The top four travel issues that tourists face when visiting foreign countries have just been revealed by the results of a survey by TransPerfect, the world’s largest private provider of language services and translation-related technologies.
Communication barriers are the primary issue and most important  for travelers visiting cities abroad.
“The travel survey results reinforce what we already knew; traveling in a foreign country can be a fun and exciting experience, but that enjoyment is tempered by confusion when travelers encounter text they can’t understand”
As a result of these communication barriers, the following problems are the most frequent:
- Public transportation — This seems to be the number one obstacle when visiting a foreign country according to survey takers.
- Dining out — Ordering food an interacting with the waiting staff can be very difficult.
- Public signage — The lack of international language marked road and tourist signs is also a major problem.
- Booking hotels online — Poorly translated website lessen the chances of booking vacations on-line.
The survey also included a section focused on solutions for these problems. These solution apparently come in the form of mobile applications, translation dictionaries and access to local interpreters.
“The travel survey results reinforce what we already knew; traveling in a foreign country can be a fun and exciting experience, but that enjoyment is tempered by confusion when travelers encounter text they can’t understand,” said Liz Elting, co-CEO of TransPerfect. “We help eliminate these obstacles for travel-related businesses with solutions such as GlobalLink, the travel industry’s leading software for streamlining the process of website translation. And for individual travelers, we’ve released technology such as TransPerfect’s TransImage, a free iPhone application that translates images captured with the phone’s camera, including street signs and menus.”
By Amey MyersAmey, an intrepid traveler and avid blogger, roams the world, absorbing diverse cultures, flavors, and experiences. Her writing captures the essence of her adventures, inspiring others to explore. Amey's infectious passion for travel and storytelling epitomizes a life filled with exploration and adventure.
