From Ljubljana to Reykjavik, millions of travellers admit fear of getting it wrong is stopping them from seeing the world. Omio and language expert Alex Rawlings are helping travellers to journey more confidently, one place name at a time.
Travellers Avoid Places They Can't Pronounce
Third-party research reveals that millions of travellers are limiting where they go on holiday due to a surprisingly simple barrier: not knowing how to pronounce their chosen destination. The fear of saying a destination incorrectly creates anxiety before a trip has even begun.
- 45% of travellers admit they'll avoid booking a destination they can't confidently pronounce
- 58% want to improve their pronunciation before visiting a new destination
- 42% use AI tools or search engines to help pronounce destinations before travelling
- 27% say not knowing pronunciation has limited the range of places they consider visiting
- 26% won't even search for a destination they're not sure how to spell
- 26% are less likely to visit a destination if they can't confidently pronounce it
- 23% worry about sounding rude when pronouncing a destination incorrectly
- 22% fear getting the pronunciation wrong
- 21% fear the embarrassment of being corrected
- 21% stick to destinations they already know how to say out loud
From the UK to the US, Germany, Spain and Italy, travellers across the world say unfamiliar place names can feel intimidating — even when the destination itself is unforgettable.
Meet Our Renowned Language Expert
Alex Rawlings · Polyglot and language expert
Born in the UK and today living in Athens, Alex Rawlings is a polyglot and language expert known for speaking and studying more than eleven languages fluently. Together with Omio, he's helping travellers feel more confident pronouncing unfamiliar destinations and be inspired to visit them.
"Pronunciation can feel like a barrier, but it doesn't need to be perfect. The key is to focus on the sounds rather than trying to replicate every letter exactly. Even a small effort is often appreciated by locals and can help travellers feel far more confident when exploring a new destination."
— Alex Rawlings
7 Expert Tips for Pronouncing Destinations with Confidence
1. Don't read it like your own language
Even when languages use the same alphabet, letters often sound completely different. In German, Dutch, Scandinavian and many Eastern European languages, "j" is pronounced like a "y", while in French, Portuguese and Catalan it becomes a soft "zh" sound.
2. Focus on the stress
Getting the emphasis on the right syllable is often more important than perfect pronunciation. Think about the word Birmingham — people are far more likely to understand "BIR-ming-ham" than "bir-MING-ham", even if the individual sounds aren't perfect.
3. Use technology to help
If you can't ask a local, use tools like AI or Google Translate's listen function to hear pronunciations and identify unfamiliar sounds or stress patterns.
4. Learn common pronunciation patterns
Many languages follow consistent sound rules - In French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Catalan, the letter "c" is pronounced like a "k" before "o", "a" or "u", but changes sound before "i" or "e" - becoming "ch" in Italian, "th" in Spain, and "s" in French and Portuguese.
5. Some letters are silent
French is famous for silent letters, especially at the ends of words. That's why places like Calais and Bordeaux are pronounced much more simply than they look. As a rule of thumb: if you're in France and not sure whether you should pronounce the letter at the end of a word, you probably shouldn't.
6. Don't let language put you off
Some of the world's most exciting destinations — from Poland to Thailand — can also be the hardest to pronounce. Don't let unfamiliar names stop you from exploring somewhere new.
7. Don't be afraid to get it wrong
Nobody expects perfect pronunciation — locals usually appreciate the effort more than accuracy. You might make a few mistakes, and you might earn yourself a few knowing smiles. But give it a go, and see for yourself what worlds you might unlock.
A Pronunciation Guide for Curious Travellers
These phonetic spellings are designed to help English-speaking travellers feel more confident saying unfamiliar destination or location names while travelling. We've picked eight of Europe's most beautiful — and most mispronounced — places.
Ljubljana, Slovenia — lyoo-BLYAH-nah
Reykjavik, Iceland — RAKE-yah-vik
Cinque Terre, Italy — CHIN-kwe TE-rre
Dubrovnik, Croatia — doo-BROV-nik
Gdańsk, Poland — k-DICE-k
Fuerteventura, Spain — fwer-te-ven-TOO-ra
Chamonix, France — sha-mo-NEE
Montjuïc, Barcelona — mon-zhwEEK
At Omio, we believe travel should feel exciting, not intimidating. By helping travellers feel more confident navigating unfamiliar destinations, we hope to make exploring the world feel a little more accessible — one train, bus, flight or ferry at a time.