EXPLORING ENGLISH PROFICIENCY AMONG MANDALIKA TOURISM TRADERS: FORMS, LEARNING STRATEGIES, AND IMPACTS ON BUSINESS SUCCESS
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Abstract
This research investigated the level of English proficiency among tourism traders in Mandalika, a prime tourist destination in Indonesia. It focused on identifying the forms of English proficiency, the learning strategies employed, and the impacts on their business success. This research used a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations with 15 traders. The findings reveale that trader mostly master basic vocabulary, common phrases, and simple conversational patterns. Informal learning strategies, such as interactions with tourists and the use of translation apps, are prevalent. English proficiency contributes significantly to improving customer service, fostering better communication, and increasing revenue. However, traders face challenges such as diverse accents and limited access to formal training. This study emphasized the need for structured language programs to support local traders in the global tourism market.
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References
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Chivers, G. (2011). Supporting informal learning by traders in investment banks. Journal of European Industrial Training, 35(2), 154–175. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090591111109352
Customer Services, O. D. and S. and F. B. (2022). Communicating effectively [Text]. corporateName=The State of Queensland; https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/marketing-sales/sales/communicating-effectively
Dolezal, C., & Novelli, M. (2022). Power in community-based tourism: Empowerment and partnership in Bali. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 30(10), 2352–2370. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1838527
Dvorianchykova, S., Bondarchuk, J., Syniavska, O., & Vyshnevska, M. (2021). Effectiveness of Students’ Distance Learning in English Business Communication: The Experience of Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (SSRN Scholarly Paper No. 3905649). Social Science Research Network. https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3905649
Goodman, J. (2019). Strategic Customer Service: Managing the Customer Experience to Increase Positive Word of Mouth, Build Loyalty, and Maximize Profits. AMACOM.
Hejazi, W., & Ma, J. (2011). Gravity, the English language and international business. Multinational Business Review, 19(2), 152–167. https://doi.org/10.1108/15253831111149780
Impact of Tourist’s Willingness and Tourists’ Satisfaction of Digital Transformation on Tourism Makers and Tourism Performance. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2025, https://jces.journals.ekb.eg/article_362034.html
Kankaanranta, M., & Louhiala Salminen, L. (2013). “What language does global business speak?”—The concept and development of BELF. Ibérica: Revista de La Asociación Europea de Lenguas Para Fines Específicos ( AELFE ), 26, 17–34.
Lang, J. M. (2021). Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning. John Wiley & Sons.
Lengelle, R., Hughes, D., & Hambly, L. (2024). Art that Tells the Truth: Creative Methods in Guidance and Counselling. Taylor & Francis.
Long, C., Li, C., Huang, G., & Fu, J. (2024). How to better promote teaching? Unveiling the links between Professional Learning Communities and Intrinsic Motivation among Foreign Language Teachers. Heliyon, 10(16). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36011
Noviana, M., Malihah, E., & Komariah, S. (2023b). The Impact Of Mandalika Circuit Development On Socio-Cultural Changes: A Systematic Literature Review. JUPIIS: Jurnal Pendidikan Ilmu-Ilmu Sosial, 15(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.24114/jupiis.v15i1.42298
Olusola, O. M. (2023). Literacy in English Language: A Potent Tool for Nigerians’ Empowerment Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4494576
Padilla-Delgado, L. M., Velasco-Tafur, X. F., & Ríos-Obando, J. F. (2024). Generic and specific competencies: Analysis and interaction from business administration for the tourism sector. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2393519. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2393519
Panhwar, A. H., Ansari, S., & Ansari, K. (2016). Sociocultural Theory and its Role in the Development of Language Pedagogy. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(6), 183–188.
Patrick, R. (2019). Comprehensible Input and Krashen’s theory. Journal of Classics Teaching, 20(39), 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2058631019000060
Rasoolimanesh, S. M., Chee, S. Y., & Ari Ragavan, N. (n.d.). Tourists’ perceptions of the sustainability of destination, satisfaction, and revisit intention. Tourism Recreation Research, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2023.2230762
Robinson, M. (2001). Tourism Encounters: Inter- and Intra-Cultural Conflicts and the World’s Largest Industry. In Consuming Tradition, Manufacturing Heritage. Routledge.
Ronaghi, S. S., Hosseini Semnani, A. S., & Saffari, L. (2024, October 1). Workforce Planning for the Future of Sports Tourism. | EBSCOhost. https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.intjssh.7.4.4
Sanders, N. R. (2025). Supply Chain Management: A Global Perspective. John Wiley & Sons.
Siamionava, K., Boghrati, R., Zhang, J., & Lu, T. (2024). Fluency is the Key: AI Agent Language Dynamics on Customer Satisfaction and Transfer Requests (SSRN Scholarly Paper No. 4912547). Social Science Research Network. https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=4912547
Sweller, J. (2021). Instructional Design. In T. K. Shackelford & V. A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science (pp. 4159–4163). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19650-3_2438
Tenny, S., Brannan, J. M., & Brannan, G. D. (2025). Qualitative Study. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470395/
Teodorescu, A. (2015). Mobile Learning and its Impact on Business English Learning. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180, 1535–1540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.303
The Contribution of Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory in Mediating L2 Knowledge Co-Construction | Theory and Practice in Language Studies. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2025, https://tpls.academypublication.com/index.php/tpls/article/view/4775
The Effect of Cultural Differences on the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2025, https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=130081
Williams, R. T. (2024). The Relationship between Social Media and Pedagogy. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.