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ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 212 (2015) 298 – 303
MULTIMODAL COMMUNICATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC CHALLENGES. 33rd Conference of the Spanish Association of Applied Linguistics (AESLA), XXXIII AESLA CONFERENCE, 16-18 April 2015, Madrid, Spain
Language Needs in Tourism Enterprises. Case Study: The Region of Pallars Sobirà, Catalonia, Spain Javier Cañas, Lola Pérez* Formatic Barna School for Higher University Studies,Passeig de Gràcia 66, Barcelona 08007, Spain
Abstract This article deals with the study carried out by Cañas y Pérez (2014a) on the linguistic needs of tourism enterprises in the Catalan region of Pallars Sobirá (Lleida). First, the concept of strategy is defined and information about the language requirements of these companies is collected. Second, the study explores other relevant aspects such as the loss of business due to lack of language competence, the demand for language training, and the promotional information display. In conclusion, the companies participating in the preliminary study agreed on the need for training in other languages and English is no longer seen as the dominant language. © 2015 2015 The by by Elsevier Ltd.Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license © TheAuthors. Authors.Published Published Elsevier (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the XXXIII AESLA CONFERENCE. Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the XXXIII AESLA CONFERENCE
Keywords: tourism enterprises; Pallars Sobirà; linguistic strategy; linguistic competence
1. Introduction Several studies have recently aimed at exploring the importance of multilingualism as a key factor in business competitiveness (Hagen, 2006). This phenomenon becomes even more relevant when it comes to the hospitality sector. Globalization does not only occur in mass market destinations. It can also be perceived on a smaller scale in countries and regions off the beaten track (Cañas & Pérez, 2014b). English is no longer enough (Bosch, 2014; Piller,
1877-0428 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the XXXIII AESLA CONFERENCE doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.376
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2012) and tourism companies are carrying out different foreign language training methods for their employees in order to provide a better customer service and also get higher economic benefits. The main objective in the preliminary study (Cañas & Perez, 2014a) was to analyze the extent to which hospitality companies based in the Catalan region of Pallars Sobirà had a language strategy implemented. We understand the concept of linguistic strategy as the series of pre-planned measures in order to deal with linguistic and intercultural barriers that often arise when a company enters a new market (Hagen, 2006). Fifty-one companies (thirty six hotels, thirteen rural houses and two campgrounds) participated in the study. The companies were mostly SMEs and family-run companies due to the rural environment of the region. Information on three main aspects was obtained through a questionnaire and telephone interviews: recruitment and foreign language training of employees, the perception of companies towards the lack of knowledge in foreign languages, and the display of tourist information in other languages. In light of the results of the preliminary study, this article delves into aspects related to the linguistic requirements of the hospitality companies based in the region, providing information on which indicators are currently being considered by the companies as part of their linguistic strategy. Nomenclature SMEs: Small and Medium Enterprises
2. Language Needs in Tourism Companies When one talks about language requirements, companies need to know the necessary languages in order to provide proper service. Our main interest was to explore companies’ linguistic strategies and various manners in which they happen. The strategies we originally explored were those that dealt with recruitment, foreign language training as well as multilingual document management, and those strategies that addressed communication via social media (e.g. web pages) in target language and culture of their customer base. According to the statistics provided by the Tourism Office Blog of Pallars Sobirà the foreign tourists made up 17% of the visits to the region in 2014. The largest group of tourists since 2010 in the Lleida’s Pyrenees is Israelis, followed by French, Dutch, and Germans. During 2012, 30% of the tourists that requested information from a tourist office in the Aigüestortes National Park were Israelis. French tourists made up 23% of the requests, 13% were Dutch, and 10% of the tourists were German (Marin, 2013). Considering these factors, the companies of the region have adjusted their practices accordingly to the needs and demands of the tourists. The data we gathered allowed us to analyze aspects such as recruitment and foreign language training of the personnel. We used a questionnaire specifically designed for the preliminary study (see appendix 1). The answers to the questionnaire were provided in oral and written formats. In this manner, we obtained the most straightforward answers from the owners. When the findings were reviewed, more than half of the companies did not have any type of foreign language program established with regards to training and recruitment. Furthermore, forty companies admitted that there was a need for their employees to acquire mastery of other foreign languages over a short period of time (Cañas & Pérez, 2014a). Even those companies that already have been providing training or have been hiring multilingual personnel; they too feel the need to include further training. Only eleven companies hired native French speakers due to the proximity to France. In this case the geographical proximity is one of the main factors that is taken into account when it is time to hire and train employees. This satisfies the needs of the French tourists that visit the region. According to the data, the number of Israelis tourists has displaced the French tourists. They have been the largest group of tourists in the last ten years (Biela, 2014). Actually, some of the companies of the region have made adjustments to the needs of the Jewish tourists, who can be very demanding, loyal, and yet have great financial means (Gordó, 2011). For example, businessmen like Jaume Vidal, owner of the restaurant Juquim in Espot (Lleida), explains that due to the increase of Israelis tourists in the area, the menu was translated to Hebrew and included a brief explanation about the ingredients for each dish. As a matter of fact, Vidal contacted a professor at
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the University of Tel Aviv that is familiar with the region of the Pallars Sobirà, each time he introduces a new dish on the menu (Marín, 2013). The second research question of our preliminary study investigated the companies’ perception towards the lack of foreign language skills. Responses obtained from the questionnaires showed that thirty-six of the companies reported that they did not come across any difficulties when dealing with foreign tourists due to the lack of foreign language skills. By contrast, this issue supposedly was an obstacle for the remaining companies in the past years and admitted that they had experienced financial losses (see Fig. 1).
Financial Loss
33% 67%
Yes No
Fig. 1. Percentage of Companies that Perceive Financial Loss Source: Authors
In light of the conclusions revealed by the ELAN * (2006) and ELAN-Cat † (2009) studies, language is considered to be a key factor in the tourism sector, capable of improving the competitiveness of companies. The Catalan Tourist Board set up by the Government of Catalonia, includes within its Catalan Tourism Strategic Plan 2011-2015 knowledge of foreign languages for the hospitality sector as part of its excellence program. More specific directives address training in culture and history, such as for example, the project Persecuted and Saved launched in 2013 by Lleida’s Tourist Board, four historic itineraries that identify the main routes of escape through the Pyrenees of Lleida during the Nazi Holocaust. Routes are signaled through nameplates, banners, explanatory panels and vertical signposts, also incorporating QRs ‡ . The contents of the project’s website are available in six languages Catalan, Aranese, Spanish, English, French, and Hebrew. In 2014, hospitality companies in the region of Pallars Sobirà conducted workshops on Hebrew tourism and Jewish culture by the (Farràs i Culleré, 2009). Our analysis of the foreign language learning schemes implemented, revealed which languages are the most required by the tourist companies in the region (see Fig. 2).
*
ELAN: Effects on the European Economy of Shortages of Foreign Language Skills in Enterprise. ELAN-CAT: Multilingualism in Catalan Companies ‡ QRs: Quick-response codes/barcodes †
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Required Languages 75%
13% English
8%
2%
French German Hebrew
Fig. 2. Companies Most Required Languages Source: Authors
Companies need to adapt according to the needs of their customers. This includes knowledge of other foreign languages and cultures. “The trick is to find a balance between authenticity and merchantability” (Heller, 2005). Visitors in the region come from a variety of backgrounds, which creates a multilingual panorama. The region of Pallars Sobirà could introduce a wider range of activities in German or Hebrew that respond to the immediate economic needs, such as those that currently exist in Pallarés § (Torrents, 2014). However, a tourist promoter, Guy Reifenberg, (through the company Kokopeli) encourages local authorities to avoid translating everything in Hebrew since he says that it can be counterproductive. The main attraction of the Pyrenees to the Israelis is precisely the fact that tourists have not exploited it (Marin, 2013) and it is still unknown to many (Gordó, 2011). Concerning the promotional strategy, which was our third research question, thirty-five companies reported that their website is available in several foreign languages (mainly English, French and in some cases also in German and Dutch). In brochures, magazines and catalogs, the information on accommodation services, cultural and gastronomic offers is presented mostly only in Catalan and Spanish. The companies were aware of the importance of promoting their services through various channels and in different foreign languages and expressed the intention to adapt it gradually. An example of adaptability is the tourist company Kokopeli, which currently promotes their services and products in its website entirely in Hebrew. In the table below five indicators have been selected as part of an effective linguistic strategy according to the ELAN study. The percentages refer to the number of hospitality companies in the region that have implemented some of these indicators (see table 1). Table 1. Foreign Language Strategy Indicators Indicator
§
% companies
Offer language training to staff
39 %
Hire staff with specific language skills
37 %
Employ native speakers
22%
Website adapted to the customers’ language and culture
69%
Employ external translators or interpreters
2%
The Pallarès is a dialect from Catalan that is spoken in the regions of Pallars Jussà and Pallars Sobirà.
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3. Conclusion The preliminary study conducted showed the foreign language needs of the sector of tourist companies in the region of Pallars Sobirà and the need to implement a linguistic strategy that can be adapted to each establishment in the region. As the study shows, knowledge of English is no longer enough. In order to benefit from the economic opportunities, the companies need to know the language of their customer base (Bosch, 2014). In Pallars Sobirà, other languages such as French, German, and Hebrew have even a greater presence.
Acknowledgements We are most grateful to Dra. Eva Codó from the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona for her support and guidance in this article and others regarding this topic.
APPENDIX TRANSLATION from the Catalan questionnaire: The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect data for our research on Language Needs in Tourism Enterprises in Pallars Sobirà, Catalonia. This study is conducted by Lola Perez Valdes and Javier Cañas Villarreal. We will not use your data for any database or advertising. Thanks for your cooperation Company name: Business sector: Address: Contact person: Years in the sector: Phone number: E-mail
1.
Have you ever offered foreign language training to your staff? YES
2.
Have you acquired staff with specific foreign language skills? YES
3.
Which languages?
NO
Do you think your company will need to acquire additional expertise in foreign languages in the next 3 years? YES
5.
NO
Have you ever employed native speakers in your company? YES
4.
NO
NO
Has your company ever experienced difficulties with foreign customers due to lack of foreign language skills? YES
NO
6.
Has your company ever missed an opportunity of winning a customer due to the lack of foreign language skills?
7.
Is your website adapted to foreign clients?
8.
Are the promotion and / or information about your products and / or services offered adapted to the different languages of your
YES
YES
NO
NO
customers? YES
NO
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© Published by Elsevier Ltd. This ©2015 2015The TheAuthors. Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the XXXIII AESLA CONFERENCE. Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the XXXIII AESLA CONFERENCE
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