DELIGHTFUL Malaysia, Wonderful Malaysia, Malaysia Truly Asia and other similar taglines are no strangers to travellers to our nation.
Be they from neighbouring countries or other continents, they seem to never tire of our breathtaking landscapes, rainforests with towering yellow meranti, marine parks, colonial buildings and the shopping paradise nestled in the city.
Malaysia is a key travel destination. Its natural beauty extends beyond the breathtaking landscapes, rainforests and beaches. Thanks to our multicultural society, we are never short of colourful festivals and mouthwatering dishes, such as the sumptuous laksa and teh tarik.
Such vigour in promoting tourism has a snowball effect on the industry. With the increase in reliable online portals, such as TripAdvisor, it’s vital for industry players to maintain a high level of satisfaction among visitors.
Word of mouth is still the best and cheapest form of marketing as visitors would recommend the country to their friends and families.
Apart from good facilities, we need an excellent team to communicate effectively and promote the “Delightful Malaysia” concept to visitors.
As in most countries, English is used to communicate with international tourists. In many parts of the world, greeting, soliciting information, thanking and bidding farewell are done in English.
Language is a tool that not only establishes communication, but also fosters relationships. Therefore, the need to communicate well and master the language to make tourists feel welcome is vital.
Tourists choose their destination first and the hotel, second. A range of satisfying hotel accommodations will generate positive feedback for the operators.
Tourists not only will recommend the place to their friends but will also return to stay in the hotel. It has been said that “no hotel can have excellent operations without excellent employees, and that requires excellent human resources practices”.
The front liners comprise the front desk personnel, housekeeping unit, food and beverage outlets and recreational facilities.
Staff members who engage the tourists need to enhance the quality of their services and expectations. It doesn’t matter if it is a face-to-face interaction, a telephone conversation or an email, communication skills are pertinent to impress tourists. It will benefit the hospitality industry in the long run.
Furthermore, knowing the right way to apologise to tourists goes a long way in assuaging any displeasure and discomfort during their hotel stay. The hotel staff must make the tourists feel that they have chosen the right accommodation for their vacation.
As for retailers and traders, conversing effectively in English will make the tourists take notice of their stores and products. Interesting and captivating dialogue will perk their interest.
Again, being competent in English will make retailers feel confident that they are communicating the right message to the tourists. Without effective conversation skills, this is not possible. Retailers must be able to convince tourists to buy their products and not merely present the facts.
Communicating effectively in English is an art. Therefore, training is pertinent so that employees can improve their communication skills.
DR A. NAGALETCHIMEE ANNAMALAI, Senior lecturer, School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang