When visiting a foreign destination, it’s good to know basic guidelines about staying safe — especially when the place is full of boiling hot springs and wild bison.

In an effort to deliver safety messages to foreign visitors, the National Park Service in Yellowstone recently wrote posts in Chinese, Italian, French and Czech on its social media accounts.

The posts in foreign languages warned visitors about the hazards of hot springs, stressing the importance of staying on boardwalks and designated trails.

For some Americans scrolling through their Facebook feeds, seeing the initial message in Chinese characters came as a surprise.

While most Facebook commenters responded to the foreign posts with positive feedback, some criticized the Park Service’s use of another language.

“Yellowstone National Park when u r posting to an American public, it should be in English,” one commenter posted. “English is our Natl Language hence your postings should be in English. To do otherwise is rude and assumes the audience know what u r saying.”

With the simple click of a button, messages were translated into English, so Facebook users could easily figure out what the Park Service was saying.

It’s also important to note that the United States doesn’t have an official national language. While English is the most widely used language in America, we certainly don’t expect everyone to speak English when visiting our country.

Yellowstone welcomes thousands of foreign guests each year, and a multilingual approach is crucial to reach travelers who may not be fluent in English. Every Yellowstone visitor needs to understand the park’s inherent dangers.

To help communicate with an increasing number of Chinese tourists, Yellowstone also recently hired three rangers who speak Mandarin, according to the Billings Gazette. The rangers provide information, lead guided hikes and talk informally with visitors at popular areas of the park.

While Yellowstone has offered safety publications in different languages for years, it’s also wise to reach out to tourists directly in the park as well as online, especially considering how many visitors use social media.

We are disappointed that Yellowstone’s recent online posts drew some negative responses and derogatory comments about foreign visitors.

Americans should remember our first national park was created “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people” — all people. That’s something to cherish and celebrate as we welcome people of every nationality, race and ethnicity.

As with any visitor to Yellowstone National Park, we also hope they show this special place the respect it deserves.

Helping tourists understand safety messages — in whichever language they speak — is in everyone’s best interest.