Филологические науки/7. Язык, речь, речевая коммуникация

К.ф.н. Тунникова В. А.

Гавриш Е.О.

Ростовский Государственный Экономический Университет, Россия

The Usage of English at the Hotels as a Universal Language of Communication With Clients

The English language is considered to be a global one for communication around the world. It is ubiquitous in a hotel service. This is the number one language in the spheres of media, cinema, television, pop music and informational technologies all around the world. Many English words are easy to understand for many people[2].

They say that everyone would like to feel at a hotel like at home. But it is necessary to know English well to feel confidence in any hotel abroad.

Foreign tourists in Russia are not rarity. According to the data of the Federal Agency of tourism there were 2 207 125 visitors who arrived to the Russian Federation from abroad in 2015.

Table 1. – Some data about incoming foreign tourists in 2015 [1].

Countries	Foreign tourists arrived to the Russian Federation in 2015.
Australia	36 117
Austria	29 139
Bulgaria	8 023
United Kingdom	157 799
Germany	380 253
Greece	14 641
Israel	92 478
Spain	70 193
Italy	117 927
Canada	41 000
China	372 314
The Republic of Korea	52 114
Netherlands	30 893
USA	197 334
Turkey	122 728
France	96 947
Switzerland	29 099
Sweden	17 937
Japan	55 092
Other countries	285 097
Total	2 207125

While travelling around Russian cities and towns, seeing sights, tourists stay at hotels. If the staff can easily communicate in a language a client speaks, the prestige of a hotel is increasing and accommodation is much more comfortable for guests. Knowledge of English is the major prerequisite when applying for a job in a hotel. English is an international language and one can encounter a lot of English – speaking tourists in Russia today.

A problem in communication with foreign visitors may arise in Rostov-on-Don in 2018, when many tourists arrive there to watch the Football World Cup. The hoteliers are responsible for making impressions of travelers about Russia. Of course, good knowledge of English will play an important part then. Therefore a hotel staff will have to speak English fluently in 2018 in Rostov-on-Don.

To all intents and purposes, hotel staff will have to be educated in a language school and learn business English to improve the language skills.

As a matter of fact, English courses for hotels and tourism are expensive but this is the simplest and the best way for the staff to learn Business English. A hotel director has to appeal Corporate Training Division of one of the language schools to apply for the tailor-made English course.

English for Hotels involves a raft of specific phrases, and words. Below there is a list of hotel terms.

General ledger – A collection of accounts that the controller uses to organize the financial activities of the hotel.

Group rate – Room rate offered to large groups of people visiting the hotel for a common reason.

Group traveler – a person who is travelling on business or for pleasure in an organized fashion.

Guaranteed reservations – Prospective guests who made a contact with the hotel for a guest room.

Guest Folio – A form imprinted with the hotel’s logo and control number and allowing space for room number, guest identification, date in and date out, and room rate in the upper left-hand corner; it allows for guest charges to be imprinted with PMS and is filed in room number sequence.

Guest histories – Detail concerning the guest’ visits, such as ZIP code, frequent of visits, corporate affiliation or special needs.

Guest supplies – Commonly referred to as guest amenities or personal toiletries; care items such as small bottles of shampoo, hair conditioner, lotion, soap, mouthwash, shoeshine cloth, mending kit etc.

Hard key system – A security devise consisting of the traditional hard key that fits into keyhole in a lock; preset tumblers inside the lock are turned by the designated key.

Hardware – Computer equipment used to process software, such as central processing units, keyboards, monitor and printers.

Hospitality – The generous and cordial provision of services to a guest.

Hotel representative – A member of the marketing and sales department of the hotel who actively seeks out group activities planner.

House count – The number of persons registered in a hotel on a specific night.

Stayovers – currently registered guests who wish to extend their stay beyond the time for which they made reservations.

Understays – Guests who arrive on time but decide to leave before their predicted date of departure.

All-suite – A level of service provided by a hotel for a guest who will desire an at home atmosphere.

Concierge – A person who provides an endless array of information on entertainment, sports, amusement, transportation, tours, church services and babysitting in a particular city or town.

Folio – A guest’s record of charges and payment.

Full house – 100 percent hotel occupancy; a hotel that has all its guest room occupied.

Full service – A level of service provided by a hotel with a wide range of conveniences for the guest.

Global Distribution System (GDS ) – Distributor of hotel rooms to corporations such as travel agents that buy rooms in large volume.

Nevertheless, such English course is worth taking only when an average level of English is Intermediate. Otherwise, students won’t be able to understand a teacher. First of all, it is necessary to improve basic English and then make it perfect [3].

If every employee has an Advanced level of English Corporate Training Division may be needless. There are some other ways to study English for hotel service. For instance, everyone can choose a self-study course with the help of special books on Business English for the hospitality industry. Textbooks in English for hotel service are available in bookstores in Rostov-on-Don.

The «Amaks» in Rostov-on-Don is considered to be an example to follow where English is always used in communication with guests. Business meetings, seminars and conferences are held here every day. Many people in business often visit this hotel. Staff in the hotel can speak English at an advanced level, as it is used for communication by many people worldwide. There are tutors of English who are to practice it with all the staff to master such a good level of English in the hotel. They teach the staff essential vocabulary. The best workers may have an opportunity to retrain or have a refresher course in an institute. Those who pass the exams successfully may get state certificates.

The English language is an essential part of a hotel business as many people speak it around the world. Nowadays English is ubiquitous. That is why this language is considered to be a main one for those, who want to work in the sphere of hotel service.

Literature:

1. Federal agency for tourism: http://www.russiatourism.ru/contents/statistika/statisticheskie-pokazateli-vzaimnykh-poezdok-grazhdan-rossiyskoy-federatsii-i-grazhdan-inostrannykh-gosudarstv/kolichestvo-pribyvshikh-grazhdan-inostrannykh-gosudarstv-na-territoriyu-rossiyskoy-federatsii/ (accessed date: 16.12.2016).

2. Косинская Е. В. The role of English in business // Territory of the science. 2014. №6. URL: http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/rol-angliyskogo-yazyka-v-biznese (accessed date: 16.12.2016).

3. Христофорова А. И., Суслова Л.В. THE REASONS OF RELEVANCE AND POSSIBILITIES OF STUDYING ENGLISH FOR WORKERS IN THE SPHERE OF TOURISM AND HOTEL BUSINESS. URL: https://www.scienceforum.ru/2016/pdf/21725.pdf (accessed date: 21.12.2016).