Analysing Types and Translation Approaches of Tourist Signs at Four Hot Springs in Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand

With wellness tourism growing in popularity worldwide and Thailand drawing a lot of foreign tourists whose primary goal is improved physical and mental well-being, quality information signs at wellness tourist destinations are thus vital. This article attempts to identify the types of tourist signs and their English translations at four hot springs—Mae Um Long, Ban Nong Hang, Pha Bong, and Sai Ngam—in the northern province of Mae Hong Son, Thailand. Calori and Vanden-Eynden’s (2015) categorisation of sign types was applied as the analytical framework. Both literal translation and adaptation are employed for identifying the types of translation approaches used for the signs’ messages. The study found seven types of signs that adhered to Calori and Vanden-Eynden's taxonomy and six types that differed from it. Regarding the translation approaches, both literal translation and adaptation were identified, along with the three further sub-types of adaptation: addition, reduction, and interpretation. The findings can contribute to both academic and professional domains, especially tourism translation.