1.1 Background of the Study
English language plays a very crucial role as the predominant tool for communication in the global community. Nowadays, it is important for tourism industry as a means to
communicate, negotiate, and execute transactions with tourists by tourism employees. Since tourism involves the greatest people movement and is one of the largest economic activities in the world (Thurlow & Adam, 2010; Urry, 2002) hence it can directly or indirectly provide the host countries with foreign currencies, create jobs in the service and manufacturing sectors and help increase government revenues, including hotels and other types of taxes, tourist taxes, airport exit taxes, income taxes and customs duties on imports (Badri, Dizaji, &
Zeynali, 2014).
Vietnam has made a lot of efforts over recent years to promote the tourism industry and has increasingly encouraged foreign tourists to travel to the country since Vietnam joined World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007. Hue, Vietnam is one of the cities where the tourism business has been largely promoted. Tourism plays a vital role in the development of the quality of life in Hue, Vietnam such as create jobs for people, as well as increase income for the local. According to the statistics of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) in 2014, international visitors to Viet Nam in December estimated 657,304 arrivals,
which increased 4.0% over the same period of 2013 year (VietnamTourism, 2014).
Moreover, as the tourism business income from tourists earned about 200,000 billion VND in 2013, with an increase 25% over last year. As the result, Vietnam’s tourism has been
increasingly improving to attract more and more international tourists to Vietnam, and tourism needs to be further developed. In addition, the role of tourism industry in generating income and creating jobs could increase. To be good hosts therefore, Vietnam people who are directly involved in tourism business should improve their English especially in terms of the language used in hospitality industry, as well as tour services directly communicate to international tourists. English is therefore needed for people who work in the future in
tourism, business and the civil services (Richards, 2001). Knowledge of the English language as an international language plays an important role for those who work in tourism business in Hue, Vietnam. According to Crystal (1997), English has already become a global
language, as it is used by more people than any other languages. Knowledge of the English language as an international language plays an important role for those who work in tourism business in Hue, Vietnam.
At present, tourism staffs who work in travel companies around Vietnam have more chances to use English due to the number of foreigners who come to visit. Although these tourism employees are trained to use English in real situations using the syllabus written by the experts of this field, a formal need analysis to help determine the requirements of the
English course for tourism employees has never been conducted. One of the problems of tourism staffs are facing is difficulty in communicating with foreign travelers, which
sometimes results in inefficient service. Although these tourism employees are trained to use English in real situations using the syllabus written by the experts of this field, a formal need analysis to help determine the requirements of the English course for tourism employees has never been conducted. A number of ESP researchers have argued that as language in different context varies, methods and contents of second language teaching should vary to meet the needs of learners in specific situations (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987). Therefore, a few training courses have been specifically held for the tourism staffs/students to develop proficiency in using tourism’s English language though English has so far been taught
without systematical survey of needs. Moreover, the syllabus is not based on the real needs of tourism employees as it should be. It seems inevitable to carry out a formal needs analysis tourism employee in using English across Vietnam. Previous studies in this field mainly focus on examining the problems of employees/students in using English language in tourism business or universities in nations such as Taiwan, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Thailand, etc. However, there are quite few studies about needs of English language use in Vietnam’s tourism in particular about tourism employees.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
With realization of a lack of studies of this type in Vietnam and the reason that English is now the most popular language for travel companies used in their daily works, I therefore have decided to undertake a study of English language needs in Vietnam’s travel companies. The present study aims to investigate the English language needs and problems faced by tourism employees who work at the international travel companies in Hue, Vietnam.
It is also hoped to provide a baseline for obtaining a wider range of input into content, design and implementation of an English programmes by involving such people as learners,
teachers, course developers and employees in the planning process. The findings from this study can be used as guidelines for developing a tourism English syllabus that could lead to the improvement of the employees. Furthermore, the results of the research would also help the designers and teachers of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) to develop teaching and learning materials that match the specific needs of the travel agents. It is anticipated that the conclusion of the present investigation could be utilized by those who are responsible for policy and planning as well as the related organizations in order to have a clearer
understanding of English needs for tourism employees who plan to work in the international tour company in Vietnam. The results of the study seemed to suggest that, in order to find out what clients wanted and to make them impressed by the service, the agents had to listen carefully for what they required and understood them.
1.3 Research Questions
This study, in fact, endeavors to answer two main research questions:
1. What are the needs of tourism employees in English language using in their workplace?
2. What problems do tourism employees encounter when using English language skills in their jobs?