With the summer holiday season in full swing, us Britons prepare to get away to the hot, sandy beaches we crave all year round. As we all know, the holiday preparations for a ‘getaway’ can be extremely busy as there are a lot of things to prepare and one slip up can have a big impact on the overall experience. With that in mind, it can be fair to say that some of us overlook the importance of learning key phrases in the native language of our holiday destinations.

A recent survey stated 27% of holiday seekers make no effort to learn the language due to ‘everyone speaking English’ as the main excuse. We understand that English is a worldwide language, but going on holiday should be about embracing the culture and the people. From the point of view of the natives, speaking in English but with a foreign accent (15% in 1,700 UK Adults admitted to doing this) or speaking slowly and loudly in English will not make them understand you any better. Furthermore, following on from our recent Google Translate article, in which the app can translate images such as signs or menus, Britons are more likely to use the application to get a quick, easy solution.

4 Reasons why learning the language should be part of your holiday preparations

1.     Make the native people feel more at home

Tourism is an ever-growing sector that does bring in a large amount of money for countries across the world. But what impact does this have on the ‘locals’? During busy periods, the natives may lose that feeling of home being inundated with British people who cannot speak their language.

2.      Safety

When travelling we never want to think of the worst, however unfortunately things can happen. Being linguistically prepared, can make your life easier in a situation of need. Should you fall ill and require medication from a local pharmacy, having basic foundations of their language can make a lot of difference.

3.    Improve our Cultural Knowledge

We go on holiday for the sun, the relaxation and the different cultures. But can we truly embrace the culture if we do not understand how to speak their language? Embracing the surroundings and being able to speak to the locals in a language apart from English is a satisfying feeling, as you are testing yourself and enjoying it at the same time.

4.     It can be tied into fun holiday activities

Learning a new language should be fun, engaging and part of your holiday experience. The majority of holiday destinations have applied activities in which you can be active and learn the language at the same time.

We are not saying spend hours at a desk making it tedious for yourself, but if you take the time to learn a phrase a day in the month before your holiday across a variety of different topics, you can have a bank of at least different 30 phrases that can make your time even more enjoyable, but more importantly respecting the natives and show them that you are willing to speak to them in their own native tongue.

Here at Language Insight, we have experience across the Leisure and Tourism sector, helping transcend borders for both the natives and the travellers. To find out more click here.