Magnificent brochure skies: a great journey
What language is necessary for selling and promoting holidays? What specific vocabulary and expressions are present in brochures and on tourism websites? How can this language be practised?
‘A view? Oh a view! How delightful a view is!’
– E. M. Forster, A Room with a View (page 8)
In the sincere hope that the tourism industry as a whole and in all its forms (domestic, inbound and outbound) will recover and revitalize as soon as possible from the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 epidemic worldwide, I would like to report on two ninety-minute classes on tourism (and world culture) that form a supplementary part of a mandatory, practical Business English course I offer to Intermediate-level students in my department. These classes have always been received well and I am always impressed with my students’ level of participation, contribution, and their critical and creative thinking skills.
Classroom procedure
In the first class, by way of a warm-up activity, I invite students to get into groups of four (or three) to discuss what they already know and understand about the three broad areas within tourism listed below:
- Niche/mass tourism
- Cultural tourism
- Nature tourism
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Niche/Mass tourism |
Cultural tourism |
Nature tourism |
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Big profit/Low profit Small-scale businesses/International companies Special interests/Package tours Small groups/Large groups High quality/Standard Expensive/ Cheap Leisure Relaxation |
Buildings (museums, art galleries) Festivals Exhibitions Shows Learning (study abroad) Events (food) History Traditions |
Geography (jungle, forest, desert, mountain) Connecting with the outdoors Extreme sports (parachuting, bungee jumping) Eco friendly (ecotourism, local, conservation) Wildlife |
After ten minutes, I elicit ideas from the students, and allow them to elaborate on any particular points of interest raised. After we have generated enough material for each category, we refine the list and produce an easy-to-use framework with clear definitions which either I or students write on the board. Students also take a photo of the information with their Smartphones for easy reference when they are working in groups. Here are some of the excellent ideas generated by my students:
In the next phase, I ask students to discuss what kind of language they expect to find in tourism brochures. After sharing some ideas with the whole class, I pass around several tourism brochures to each group (sourced from various tourist locations in the UK) and instruct students to read them communicatively in pairs, first by taking turns reading aloud, listening and shadowing, and then by reading them individually. After this, to help students become better acquainted with the discourse of tourism, I get them to read the brochures again carefully while making a list of the vocabulary and expressions that are new and/or of interest to them (with translations if required). Following this, students share and compare notes.
Drawing from Crystal (1995), who explores the stylistic features of the persuasive language of commercial advertising, each group of students is tasked with finding particular lexical combinations in the brochures that are used for descriptions: adjective+noun collocations. Here are some of the examples found by students after 20 minutes on task (with a little bit of help and encouragement from me).
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Adjective: Beautiful followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Elegant followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Excellent followed by the nouns: |
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Adjective: Fascinating followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Fashionable followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Fine followed by the nouns: |
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Adjective: Glorious followed by the nouns |
Adjective: Historic followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Impressive followed by the nouns: |
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Adjective: Magnificent followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Outstanding followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Picturesque followed by the nouns: |
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Adjective: Spectacular followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Traditional followed by the nouns: |
Adjective: Unique followed by the nouns: |
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Other significant (single) samples found were:
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dramatic landscapes fascinating exhibitions lovely gifts magnificent display peaceful/serene atmosphere quiet spaces sparkling selection stunning/superb/breathtaking views tranquil gardens |
At this juncture, still in their groups, I ask students to try and use some of the adjective+noun combinations above to verbally describe tourist spots, galleries, parks, monuments, buildings, facilities and eateries in their hometowns or other places of choice (holiday destinations in the past, etc.).
Next, I announce to the students that they will be making a brochure and presenting it in groups. In the first step, each group of students chooses one of the travel destination cards below that I have prepared for them (teachers may use these cards if they so wish):
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Travel Destination Card 1. The Chile and Easter Island Tour Chile is a spectacular country in South America. In particular, northern Chile boasts some unforgettable highlights from the bustling cosmopolitan capital of Santiago to the picturesque mountainside vineyards of Colchagua and the dramatic landscapes of the Atacama Desert. On this tour, you can witness a breathtaking sunset at Moon Valley in the desert, and if you are lucky, you can observe flamingos on the beautiful Chaxa Lagoon. In the second part of the tour, the remote island know as Easter Island (Rapa Nui), with its enigmatic and striking Moai statues, also offers you a uniquely wonderful experience. After marvelling at the statues, you can then relax on the pristine white sands of this island’s famous Anakena beach. |
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Travel Destination Card 2. The North India Tour India is a vast country and requires a lot of time to visit everything it has to offer. However, this short tour offers a spectacular window on north India: its sights, smells, tastes, and vistas. This fascinating tour encourages you to delve into the heart and soul of this glorious country. Experience intriguing Hindu rituals on the sacred Ganges River and witness the magnificent sunrise on a boat trip. On this tour, you can journey to the beautiful and mesmerizing world-renowned Taj Mahal in Agra. Also, you can lose yourself in the captivating mountain views in Shimla. Finally, you can explore the majestic Golden Temple in the holy city of Amritsar and marvel at the Sikh’s Golden Symbol of Brotherhood. |
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Travel Destination Card 3. The French Riviera Tour The French Riviera is home to some of the most beautiful scenic spots in Europe. This tour offers you the opportunity to explore the famous sights of Nice, the charming harbour town of Antibes, and Cannes before visiting the famed principality of Monaco. In Nice, you can take a leisurely stroll along the Promenade Anglais and take in the glorious views of the glittering Mediterranean Sea. In Antibes, you can visit the fascinating Picasso Museum and venture through the bustling marketplace where you can buy a wide variety of local produce. Finally, you can visit the elegant surroundings of Villefranche-sur-Mer with its enchanting sandy beaches, excellent restaurants and picturesque streets. |
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Travel Destination Card 4. The Norway Tour Norway’s Arctic Circle tour takes you on a magical journey to witness the spectacular Northern Lights (Aurora). Experience the light dancing across the sky while gliding through the dramatic views of the mountains and fjords on your exhilarating sledding adventures on Alaskan huskies and reindeer. You will also be able to savour authentic Arctic meals (especially ‘bidos’ stew) around a warm campfire and make friends with the local Sami people. From the comfort of the Aurora camp, you will be able to gaze in wonder at the mysterious and dramatic Northern Lights. On the last part of the tour, you will be able to enjoy a fascinating walking tour of the charming city of Tromsø’s historic centre. Known as the gateway to the Arctic, Tromsø is the perfect place to end our tour with a leisurely exploration of its charming centuries-old wooden houses. |
In the next step, I invite students to take turns reading their chosen card to the group while paying particular attention to the content, vocabulary and the adjective+noun collocations (confirming information and resolving anything that is unclear together). In these cards, I have included some of the target collocations from the brochures that students had examined previously. I then ask the students to take out their laptop computers (all students get one in their first year) and use the internet to find out more about the place they have chosen (buildings, people, food, historical places, etc.) using the key information provided on the card. Students are given some time to discuss what parts they wish to research and how they wish to present the information they find. Following on from this step, they are given 45 minutes to design a group tourist brochure with a good balance of text and images, using PowerPoint. To encourage participation from all students in this task, I inform them that each student must take an equal part in the presentation and that each person should concentrate on a different aspect of the brochure. They are also encouraged to use as many adjective+noun collocations as possible to enhance the descriptions of the features they are presenting on. During this part of the class, students can also use the brochures I have brought to class to help them.
In the following class, each group presents its brochure to the class (10-15 minutes per group). However, depending on the number of students and the size of the classroom, I sometimes get students to present their brochures to other groups, rotating when they have finished. This often proves to be less threatening, more interactive, and lends itself to more effective communication between the students as they can respond in real time, offer positive feedback, ask questions, and seek clarification if necessary. Finally, I ask students to reflect upon the good points of each destination and discuss whether they would like to visit the other groups’ destinations and why (why not).
I have found that students get very enthusiastic in this very creative final phase. It is always a joy to watch their well-researched and very informative presentations and hear them use choice expressions from the language we have covered in class.
Final thoughts
The tourism activity described above has always gone down well and students tend to produce excellent pieces of work at the end. To assist students further with their brochures, I also draw their attention to the proper and correct use of citations and commonly-accepted guidelines regarding the sourcing and management of online references, information and images.
From a pedagogical perspective, the activity, which is spread out over two ninety-minute sessions, allows students to gain a better understanding of the three areas of tourism (niche/mass tourism, cultural tourism and nature tourism), to discover the key language used in tourism brochures, and is designed to engage students in the following aspects of active learning:
- Language awareness
- Discussion
- Presentation skills
- Creative and critical thinking
- Interpersonal skills
- Individual accountability
- Group work, cooperation and group accountability
While I was initially concerned about student groups choosing the same destination card for their brochures, this has never really posed a problem as student presentations and brochures tend to be uniquely different in terms of approach, content, focus and design.
I am fully aware that only two classes cannot really do justice to the endless possibilities and avenues for exploration within the exciting area of tourism. If given the opportunity to offer one or two extra classes on this topic, I think asking students to produce a brochure on their own chosen destination (perhaps tourist spots in Japan) would be a suitable follow-up activity (or even as an assignment). As an extended outreach project, if the students produced brochures dedicated to local places of interest in Hiroshima Prefecture in need of (revamped) English advertising materials, that could be a good way to entice overseas visitors to experience the magnificent brochure skies in our part of Japan.
References
Crystal D (1995) The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Forster EM (1908) A Room with a View. Reprint, Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1955.
