Importance of Foreign Language Proficiency for Caribbean Tourism

Bonita Morgan, Caribbean Tourism Organization

UWI St. Augustine, Faculty Outreach: Languages Matter 12 March 2015

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Subject

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Why do Languages Matter?We are a multi-lingual Caribbean

Welcome to the “Here in the Caribbean, with French,

Spanish, Dutch and English-speaking islands, this archipelago can be sleepy or vibrant; mountainous or flat; offer pure white sand beaches or thick lush rainforests. Add to this an eclectic mix of cultures, traditions, lifestyles and history, then throw in a calendar full of different local festivals, and you can turn a great holiday into an unforgettable one.”

The Importance of Foreign Language Training in the

Caribbean

Our CARICOM Heads of Government declared that foreign language proficiency is an essential skill for CARICOM citizens in the 21st Century

WHY? We want to grow our

markets outside of Caribbean economic space

We want to have closer cultural and social relationships with countries closer to us

We recognize that for us to compete globally we have to be able to speak the main languages of the world.

If the world’s population

totaled 1,000 people…. 564 Chinese 210 European 86 African 80 South American 60 North American

(includes U.S.A., Canada, Mexico)

Top 5 Most Widely Spoken Languages in

the World 1. Chinese – 1.1 billion (the

macrolanguage Chinese includes 13 individual languages with at least 1 million speakers)

2. Spanish – 414 million 3. English – 335 million 4. Hindi – 260 million 5. Arabic – 237 million (the

macrolanguage Arabic includes 18 individual languages with at least 1 million speakers)

Most Influential Languages in the World

#1. English – 335 million native speakers, but almost 2 billion people communicate in English on a regular basis re commerce, trade, aviation etc.

#2. French – Official language in 25 countries

#3. Spanish – gaining rapidly on French – native language of almost 20 countries

#4. Arabic – the language of Islam#5. Mandarin – close to 1 billion

speakers, 3 X as much as any other language, but not spoken beyond Southeast Asia - because China is now a super power globally its influence will grow

Subject

“Tourism is to the Caribbean what oil is to the Middle East”

CARIBBEAN TOURISM

TOURISM

Our Caribbean region is the most tourism dependent region

in the world.

+ Jobs

Where do our Visitors to the Caribbean come from?Main Market Shares

49.0%

12.3%

19.2%

6.4%

5.6%7.5%

49.1%

12.3%

19.1%

6.3%

5.5%

7.6%

United States

Canada

Europe

Caribbean

South America

Other

2014

2013

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Tourist Arrivals to the Caribbean by Main Markets (thousands)

Markets 2012 2013

United States 11,975.9 12.323.1

Canada 3,063.5 3,085.9

Europe 4,916.5 4,734.3

Caribbean 1,562.8 1,595.2

Other 1,756.0 1,814.9

TOTAL ARRIVALS 24,564.3 25,010.3

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1. Tourist Arrivals from Europe by Main Country of Origin (thousands)

Country 2011 2012

France 1,576.2 1,574.6

United Kingdom 1,105.8 1,008.2

Germany 382.9 409.8

Italy 315.4 289.8

Spain 332.1 295.5

Holland 440.6 430.9

Switzerland 79.7 84.1

Sweden 36.6 38.6

Belgium 82.8 80.7

Other Europe 610.7 704.3

TOTAL 4,962.8 4,916.5

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Tourist Arrivals from Europe (thousands)Destinations 2011 2012

Dominican Republic 1,174.9 1,141.6

Cuba 852.1 839.3

Guadeloupe n.a. n.a.

Martinique 404.7 404.8

Jamaica 235.0 222.4

Barbados 225.0 210.6

Cancun (Mexico) n.a. n.a.

Curacao 169.1 174.7

Suriname 108.2 107.7

St. Maarten 101.7 105.2

TOTAL CARIBBEAN 4,962.8 4,916.5

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Tourist Arrivals from South America (thousands)

Country 2011 2012OECS 9,307 9,597Other Commonwealth (Bahamas, Barbados , Belize, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Guyana Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos)

63,365 73,234

Dutch Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten)

286,716 338,420

French West Indies n.a. n.a.U.S. Territories (USVI and Puerto Rico)

15,012 17,230

Other Countries (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Suriname)

738,634 841,553

TOTAL 1,131,600 1,289,600

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Our New Markets

• Brazil – GOL directly servicing Barbados 2x per week and now Tobago

• China - a direct air link between Cuba and China being discussed; proposed charter service between China and Bahamas

• India – cultural & historical links• Russia – Jamaica has established a

direct flight via Transearo Airlines since 2013, when they received 10,000 Russian visitors

• Central America – region looking to strengthen trade links with Central America/Panama - COPA airlines in the region (serving 12 Caribbean Countries)

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Our New Markets/New Developments

• In the region many countries have lifted visa restrictions for persons wanting to stay for up to 90 days

• Intra-regionally we are lifting visa restrictions on each other

• Logistics Hub re the expansion of the Panama Canal – Jamaica and other Caribbean countries looking to capitalize on trade and business opportunities (dry dock, expansion of port to accommodate larger ships, a cargo aerodrome, warehousing facilities, free zones and other services)

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New Markets

We are attracting and serving linguistically and culturally diverse markets…. But are we prepared to serve them?

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

2014 Poll with CTO member countries re foreign language training interests

• Spanish came up as the #1 language

• Mandarin and Brazilian Portuguese tied for 2nd

• French was 3rd

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

Visitors from Diverse Markets• Jamaica - 10,000 Russians visited Jamaica in 2013 via a charter flight– language training classes were being offered for tourism workers at certain resorts, also get the most Japanese visitors in the region who are fascinated by the culture

• Spanish hotel investment on the north coast of Jamaica fuelled Spanish language training in that island

• There is discussion of a direct flight from China to Cuba being discussed – opportunities for the rest of the Caribbean

• Bahamas looking to get a charter in from China, linked to the Bahamar project

• GOL flying from Sao Paulo to Barbados directly twice per week and Tobago now trying to capitalize on that link

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

Making Caribbean tourism “Chinese –ready”by Ronald Sanders, September 2014

• In recent years Chinese tourists have been touted as the new opportunity for growth of the industry in the Caribbean. But how realistic is this prospect for countries in the Caribbean…?

• Until there is hug investment in marketing, airlift, the tourism plant and language training, the prospect of an appreciable and steady flow of Chinese tourists will remain remote. If Caribbean countries genuinely want a share of Chinese tourism, rigorous work has to be undertaken now to make fundamental preparations for what is a long-term project.

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

2015 Enquiry by a CTO member country

• Please advise if there are any training modules to assess cultural differences. We are starting to see an upsurge in the Latin American guest to our destination and are seeing challenges with the way in which our residents react to them.

•If CTO doesn’t have a module, can you suggest a trainer?

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Serving Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Tourism Markets

• Develop cultural and linguistic competencies• Generate new products and services that resonate

with the specific markets we are serving (market intelligence gathering)

• Provide education on cultural, societal and business etiquette and customs in key markets

• Recognise and manage conscious and unconscious biases

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

Caribbean Tourism Organization•www.onecaribbean.org/destinations•Spanish and French speakers in our offices (have a preference for hiring professionals speaking more than one language)•Translate all our press releases, board papers and major documents in Spanish, French and English•Provide simultaneous translation when necessary•Country visits to non English-speaking members – carry along a native speaker

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

How do you get persons to want to learn a language? Hmmm…..

Some persons are genuinely interested in learning foreign languages and have a love and penchant for foreign languages More emphasis on teaching foreign languages in the schools, from early childhood education and onwards Stimulate their interests through linking with the different cultures Profit motive – being a global worker, much more marketable Actual careers where foreign language proficiency is important e.g. international relations/foreign service, international development etc., translators, interpreters, language teachers etc.

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Caribbean Tourism Organization

Thank You!

Danke!

Gracias!

Merci!