Identifying the English Language Skills Training Needed by Tourism Practitioners for Optimizing Tourism Development in Bolaang Mongondow Regency

Abstrak

This study aims to identify the English language skill needs of tourism practitioners in Bolaang Mongondow Regency to support regional tourism development. The research employed a qualitative descriptive method using a needs analysis approach, strengthened with a SWOT analysis. Data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and observations involving 50 tourism practitioners. The findings reveal that most practitioners possess limited English proficiency, particularly in speaking and listening. Demographic factors, most participants being over 50 years old and only educated up to senior high school, contribute to the low level of competence. The study further shows that the most essential skills are speaking for tourism services, listening for understanding international visitors’ requests, and mastering tourism-specific vocabulary. Based on these results, a preliminary English training model was designed within the framework of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), emphasizing simulations, role-play, and contextual vocabulary enrichment. SWOT analysis was applied to ensure the training design not only addresses existing weaknesses but also leverages local strengths while opening opportunities for tourism development.