Overcoming the complexities of translating travel texts: Opportunities and challenges The case of Amadeus pricing and ticketing system’s manual

Introduction:
Tourism is defined by the World Tourism Organization¹ as travel for recreation, leisure, religious, family or business purposes, usually of a limited duration, and is commonly associated with trans-national travel, but may also refer to travel to another location within the same country. The travel and Tourism industry offers a broad spectrum for incorporating translation services towards overcoming the linguistic, cultural and social barriers of tourist destinations and foreign people. “Translation services are indispensable for the travel industry including translating brochures, holiday guides, hotel information, contracts, press releases and promotional materials Carmine Di Biase, 2006: p. 9). On the other hand:
knowledge of languages other than one's own might make one want to travel
to put those languages to use in their native settings. And if what is meant by
translation is the relocation of a message from one language to another- the re-
location from one place to another- also a kind of translation, Carmine Di Biase (2006: p. 9).
Amadeus is a centralized computer reservation system and one of the leading Global Distribution Systems (GDS) ² which- via a technical infrastructure and a transaction processor used by international airlines and travel agencies- provides reservation and distribution services and solutions for travellers and tourists seeking air, sea, train or ferry travels, auto rental, accommodations, etc.
Travel texts and manuals are publications prepared by international organizations (such as IATA, UFTAA, ICAO, airlines and carriers, etc) which form international sources of information and direction catering for the regulation of processes in matters relevant to flights, ticketing, operation guidelines, rules, etc. They are availed for the use of agents, consultants and travelers and their translation is indispensable to share the field’s knowledge and technical know-how across a global network of travel professionals. Translation conveys the informational as well as the directive content of such materials.
Technical resources and products on travel processes in Arabic are scarce. A probable reason for this may be shortage of translated materials in various languages. This paper is an endeavor to explore the characteristics of this type of technical writing and analytically examine a translation of an IATA Ticketing and Fares’ manual accomplished in 2010 by Salih Bin Kaddah of the Saudi Airlines.