English For Tourism Will Open Your Mind to a World of Opportunities

By: Nicola Henderson

Editor, Diploma Program & Course Writer, English for Tourism

Have you ever imagined travelling the world? Have you ever imagined your dream job? Most of you probably answered these two questions with an emphatic YES! But have you ever imagined a career in the fast-paced and fun world of tourism, travel and hospitality? Welcome to English for Tourism. This innovative course will open your mind to a world of opportunities in one of Cambodia’s fastest-growing and most important sectors: tourism, travel and hospitality.

Inbound tourism to Cambodia in 2017 was record breaking, with over five million foreigners visiting the Kingdom of Wonder and spending more than three billion dollars. Compare this to twenty years ago, when a mere 250000 tourists visited Cambodia and spent only 111 million dollars. English for Tourism will give you the English language skills and interpersonal skills that you need to succeed in this country’s most vital source of foreign currency.

Excellent English language and interpersonal communication skills are essential in a working environment in which tourism professionals and customers or guests are in constant contact with one another. This course deals with the language of tourism from an insider’s occupational perspective, rather than the viewpoint of the individual traveller.

There are two different types of lesson in the course. Odd-numbered lessons, starting from Lesson 1, are designed to teach you the functional language used in everyday interactions between tourism professionals and customers or guests. Each of these lessons focuses on a different function – for example, meeting customer needs, taking reservations, handling payments, giving advice and assistance, and events management. The alternate, even-numbered lessons, starting from Lesson 2, are designed to enable you to communicate effectively about issues and themes related to tourism in Cambodia and global tourism. These include hotel operations and management, cultural tourism, niche tourism, tourism in ASEAN and trends in tourism.

One of the highlights of this course is its functionality – you will learn functional language that you need to succeed in one of this country’s most important professions. An additional highlight is its focus on Cambodia – for instance, you will do a case study of a famous hotel in Phnom Penh, as well as exploring cultural traditions and festivals that are unique to Cambodia.

Working in tourism, travel and hospitality is fast-paced and fun. Because English for Tourism gives you an insider’s perspective on that world, you too will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy yourself during the course. You will spend ‘a day in the life’ of a hotel manager, and even take a familiarisation trip to Phnom Penh’s most iconic luxury hotel.

There are three assessments in the course: a short presentation on world tourism, a research project on an upscale hotel in Cambodia, and a short written report on cultural tourism opportunities in Cambodia.

This course will give you the skills you need to deal professionally with situations that commonly arise in the tourism industry. It will also improve your understanding of dialogue related to tourism, travel and hospitality, and your ability to produce written text on tourism-related topics. Moreover, it will enhance your interpersonal communication skills and enrich your self-confidence.

See you in English for Tourism! Let’s learn the language of tourism and broaden your professional horizons.