Language Testing for the Tourism Industry

Language proficiency can create opportunities for new experiences, especially in the tourism industry. Tourism brings people from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds to the same location, potentially leading to language barriers. Language Testing International^® provides proficiency testing from ACTFL that can help improve communication between employees and tourists.

Understanding Language Proficiency Requirements in the Tourism Industry

Before your employees begin the language proficiency testing process, understand the requirements, role, and importance of language and communication in the tourism industry.

Unpacking the Role of Language in the Tourism Industry

Communicating effectively with customers can enhance their experience. It can feel frustrating and isolating to be unable to communicate effectively when traveling — from asking for the location of the bathroom to getting an extra towel or needed supplies at the front desk.

If a guest is from another country, they may not be well-versed in the native language of their destination — having the employees of their resort, hotel, or surrounding shops meet them where they are in their native language can offer comforting and efficient communication while they are away from home.

The Importance of Language Certification for Hospitality Employees

A hospitality employee's role is to ensure guests feel at home, and speaking their language is an excellent way to achieve that goal. Feeling comfortable at a certain destination — especially if they are there to relax — can directly impact customer satisfaction and their chances of spreading positive accolades of your business to their friends. They may even book another trip after a stellar experience.

An Introduction to Language Proficiency Testing

Show language proficiency and feel confident in your company's ability to make guests feel at ease through language certification. Language Testing International offers proficiency testing through ACTFL to enhance hospitality employees' and businesses' communication skill sets. Specifically, these tests can help build your staff's proficiency in the four language skills — speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Learning how to speak a different language effectively and correctly is the step most people consider. However, speaking is only one step in understanding and becoming proficient in the language, encompassing your team's ability to communicate with others when answering questions or explaining information in person or over the phone.

To be able to respond to a customer, you must first listen and comprehend what they are saying or asking. Someone's listening skills may even develop through immersion before they can speak the language proficiently.

Another form of using language is through reading, which professionals in the tourism industry rely on to read emails or letters in another language. In response to reading something, you may choose to write back. With language testing, your employees can use their newfound proficiency to understand verb and noun structures and craft comprehensible sentences.

Leveraging Language Testing International Services for the Tourism Industry

Language Testing International provides the certifications and assessments your hospitality business needs to succeed in the tourism industry. Here's an inside look at how these credentials and services can help your tourism business succeed.

About Language Testing International

Language Testing International has been a leader in the language proficiency sector since 1992, helping individuals across 60 countries become certified in over 120 languages. Accreditation through ACTFL equips LTI^® to provide assessments that major companies, government agencies, and educational facilities widely recognize.

The tests available cover a wide range, from Afrikaans to Zulu. Some of the most popular languages for proficiency testing include Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Pashto, Persian Farsi, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Language Testing International's Language Skills Assessment for the Tourism Industry

Language skills assessments from ACTFL are designed to determine how proficient individuals are, outlined by the four language skills previously described. These proficiency tests include:

Listening proficiency: The listening proficiency test will assess an individual's knowledge of a language through a series of audio recordings, after which the test-taker will answer multiple-choice questions based on what they heard.
Oral proficiency: The oral proficiency test can be taken online or over the phone. Online tests are done through a virtual avatar, while over-the-phone tests will be with a real person, mimicking a real-time conversation.
Reading proficiency: This internet-based test provides passages for the test-taker to read and answer questions about, all in the chosen language.
Writing proficiency: The writing proficiency portion requires the test-taker to respond to open-ended prompts so an ACTFL proctor can review and grade their answers.

Candidate results of all testing assessments are then measured through one of three scales:

Get Your Tourism Company's Language Proficiency Testing With Language Testing International

Communication is important in the tourism industry, and LTI can help your employees improve their efforts through language proficiency testing. LTI makes it easy to request company-wide language testing with our sales form:

Fill out your organization's name, email or phone number, and location.
Select what your company is most interested in.
Estimate the number of tests you will need.
Add any additional information about testing purchases from LTI.
Submit the form.

After submitting, an LTI team member will get in contact with you to further discuss your company's language testing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

LTI can help answer the most common questions related to language testing in the tourism industry. Check out some of the most frequently asked questions below.

Can You Help My Staff Learn to Interact and Speak With Non-Native-Speaking People?

Absolutely! LTI is the exclusive licensee offering ACTFL resources to businesses and individuals looking to advance their language proficiency. Your company can also benefit from receiving language audits and task analyses to better understand where your staff is in their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.

My Boss Is Proficient in a Non-Native Language — Can They Proctor Me?

Language proficiency is a complex assessment to ensure all boxes are checked for certification. It's best for a professional to ensure the test runs smoothly and avoid legal issues.

How Much Does Language Efficiency Cost?

Each test can vary in cost depending on the language and assessment type, as well as the scale of testing your organization requires. Explore the languages you can receive certification in and choose a test to learn more about prices.