The Influence of Multilingual Competency on Service Delivery and Guest Satisfaction: A Case Study of Tourist Hotels in Thailand

This study investigates the influence of multilingual competency on service delivery and guest satisfaction in tourist hotels in Thailand—a global tourism hub with a linguistically diverse visitor base. Using a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 400 respondents, including 200 frontline hotel staff and 200 international guests, across major tourist cities. The study measured multilingual competency, service delivery quality, and guest satisfaction using structured Likert-scale questionnaires. Findings from Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses indicate that multilingual competency has a significant positive effect on both service delivery and guest satisfaction. Additionally, service delivery was found to partially mediate the relationship between multilingual competency and guest satisfaction. These results underscore the strategic importance of linguistic proficiency and intercultural communication in enhancing service effectiveness and customer experience. The study contributes to the limited empirical literature on language-service dynamics in Thai hospitality and offers practical recommendations for hotel management and workforce training. It concludes that multilingual competency is a strategic asset, and investing in multilingual capacity is vital for superior guest experiences and maintaining Thailand’s competitiveness in global tourism.