A bilingual website for tourists: what to translate and what to keep local
A second language opens your site to more guests, but a word-for-word translation is not enough. Here is what to translate, adapt and leave as it is.
If many of your guests are visitors, a website in only one language quietly turns people away. A second language, such as English next to Vietnamese, lets tourists understand your rooms, your menu and your policies before they book. But a bilingual site is more than a translated copy. Some things should be translated carefully, some adapted for the reader, and some kept exactly as they are.
What to translate fully
- Rooms and menu descriptions, so guests know what they are choosing.
- Policies: cancellation, payment, check-in and house rules, in clear language with no ambiguity.
- Directions and how to get there, including how guests usually arrive.
- The contact and booking form, with its labels and messages.
- Page titles and descriptions, so each language can be found in search.
What to adapt rather than translate
- Tone and examples. Rewrite for the reader instead of translating sentence by sentence.
- Prices and currency. Show amounts in a form your guests understand, and be clear about what is included.
- Dates, times and units. Use formats your visitors expect.
- Local tips. Explain places and customs a visitor would not know.
What to keep local
- Names of dishes, with a short description of what they are.
- Place names and addresses, so guests can show them to a driver or find them on a map.
- Contact details, exactly as they are used locally.
| Content | Approach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Room and menu descriptions | Translate carefully | Size, bed type, ingredients |
| Policies | Translate plainly | Cancellation and payment terms |
| Local dishes | Keep the name, add a description | The dish name plus what is in it |
| Address | Keep, and add a map link | The address as written locally |
| Tips and tone | Adapt for the reader | How to get there, what to see nearby |
Keep both versions in step
- Change both languages together whenever a price, an hour or a policy changes.
- Have a native reader check each language, especially policies and prices.
- Add new pages in both languages from the start, or say clearly which are available.
- Make the language switch easy to find on every page.
Our website development service builds sites in your language plus English, and a 24/7 assistant can reply to visitors in whichever language they write in.
Frequently asked questions
Is machine translation enough?
It is a useful first draft, but have a fluent reader check it, especially policies, prices and anything a guest might rely on.
Do I need every page in both languages?
Start with the pages that decide a booking: rooms or menu, prices, policies, location and contact. Add the rest later.
Which second language should I choose?
The one most of your visitors use. If you are not sure, look at where your guests come from.