Modern day tourists ride around on technology and rely heavily on the internet for seeking information and planning tourism related activities viz. traveling, staying, shopping and dining. Extensive use of internet by the tourists makes it imperative for travel and tourism industry to up their ante and embolden their presence on the internet to reach out to maximum number of tourists.

It doesn’t need a mention that tourists belong to the multilingual fraternity spread across the globe. While planning to boost internet presence, the industry players must be careful in selecting the language that will establish an instant bond with the tourists. If travel and tourism industry is thinking in English, it must rethink in other global languages.

Tourists speak different tongue

Latest survey has revealed that 75% of the internet users browse non-English pages and 98% conduct search in their native languages. As tourism and travel industry is getting out of the shadow of recession and hogging fresh positive look, the industry needs to cater to every little need of the tourist.

Attracting foreign tourists is important for any player in travel and tourism industry. The efforts of the operators must reach not only the local tourists but also it should pull out the foreign tourist by innovative approach and strategies. Internet marketing via newsletters and emails is very effective in this respect. However, all these methods will bear more fruits if conducted in the tourists’ native language.

Verbal or otherwise, language creates an instant bond with the tourists, makes them comfortable and creates a leeway for further discussions.  Not only that, while the tourists are on the go, creating interactive travel counseling in their native language can prove to be very handy. Such user friendly methods can fetch more business to the operators and satisfaction to the tourists.

Tourists are observed to have more loyalty to websites and services offered in their native languages.  Industry operators must consider this aspect seriously and switch over to multilingual marketing strategy.

• Websites designed in local languages are more user-friendly and has better conversion rates.
• Internet marketing in local language has proven deep impact.
• Advertises in local languages finds an easy connect with the tourists.

Keeping the above points in view,

• Travel and tourism related website should offer information in different languages.
• Information should take into consideration the cultural aspects of each region and language.
• Emails and newsletters should be drafted in regional languages, preferably.
• The staff employed by the industry should be well conversant with more than one language.

Laying more importance on regional languages and imbibing them in every internet marketing aspect will certainly take the operators closer to the tourists and make their business more successful.