potential of professional translation. That’s why they invest part of their budget in taking care of their marketing strategy in other languages, in travel and tourism translations, and the like. Here are three objectives that exemplify the importance of translation in the travel and tourism industry:
- Convey what you want. How do you get visitors to understand the rich nuances and exclusivity of the places or activities you’re selling? You need to speak their native tongue! Non-fluent conversations won’t get you far if you’re trying to convince someone that your brand is unique.
- Expand your customer base. It is useful to have a defined marketing strategy and a website with impeccable SEO in Spanish. This way you will be able to reach a Spanish-speaking audience. However, if you work with tourists and speak foreign languages, you can target a much wider audience. Do you do research on your holiday destination in English or the language of the destination?
- Make yourself visible. Translating a website is the first step towards boosting your visibility in the travel and tourism market, but it is not enough. If you do not translate the content you publish regularly, you will lose positions in search rankings. That is why it is essential to take care of SEO also in the languages in which you want to be read.
Now you understand the significance of translation in the travel and tourism industry. Would you like to discover the benefits of translation in this industry? Reach out to a travel and tourism translator from the Overseas Translations team to receive detailed answers to your needs.
Bear in mind that expert travel and tourism translation is more complex than it seems
As we have just explained, translation in the travel and tourism industry can yield a huge increase in revenue. But be careful! Not just any translation will do. There have been many serious, high-profile instances that substantiate the importance of working with professional translators in the tourism industry. Here’s one example.
In 2018, Santander’s official tourism website published an English version of the website translated using an automatic translator, in which the Centro Botín museum appeared under the name “Loot Center”.
This embarrassing slip up sums up what can happen if we do not leave translations to travel and tourism professionals. Many consider this field of expertise less complex, while in reality it is tricky and full of expressions that cannot be translated literally. This means that the use of an automatic translator is off limits in travel and tourism translations.
At Overseas Translations your text will be in the hands of an expert mother-tongue translator. Besides, creativity is one of the main requirements to join our specialist travel and tourism translation team. You can rest assured that your strategy will be equally effective in every language.
The challenges of travel and tourism translation
The pandemic was a serious strain for tourism and the travel and tourism translation industry. But, once again, Spain showed great resilience. We continue to delight numerous tourists every year with all that we know and can offer. And what effect does your company want to have on its target audience?
Most popular text types
Do you understand the importance of translation in the travel and tourism industry, but are not sure what texts you could translate? This industry encompasses a wide variety of profiles: hotels, travel and activity agencies, parks and nature reserves, artistic and cultural heritage sites, restaurants,wineries, car rental companies and the like. What you need to translate depends on your profile, but from our experience, the following require translation the most:
- websites and SEO,
- social media content,
- travel guides,
- audio guides,
- tourist brochures,
- apps,
- maps (virtual and paper),
- customer service (e-mails, booking confirmations/modifications, complaint handling in other languages, etc.).
Since 2012 we have gained and continue to broaden our experience in translations of travel guides for the Canary Islands, Catalonia, Barcelona, Poland, exotic destinations, vineyard trails, sports holiday programmes, amusement parks, websites and blogs for car rental companies, public transportation operators, must-see museums, and many more. Thanks to the travel and tourism industry, our translations can reach every corner of the globe.
The cost of a professional translation in the travel and tourism industry
Do you need a professional travel and tourism translation, but aren’t sure of the cost it entails? The price depends mainly on the language combination and text length. This article should answer all your questions. We also provide a small table with approximate prices to give you an idea.
If you have a business in the tourism industry, professional translations are a must. And make sure not to let amateur or automatic translators to hinder your marketing strategy in another language.
We take our work extremely seriously. Our many years of arduous work and constant improvement earned us ISO-9001 and ISO-17100certifications in 2017. Our mother-tongue translators are experts in what they translate. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the translation you need.
And last but not least, we would like to encourage you to tell us a bit more about your travel and tourism business and how you have benefitted from translation services. Leave us a comment; we look forward to getting to know you.
