1. A Lecture for the Sixth Northeast Asia Management and Economy Joint Conference Gwangju Kimdaejung Convention Center May 30, Linguistic Auditing and EIL for East Asian Tourist Industry Judy Yoneoka Kumamoto Gakuen University 1

2. Topics of Presentation
１．The linguistic landscape of East Asia
２．International tourism in East Asia
３．An overview of Linguistic auditing
４．Focus on Kumamoto: Linguistic Auditing to assess present and future needs

3. East Asia
Japan
Map from Fauser, 2007 presentation

4. English Education in NE Asia
China
Taiwan
Korea
Japan
Russia
Beginning age
primary 3
primary 5
prim 3 (1)
JH 1 (p5)
prim 5
Since
2001
1997 (2008)
2002
Hours/week 5
1 to 2
3 (1/mo) 3
Number of students
million
Other
CET4/6, p1 in cities
*p1 in big cities
*english villages
*93% teach as gen'l
*research

5. Role of English as a regional language in East Asia?
ERL?

6. The OTHER regional language:漢字
Advantageｓ:
Chinese characters are widely recognized
　Meanings are (generally) understood
　　　　　　　山、川、道、路
Disadvantages:
Which characters? 　勞 or 労？ 運転手
　How to pronounce?　　

7. 2. International Tourism in East Asia
In 2004, China received 109 million visitors from overseas, 60 times that of 1978.
Recently, TTG Asia cited China as the 2004 best travel destination in the world.
In 2006 international tourists to Japan were 7,334 thousand PAX, up 9.0% compared with last year, and renewing the record high.
The number of Koreans travelling abroad passed the 10 million mark for the first time in 2005, growing at a rate of 14.2% for the year.

8. TOP TOURISM GENERATING COUNTRIES TO JAPAN, KOREA + CHINA 2006
3,923,986
2,338,921
2,117,200
JAPAN
3,745,881
Taiwan
896,969
1,309,100
RUSSIA
2,405,063
Americas
555,705
811,700
U.S.A.
1,710,292
338,162
USA
816,700
MALAYSIA
910,458 HK
352,300

9. Proficiency in International Languages Needed in Tourist Industry
EIL = English as an International Language LOTE = Languages other than EIL OLIL = Own language as an International Language
ＬＯＴＥ
OLＩＬ
EIL
EIL
Based on Honna, 2007 presentation

10. English as an East Asian Tourist Language？
In all, English remains a traveller's most useful language overall, although for longer stays in any East Asian country picking up at least some of the local language is essential. When looking for English speakers, tourist areas tend to be a good bet and in general younger people or those around universities are most likely to speak at least some English. That being said, there are many areas where no English is spoken so patience and a good phrasebook are always a safe bet.

11. What is linguistic auditing and how can it help?
Began in Europe
Helps businesses realize their language goals
Uses an assessment method based on structured tests and face-to-face interviews
Gives advice on appropriate training solutions
Analyzes specific objectives and requirements
...SAVES
time
money
unnecessary language training

12. From Honna, 2007 presentation

13. Needs Assessment
Actual and immediate needs (= What does the company need to do in another language now? )
By questionnaire to Kumamoto hotels and actual tourists
Hidden and potential needs (= What could the company do in another language to be more successful and profitable?)
By questionnaire to potential Korean tourists

14. Evaluating responses
1. How prepared is the hotel to meet their linguistic needs?
2. What is the best way to meet their needs? (translation resources, language services, tailored ESP courses etc.)
3. What resources do they already have?
(human, machine, community, finance)
4. What is the hotel doing already?

15. Focus on Linguistic Auditing in Kumamoto
1. Kumamoto as a tourist town
In 2003, Kumamoto declared itself a tourist town
3-year plan ( ) to develop tourism
400 year anniversary of Kumamoto Castle
2. Kumamoto as the heart of Kyushu
Kyushu Bullet Train to be completed in 2012
3. Kumamoto as an international town
UD and the 4-language plan

16. A page from the Kumamoto Prefectural UD online manual

17. Tourists to Kumamoto

18. Where do the international tourists come from? (2003 - 2005 data)
Korea
59%
Taiwan
22%
USA 5%
Unknown 4%
Other Asia 2%
China
Hong Kong
Other Europe 1%
Germany UK

19. Increase of Korean Tourists in Japan/Kumamoto
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
increase
Japan
981
1099
1272
1397
1585
162% 熊本 29 60 85 99
106
370%
Unit = 1,000

20. Needs Assessment: Language Needs of Korean Travelers to Kumamoto
135 respondents across Korea
Age breakdown; % % % % %

21. Do you want to visit Japan (again)?
Have you been to Japan?
Do you want to visit Japan (again)?
60% of Koreans surveyed have been to Japan, and almost all (96%) would like to go (again).
Only 13% of Korean visitors have been to Kyushu, whereas 23% indicated they would like to go to Kyushu (again).

22. What do you like to do/see most when traveling?
History, local food and nature rated highest.
Shopping rated only 6%.

23. How do you like to travel?
tours 3%
free time/short term
71%
backpacking/
longer term
26%
However, most Korean travelers to Kumamoto come on tours!

24. How is your language ability?
Note the inverse trends:
Most people rated themselves as fair or poor at English
Most people rated themselves as good or none at Japanese

25. Fig. 9 Do you plan/expect to use English in Japan?
Fig. 8 What language(s) do you plan/expect to use in Japan?
Fig. 9 Do you plan/expect to use English in Japan?

26. If Korean/English were used in advertising/menus, would you be more likely to use the business?
Advertising/literature in Korean is a key factor for over 85% of Korean tourists, but advertising in English “will do” for over half of the potential visitors.

27. Part 2: Linguistic Responses of Hotels in Kumamoto

28. The Questionnaire Mailed to 60 hotels in Kumamoto in October 2006
All hotels had presence on at least one international hotel website
17 hotels responded
Response rate = 28%

29. RESULTS 1: Number and type of foreign guests per month
3 general groups:
hotels 47%
hotels 29%
(!) 　4 hotels 24%
More Western (65-90%) 　5 hotels　29%
Half and half （50％）　　4 hotels　24%
Less Western (0-49%) 　　8 hotels　　47%

30. Number of guests per hotel by nationality1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
TOTAL %
Korean
1120 89
4.9
1.8
0.6
0.8
0.4
0.1
3.6
2.5
1334
59%
Chinese
480
0.9 69 41
0.5
0.2
618
27%
Western 20
210
1.4
1.2
280
12%
Other 37
45.7 2%
Korea
59%
Taiwan, China, HK
26%
USA, Europe 8%
Unknown 4%
Other Asia 2%
Compared with percentage of
tourists who stay in Kumamoto
(2005 data)

31. Languages used with Foreign guests
with Asians
Other: Asian languages 30%, 10%
Gestures 33%, 20%
with Westerners
Other: Gestures 20%

32. Number of Employees who speak Foreign Languages (all hotels)

33. Linguistic Preparedness of Hotels (上＝spoken, 下 = written)
82%
59-65%
47%
70-76%

34. CONCLUSIONS… Speaking English is important, And useful
for MANY but not ALL tourists
But to really promote tourism in Kumamoto
Use more Korean and Chinese

35. Or at least write in romaji and kanji
and DIRECTIONS…
Or at least write in romaji and kanji
as much as possible…

36. …and Dreams: The Kumamoto Welcome Card

37. Thank you for your hospitality, and please come to visit us soon!
For a copy of this handout, please visit www2.kumagaku.ac.jp/teacher/~judy/