Attract more international visitors!
Overseas visitors spend over half a billion pounds in the South West each year. The way in which you market your business abroad and the way in which you communicate with overseas visitors are vital. These pages can help you obtain the information and expertise you need to offer a professional service to international guests.
Getting your message across on your website and in your literature
According to VisitBritain in Germany, tourism websites with German language content receive 7 times as many visits as those without. Even in Northern Europe, not everyone speaks English, and even those who do will naturally find materials written in their own language much more accessible.
Making your marketing materials or some of your website available in other languages is an easy way to stand out from the crowd.
Getting it right
While on holiday, have you ever been amused by a poor translation into English? Translation is a profession requiring years of specialised training. It is important to have confidence in your translator - otherwise your foreign language materials could look unprofessional, or could even be completely incomprehensible. Some translators specialise in the tourist industry.
RLN SW offers free publications on commissioning translations and interpreting services, see our Business Guides.
Welcoming the World - RLN London has produced a step-by-step guide to understanding the expectations of visitors from all over the world – and understanding your own views. Full of handy tips, this guide also includes a series of 11 country profiles with specific cultural tips and advice. You can down load a PDF copy (1.4 Mb) of the guide from their website -
A guide for giving great customer service to international visitors
Different cultures
It's not all about language: cultural awareness of specific international markets is just as vital, even for visitors from other English-speaking countries. It is important to understand differences in etiquette and the expectations of your visitors in order to provide them with the same level of service as your guests from the UK. For example, people from different cultures will address hotel reception staff and waiters in restaurants in different ways, with varying degrees of formality and will expect to be addressed accordingly.
More information about cultural awareness.
Welcome International: training for tourism
South West Tourism runs Welcome International training courses, designed to improve skills, abilities and awareness in order to greet and help visitors from overseas and to create a positive impression.
More details about Welcome International courses on the South West Tourism website.
