News
Language ambassadors: Guides prepare for G20 tourism surge
Summary
- In the coming days, interpreters, translators and apps will be in high demand with thousands of delegates arriving in Delhi
“I received an invitation to visit Saudi Arabia, not for work, but as a tourist. In the last few days, my Saudi customers have been sending me voice messages in Arabic about the places they want to visit, and I have been responding in Hindi. Communication with foreign visitors has never been easier," Avnish, an Uber driver in Delhi, said.
Avnish is not the only one. In the coming days, interpreters, translators and apps will be in high demand with thousands of delegates arriving in Delhi for the G20 summit.
While official delegations are bringing their own teams of translators, the city’s various tourist attractions and businesses are hiring guides who can assist in translating for visitors, and ensuring no business opportunities are lost.
A travel agency involved in organizing the G20 summit said India will provide interpreters and machines to assist with real-time translation during the sessions.
Multilingual tour guides are expecting a significant rise in demand once the event concludes, as guests and visitors will have more time to explore India.
“During the main days of G20, the historic part of Delhi will be closed for regular visitors and selected interpreters associated with the Archaeological Survey of India or the tourism ministry will be interacting with the guests," Rohit Manchanda, a guide who conducts curated tours, said.
He expects demand to pick up from Monday, as G20 visitors are likely to stay for a few more days for trips to Agra and nearby places.
Some delegates will be opting for excursions to explore historical sites between meetings. New Delhi is gearing up for the 18th G20 Summit on 9-10 September.
A significant number of visitors are expected ahead of the scheduled events.
Traditionally, hotel chains collaborate with tour guides proficient in various languages. Lalit Regar, the founder of Epic Journeys, is a sought-after guide by German tourists. He takes on tour assignments for a leading hotel chain in India, which will be hosting delegates.
“There will be food, cultural as well as historic tours for which we expect to be called in next week for guests who decide to stay back and travel around the city," said Regar.
“The summit will be beneficial for tourism. While the Incredible India campaign is offline for a while, it showcased India in positive light," Dipak Deva, managing director of Travel Corp. of India, said.
