COM M ON E X P R E S S IO NS

USED I N T O U R IS M
BASIC VOCAVULARY TO GET YOU STARTED
• HERE’S A LIST OF COMMON
TOURISM-RELATED  Attractions — places for tourists to see
What attractions should we see while we’re here?
ENGLISH WORDS. Make sure you go see the Statue of Liberty and the Empire
• YOU MIGHT BE ASKED State Building! 
Business district — also called the financial district, this is
QUESTIONS WITH THESE the center of the city where most offices are located
WORDS, OR YOU MIGHT NEED Avoid the business district at 5:00 PM. There’s a lot of
TO USE THEM YOURSELF. traffic!
Entertainment district — an area that has lots of clubs,
• MAKE SURE YOU’RE FAMILIAR bars, theaters, etc.
WITH THEM AND CAN USE Let’s go to the entertainment district tonight. I’m ready for
some fun! 
THEM IN FULL SENTENCES.
•DINING DISTRICT — AN AREA WITH A LOT OF Depart — leave, take off
RESTAURANTS We’ll depart from the hotel at 11:00 AM.
•YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A NICE RESTAURANT? THE DINING Arrive — come to a place, reach a destination
DISTRICT IS TWO BLOCKS AWAY. THERE ARE LOTS OF GOOD We’re going to arrive at the airport in about 15 minutes.
PLACES TO EAT!  Recommend — give advice, suggest
•CUSTOM — SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE DO AS PART OF Can you recommend a good restaurant?
THEIR CULTURE Sit back and relax — a common phrase to tell people to
•CAN YOU TELL ME IF I NEED TO TIP HERE? I DON’T KNOW have a good time
THE CUSTOMS OF THIS COUNTRY. Sit back and relax and we’ll have your drinks out shortly. 
•HIGHLIGHT — BEST PART (OF SOMETHING) OR AN
IMPORTANT PART OF AN EVENT OR PERIOD OF TIME
•THE STATUE OF LIBERTY WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TRIP. 
•SCENERY — THE SETTING FOR A PLACE, NATURAL BEAUTY
THAT YOU SEE AROUND A PLACE
•THE SCENERY AROUND THE CITY IS LOVELY.
•SURROUNDINGS — ALL OF THE THINGS AROUND YOU
•BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS AT ALL TIMES SO YOU
DON’T GET LOST. 
TAKE THE TIME TO ASK FOR CLARIFICATION WITH THESE PHRASES

• DOUBLE-CHECK WHAT YOU HEARD

• IF YOU WORK IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY, YOU PROBABLY HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH
MISCOMMUNICATION.

• AS A GUIDE, HOST OR RECEPTIONIST, IT’S YOUR JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE DOUBLE-
CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING. THESE PHRASES ARE SIMPLE AND QUICK WAYS TO MAKE SURE
YOU AND YOUR GUEST ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.

• I HEARD YOU ASK (ABOUT FLIGHTS). IS THAT CORRECT?

• SO, YOU SAID (YOU WANTED TO VISIT THE RUINS), RIGHT?
• OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT (YOUR FLIGHT LEAVES AT 3 PM). IS THAT CORRECT?
• EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE BOTH SPEAKING ENGLISH, YOUR GUEST MAY USE
VOCABULARY THAT YOU’RE UNFAMILIAR WITH. LIKEWISE, THEY MIGHT HAVE AN
ACCENT THAT’S DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND. HERE ARE SOME POLITE
WAYS TO ASK THEM TO REPEAT OR CLARIFY WHAT THEY SAID.

• I’M SORRY, I DIDN’T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT. CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN?
• PARDON MY ENGLISH, BUT I DIDN’T QUITE UNDERSTAND THAT. CAN YOU SAY THAT
AGAIN?

• I’M SORRY, BUT I DIDN’T CATCH THAT. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU MEAN?
INVITE YOUR GUESTS TO ASK QUESTIONS WITH THESE PHRASES

• SOME CULTURES ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE OUTSPOKEN, WHILE THOSE FROM OTHER

PARTS OF THE WORLD PREFER PEOPLE TO ACT IN A MORE RESERVED MANNER. MAKE
ALL OF YOUR GUESTS FEEL WELCOME BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS.

• DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

• YES, SIR/MA’AM? DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
• PLEASE FEEL FREE TO RAISE YOUR HAND ANY TIME IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION.
• SO, ANY QUESTIONS?
PRACTICE AND EXPAND YOUR ENGLISH TOURISM VOCABULARY WITH THESE COMMON SCENARIOS

• DEPENDING ON YOUR JOB, YOU’LL PROBABLY BE REQUIRED TO GIVE DIRECTIONS TO TOURISTS, PROVIDE THEM WITH
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A GOOD RESTAURANT OR ATTRACTION AND IN GENERAL MAKE FRIENDLY CONVERSATION THAT
MAKES THEM FEEL WELCOME.

• IN THESE SCENARIOS, YOU’LL PLAY THE PART OF THE “GUIDE,” BUT IT COULD REALLY BE ANYONE A TOURIST MIGHT
COME IN CONTACT WITH. PRACTICE THESE DIALOGUES SO THAT YOU FEEL CONFIDENT USING THESE WORDS AND
PHRASES IN YOUR INTERACTIONS.

• GIVING RECOMMENDATIONS
• PHRASES
• FOR (AUTHENTIC CUISINE, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, ETC), I RECOMMEND…
• MY FAVORITE PLACE IS…
• PERSONALLY, I SUGGEST…
PROVIDING DIRECTIONS AND DESCRIBING PLACES

PHRASES TO GIVE DIRECTIONS Points of reference

• TURN LEFT •At the traffic light
•At the next (street, light, block, etc.)
• TURN RIGHT •In (five) blocks
•Near the (hotel, beach, station, etc.)
• GO STRAIGHT •On the main plaza

• STOP AT THE…
• CONTINUE UNTIL…
• TAKE THE (SUBWAY, BUS, ETC.)
• FOLLOW THE SIGNS FOR…
PRACTICE DIALOGUE
• TOURIST: CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO GET TO THE THEATER?
• GUIDE: SURE! THE THEATER IS NEAR THE TRAIN STATION. YOU NEED TO GO STRAIGHT
DOWN THIS STREET FOR ONE BLOCK. AT THE NEXT STREET, TURN LEFT. CONTINUE
UNTIL YOU SEE A SIGN FOR THE THEATER, IN ABOUT FIVE BLOCKS. IF YOU’RE LOST,
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE SIGNS FOR THE TRAIN STATION. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

• TOURIST: YES, THANK YOU!

SUGGESTED PRACTICE: THINK ABOUT A COMMON PLACE SUGGESTED TO TOURIST AND
MAKE A SHORT DIALOGUE IN WHICH YOU EXPLAIN HOW TO GET THERE.
USING SIMPLE “ICE BREAKERS” TO MAKE FRIENDLY SMALL TALK

• HERE ARE SOME PHRASES THAT YOU CAN USE WHEN YOU WANT TO GET TO
KNOW THE TOURISTS A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

• SO, ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR TIME IN (COLOMBIA) SO FAR?

• TELL ME, WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE CITY SO FAR?
• I’M CURIOUS, DO YOU THINK THIS CITY SEEMS FRIENDLY?
• TELL ME, WHAT DO/DID YOU THINK OF THE (ARCHITECTURE, FOOD, BEACH,
FESTIVAL, ETC.)?
• SUGGESTED PRACTICE ACTIVITY: TRY TO THINK OF A COMMON DISH IN YOUR
COUNTRY/REGION AND THINK HOW YOU WOULD EXPLAIN A FOREIGN PERSONS WHAT
THE DISH IS ABOUT. IF THERE IS NOT A PRECISE WORD TO MAKE SENSE OF THE DISH
TRY TO DESCRIBE THE INGREDIENTS, THE PROCESS OF PREPARATION, THE FLAVOR,
TEXTURE, COLOR, SMELL OR OTHER FEATURES OF THE DISH.

• SOURCE:
HTTPS://WWW.FLUENTU.COM/BLOG/ENGLISH/ENGLISH-TOURISM-VOCABULARY/