(Updated October 2025)
Why having travel information translated is important for tourists
According to Fine and Country, 18.4 million British tourists visited Spain in 2024. Meanwhile, France remained the most popular destination with 100 million foreign visitors. However, the British lack of ability when it comes to understanding foreign languages is well-known. Indeed, it’s been suggested 15% can hold a basic conversation in French while only 4% can speak or understand Spanish”. This means that foreign businesses must make information available in English to market their products and services to British customers.
The impact of poorly translated tourist information: facts and figures
A survey carried out in 2022 found that more than two-thirds of UK adults (68 percent) said they’d be less likely to purchase from a brand if it had grammatical or spelling mistakes in its brand messaging. The same survey also revealed that almost three-quarters of UK adults (73 percent) said their perceptions of a brand would worsen if they noticed grammatical or spelling mistakes in brand messaging. This suggests, to attract British customers, you need to make sure your business’s content in English is clear and error-free. If this isn’t the case, it might lead to confusion about how to book your products or services. . It can also give the impression that your staff don’t speak English, which may put off British guests who worry about language barriers.
Getting your company’s tourist information translated by a professional
It’s important to only use a native speaker of the target language for your translations. If you’re getting a text translated from French or Spanish into English you should use a native English translator. Automated translation tools such as Google Translate or AI such as Chat GPT can provide word-for-word translations. But they can’t produce idiomatic language or help with descriptive texts. Therefore, they’ll do nothing to build your business’ reputation. Nor is it enough to ask your friend or colleague who speaks English. They may be able to hold a conversation. But they are unlikely to be able to reproduce the imagery and style of your original text in English. A professional translator will have in-depth knowledge of both your country’s culture and that of your potential customer. As a result, they’ll know if any terms need to be explained rather than transferred into the other language.
When you contact a translator it’s important to give them as much information as you can about the project. For example, what type of translation is it – website, brochure, travel guide? Who’s the intended reader – company employees, other companies, potential clients? This will help them decide the best way to translate your text.
When it comes to translating marketing materials for your tourism business, hiring a professional may seem expensive. But it’ll prove a worthwhile investment in the long term.