The Importance of English Language Proficiency In International Tourism Enterpreneurship
English Language Proficiency, International Tourism, Entrepreneurship, Communication Skills, Business Growth
Abstract
This study explores the significance of English language proficiency as a strategic asset for entrepreneurs in the international tourism sector. As the global lingua franca, English facilitates communication with international clients, enhances service quality, and enables market expansion. Employing a qualitative descriptive method, the study draws from interviews and open-ended questionnaires with tourism entrepreneurs to examine how English proficiency impacts business operations, customer interactions, and growth potential. Findings reveal that while many entrepreneurs recognize the importance of English, challenges such as low confidence, limited vocabulary, and lack of formal training persist. The study concludes with strategic recommendations to improve English communication skills in tourism, advocating for tailored language training programs and supportive policy interventions.
References
Becker, G. S. (1964). Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis, with Special Reference to Education. University of Chicago Press.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/I.1.1
Crystal, D. (2003). English as a Global Language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Deakins, D., & Freel, M. (2009). Entrepreneurship and Small Firms (5th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Gani, S. A., & Yusuf, Y. Q. (2021). English proficiency and business performance in the tourism sector: A case study of Indonesian tour operators. International Journal of Language and Society, 3(2), 45–58.
García, O., & Orellana, M. F. (2013). Language as a resource in education: New ways of thinking. In C. Chapelle (Ed.), The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics (pp. 1–9). Wiley-Blackwell.
Hallett, R. W. (2019). English language skills and the performance of tourism micro-enterprises. Tourism Management Perspectives, 32, 100571. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.100571
Hymes, D. H. (1972). On communicative competence. In J. B. Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics (pp. 269–293). Penguin.
Kırmızı, Ö., & Ergül, M. (2020). The role of English language proficiency in international business communication: A case of tourism professionals. Journal of Language and Business, 5(2), 87–99.
Sarani, A., & Sahebi, L. F. (2012). The impact of using translation applications on tourism communication. International Journal of Linguistics, 4(3), 67–78.
Sharma, A. (2017). Language proficiency and business expansion: The case of tourism start-ups in Southeast Asia. Tourism and Development Review, 4(1), 22–30.
Turel, Y. K. (2016). Communication challenges in the tourism sector: A language skills perspective. Journal of Tourism Research & Hospitality, 5(3), 1–6.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 2025
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
