Multi-Language

Multi-language support means providing the content of a website or application in multiple languages to serve users in different language regions. For global services, support for major languages such as English, Chinese, Spanish, and Japanese is required.

There are two approaches to multi-language support for QR codes. The first is automatic routing with a dynamic QR code. On the server side, the person scanning is redirected to a page in the appropriate language based on the language setting of their browser (the Accept-Language header) or the region estimated from their IP address. Because a single QR code can cover all languages, space on printed materials can be saved.

The second is switching languages on the landing page. In this method, a language selection menu is placed on the page the QR code links to, and users choose the language themselves. As a fallback for cases where automatic detection gets it wrong (such as the local language being displayed while traveling abroad), a language switching function must always be provided.

For QR codes at tourist sites and for inbound tourism, multi-language support is especially important. A system in which scanning the QR code on a tourist information board displays an explanation in Japanese for Japanese people, in Chinese for Chinese tourists, and in English for tourists from Europe and the Americas greatly improves the quality of inbound tourism.