A relaxing vacation? A perfect stay in a hotel? Everyone has a different opinion about it. However, cultural imprinting and language are definitely key factors. Truly making guests feel welcome has a lot to do with translation. A properly translated text can achieve much more than simply relay information in another language.
If you have ever experienced high-ranking Korean industry managers singing karaoke in the evening, you clearly know that certain clichés can certainly be true. What some people perceive as entertaining, pleasant, or cozy is not just a matter of individual preference. It also depends on the cultural background. Therefore, hosts must pay close attention to the cultural nuances to accommodate their guests.
The hotel and tourism industry thrives on offering international guests an authentic experience of new or unfamiliar things. However, authenticity has its limits, especially when it comes to cultural practices that are perceived as offensive. The hospitality industry must strike the perfect balance of accommodating other cultures without jeopardizing its own credibility.
Transcreation: The supreme discipline of translation
One way to achieve this goal is through excellent professional translations. However, in many cases they must go further, even beyond localization. Adapting content based on in-depth knowledge of the target culture so that it triggers the desired emotions in the recipients falls under the domain of transcreation.
The decisive emotion to be conveyed in the hotel and tourism industry is to feel good. The way to achieve this objective is through cultural excellence.
Welcome to the hotel industry? How good translators can help improve the check-in experience
Welcoming guests appropriately is not just a matter of linguistic preference. Good (or at least sufficient) English has long been standard at check-in and a few formulaic greetings don’t hurt either, as long as you are really sure of the guests’ origin.
But a lot of non-verbal stuff happens in the first few seconds. A firm handshake with eye contact, as is customary in Europe, can come across as insensitive elsewhere. In Japan, for example, a slight bow is customary, while overly intense eye contact comes across as aggressive. Caution is advised when you are greeting guests of Arabic origin. Touching people from the opposite sex is frowned upon unless it is initiated by the other person. The appropriate physical distance between people also varies from culture to culture.
These differences must also be considered in the documents and forms relating to check-in. An English version is mandatory, and a translation into all other target languages is highly recommended. While transcreation here concerns seemingly minor details, it makes guests feel more welcome, at least subconsciously. Amongst other things, a proper translation should reflect appropriate naming conventions as well as date formats and culture-specific payment options.
Perfect room, perfect texts
Everyone knows that the first impression matters. In the same vein, entering a hotel room really does have an eminent effect. Placing a chocolate on the pillow is a good start. However, guests are also excited when they see information in their own language.
The minimum requirement here is obviously to provide the information in English. However, there is an easy way to elevate the guest experience. Hotels know in advance where their guests are coming from. Consequently, to make a great impression, it is worth having the respective language versions efficiently revised by professional transcreators.
Especially Asian tourists often come to Europe with specific ideas that can be perceived as clichés in this part of the world. Tourism experts might find it cringy to discreetly reflect these clichés in a Chinese or Korean version of the brochures, but it is still a good idea. And if you are expecting guests from the Arab world, it might be wise to change the description of the hotel bar. For example, a slight transcreation could change it from a place for cultivated alcohol consumption to a place for cultivated entertainment.
A good transcreation along with the right adapters for the different plug systems can make all the difference in the world.
Gastronomy crime scene: The Menu
In the 1990s, vegetarians could still find dishes such as flambéed cheese in the corresponding section of many menus. For the most part, awareness of specific diets and cultures has increased since then. Nonetheless, the menus of many restaurants are still a crime scene of cultural substandard.
Offering a suitable menu to specific target groups in the hotel and restaurant industry is one thing. Translating the menu so that guests can actually understand it is another. A professional transcreation can make a menu shine in all its splendor. Traditional local dishes that are unknown beyond the original region need an explanation: Why are they so popular? What makes this dish so special? What is its history? What is its cultural significance? All of this can be explained in a small section in the translated version of the menu.
This also applies to proper names. What is a “Fiaker” goulash? A brief explanation of the significance of these horse-drawn carriages for Viennese culture can shed light on the name. What is a Pumuckl schnitzel for kids? Who is this character and what significance does he have for German-speaking kids? Transcreation by a professional translation agency for tourism and hotels can be very simple, but it can have a massive impact.
No tourism without digital communication
Even the smallest tourism businesses communicate via digital media. The website and social media are usually the first point of contact for potential guests to obtain information and inspiration – and ultimately to make a booking. Around 90 percent of people already use social media for their travel planning. Consequently, it goes without saying that cultural precision is absolutely crucial in the digital world.
For websites, this means that professional translation into the target languages is an extremely important first step. However, transcreation can achieve much more here too. Which visual experience do I choose? Which offers do I highlight to best meet the expectations of the guests? The event program and planning also play a role here. Event calendars must not only focus on culture-specific holidays, but also be geared towards the culture of the guests. For example, while a karaoke evening will certainly please Asian guests, it will probably not appeal to Arab or Northern European guests.
The social media strategy of the travel and tourism industry depends just as much on the origin of the guests. While European guests primarily obtain information from sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, Instagram is extremely important in the Arab world and WeChat in Asia. All of these channels follow their own rules and a good transcreation can give your company that vital competitive edge.
The Achilles heel of the tourism industry: Complaints and feedback management
Complaint management, the highly unpopular task of guest communication, relies heavily on the individual skills of employees. However, it also requires a lot of cultural sensitivity and excellence. The expectation of how complaints should be handled is definitely influenced by cultural factors.
European guests predominantly expect a quick and, above all, solution-oriented response. In Asia, problems are often not addressed directly. Also, like the complaint itself, the response should be harmonious and face-saving. Arab guests tend to expect more personal and relationship-oriented contact. They also place high value on upholding the hierarchy. US-American guests, on the other hand, demand pragmatic solutions – and they expect some sort of compensation.
Similar expectations naturally also apply to positive feedback management. Either way, it is advisable not to simply translate the relevant contacts linguistically, but to have them tailored to the respective guest culture by professionals.
