Travel and escort interpreters who go where you go
A dedicated interpreter who accompanies you or your delegation through meetings, visits, meals and travel, helping with language and with the cultural side of doing business abroad.
Escort interpreting, sometimes called liaison interpreting, is for itineraries rather than single appointments. The interpreter stays with an individual or a group across a day or a trip, moving between meetings, site tours, hotels, restaurants and informal conversations, and interpreting whenever it is needed.
This kind of assignment calls for an interpreter who is flexible, discreet and comfortable in professional and social settings. As well as interpreting, they can help visitors understand local etiquette, business customs and the unwritten rules that make a meeting go well.
We arrange travel and escort interpreters for visitors arriving in the UK and for clients travelling to North America, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and other regions, using interpreters based locally in the destination.
Why choose SILA Linguists for travel and escort
One interpreter, the whole itinerary
The same interpreter stays with you from meeting to meeting, gets to know your objectives and keeps conversations consistent.
Formal and informal settings
Interpreting moves easily between boardrooms, factory floors, working lunches and evening events.
Cultural guidance
Interpreters help with greetings, etiquette and expectations so that relationships start on the right footing.
Local knowledge
For assignments abroad we use interpreters based in the destination, who know the area and its customs.
Discreet and confidential
Commercial and personal information is kept confidential, with NDAs available for sensitive visits.
Travel and escort interpreting with SILA Linguists® for business, public and private visits
An escort interpreter from SILA Linguists® travels with you or your delegation through a full programme: meetings, factory visits, meals, transfers and the informal conversations in between. In energy, escort interpreters can accompany site inspections and partner meetings; in engineering, supplier audits and factory acceptance tests; in fashion and luxury, visits to trade fairs and showrooms; and in travel and hospitality, VIP guests and hosted visits. For public bodies and financial services, escort interpreting covers trade missions, investor tours and official delegations. Escort interpreters also help with hotel check-ins, medical appointments and unexpected situations, so travellers are never left without language support.
Good escort interpreting depends on preparation and cultural judgement, so we brief interpreters on your programme, sector vocabulary and the people you are meeting. Where useful, they also act as cultural advisers, explaining etiquette, expectations and how a message will land. Escort interpreting languages include Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Turkish and Portuguese (Brazil), among more than 350 languages and dialects, with interpreters available for travel across the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond.
Visits generate paperwork, and SILA Linguists® can take care of that too. We provide document translation of agendas, contracts and technical specifications, certified translation of documents that need official acceptance, and transcription of recorded meetings with translated summaries. For larger events on the trip, our conference interpreting team can supply booths and simultaneous interpreters, and between visits you can reach an interpreter by telephone or video 24 hours a day. Every escort interpreter works under NDA, and your plans are handled under UK GDPR.
Step by step
Share the itinerary
Send us the dates, locations, languages, participants and a programme of meetings and visits.
Interpreter selected
We choose an interpreter with suitable sector knowledge and, where possible, local presence, and agree working hours and travel arrangements with you.
Briefing
Before the trip we pass on background materials, names and objectives so the interpreter is ready from the first meeting.
On the move
The interpreter accompanies you throughout, and our team remains available if the programme changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between escort and conference interpreting?
Escort interpreting is usually consecutive and informal, for small groups on the move. Conference interpreting is for structured events with larger audiences, often in simultaneous mode with equipment.
Who arranges the interpreter's travel and accommodation?
This is agreed for each assignment. We will discuss travel, accommodation and working hours with you when planning the itinerary.
Can the interpreter help with more than language?
Interpreters can explain cultural norms and etiquette relevant to the conversation. For in-depth cultural briefings, see our cultural advisory service.
Tell us the language, the format and the date
Our bookings team will confirm the details with you and arrange the right linguist. Have the language (and dialect, if you know it), the type of assignment and the date ready.