On the translation of tourism from the perspective of cross-cultural: a case study of the Luoyang Longmen Grottoes

Abstract

Tourism, owing to its substantial influx of tourists annually, has consistently been a pivotal sector driving economic growth and cultural exchange in many countries, particularly post-pandemic. Given the diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds of tourists, tourist discourse and tourism materials serve as conduits for cross-cultural communication and promotion. Effective translation of tourism materials possesses the ability to captivate and retain tourists’ interest, whereas inadequate translation can result in diminished tourist engagement. Therefore, tourism translation must be culturally sensitive to the target audience, as the choice of words by translators significantly impacts the promotion of tourist destinations.

Luoyang, renowned as a tourist city with significant popularity in China, boasts a wealth of tourist attractions, with the Longmen Grottoes standing out as a premier example of Chinese Buddhist art. However, translating content related to the Longmen Grottoes poses challenges due to its historical complexity and religious significance. A theoretical framework is formed based on the cultural-conceptual translation model. This study adopts a context-oriented approach, utilizing case studies to analyze tourism materials in both Chinese and English versions. The objective is to underscore the importance of considering the principles of cross-cultural communication in the tourism translation process. The role of translators’ mediation and the application of translation theories and methods, such as the Skopos theory, will also be explored. The findings of this study highlight the importance of appropriate word choices and effective strategies that translators should employ in the tourism translation process.