travel jargon list

• Travel Terms Glossary

We have provided a glossary for your use.  The travel industry is replete with jargon and acronyms and we hope you find this glossary/dictionary of travel terms useful when you run across a term you are not familiar with.  We encourage our clients to submit any words or concepts they would like defined or clarified to us on the Contact Us page and we will be happy to reply by email with a definition and include the term or clarification in our glossary/dictionary of travel terms for other clients benefit as well.

A la carte – referring to meals, an indication that each dish is priced separately; also that a choice of meals may be vailable, such as on a tour.

A la Carte Bar – Also known as a “Cash Bar,” a bar located within one’s hotel room that is pre-stocked with an assortment of snacks and beverages.

ABC – a reference to the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, in the Netherlands Antilles, just off the northern coast of South America (Venezuela). Fabulous for diving, snorkeling and all manner of watersports.

Abeam – A directional term, used on ships and aircraft, which describes something off to the side of the vessel, such as the wings.

Accessible Tourism – Travel that ensures that there is high availability in destinations, accommodations, attractions, products, and services to all people.

Accessible Travel – Travel that ensures that there is high availability in destinations, accommodations, attractions, products, and services to all people.

Actual Time of Arrival – Literally, the actual time of arrival. As opposed to the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival).

Add-on – an option, usually at extra cost, added to travel arrangements.

Adjoining rooms – Two hotel or accommodation rooms that have a door connecting them from the inside, allowing the guests to combine the two rooms into one larger room.

Adoption Rate – the percentage of tickets issued through an online booking system compared to the traditional booking channel of agent-assisted reservations.

ADT – Atlantic Daylight Time; Alaska Daylight Time. Advance Purchase Fare – airfare that requires the traveler to purchase the ticket a minimum number of days prior to departure.

Advance Purchase Requirement – APR, or Advance Purchase Requirement, is the requirement that a ticket must be purchased a minimum number of days before the flight departs.

Adventure tour – A tour designed around an adventurous activity such as rafting, hiking, or mountain climbing.

Adventure travel – adventure travel is category of travel involving exploration or travel with perceived (and possibly actual) risk, and potentially requiring specialized skills and physical exertion.

Adventure Traveler – Adventure travelers travel to destinations with the specific purpose of active physical participation and exploration of new experiences.

Affinity Card – These are credit or debit cards issued by a banking institution in partnership and co-branded with a particular frequent traveler program.

Affinity group – A group of people that share a common hobby, interest, or activity, or that are united through regular participation in shared outings. Also see preformed group.

Aft – toward the rear of a ship.

After-departure charge – Charges that do not appear on the guest’s bill at checkout such as telephone or dining charges.

Agent – A person who has the power to act as the representative for another person.  Most frequently in travel, a specific kind of agent such as a travel agent.

AIO variables – Activities, interests, and opinions-used to measure and categorize customer lifestyles.

Air mile – a distance of approx. 6076 feet.

Air Traffic Control – Usually refers to the control tower at the airport, but may also be a control center somewhere else in charge of controlling a large area of sky.

Air Travel Card – a credit card sponsored by the airlines, for the purchase of air travel only.

Air Travel – air travel is the action or process of making a journey by aircraft.

Air/sea – a term referring to tickets, trips, fares, etc. that include both air and land-based travel arrangements, such as a cruise package with air included.

Aircraft – Generally speaking, any machine capable of flight. However, in the travel industry, these often mean airplanes.

Airline Alliance – These are agreements of cooperation between groups of airlines. Alliances offer airlines more flexibility and larger networks.

Airline fare – Price charged for an airline ticket. Several types of fares exist and can change with market conditions.

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) – An organization that provides a method of approving authorized agency locations for the sale of transportation and cost-effective procedures for processing records and funds of such sales to carrier customers.

Airport access fee – a fee paid by the car rental companies to the airport authority, for the use of shuttle vehicles, etc. – usually passed on to the consumer.

Airport transfer – a transport service to/from an airport to hotel, etc., normally prepaid as part of a package tour, but available separately as well.

Air-Sea – A cruise or travel package in which one or more transportation elements are provided by air and one or more by sea. The package is usually combined with local lodging.

All Inclusive – sold for one price that includes charges and fees that are often added separately.

All-inclusive package – A tour package in which most travel elements are purchased for set price. Also called an all-expense package.

Alternative Tourism – Travel that is not conventional in nature, though that is hard to define. It can be a niche kind of tourism.

Alternative Travel – Travel that is not conventional in nature, though that is hard to define. It can be a niche kind of tourism.

Alumni tour – A tour created for customers who have previously traveled with a tour operator. Also called a reunion tour.

Ambassador – The head of a state’s diplomatic mission in another state, usually with offices inside the main embassy.

Amenities – a desirable or useful feature or facility of a building or place

Amenity package – A cluster of special features, such as complimentary shore excursions, bar or boutique credit, or wine at dinner offered to clients on a given tour or cruise, usually as a bonus or extra feature. Usually used to induce clients to book through a particular travel agency or organization.

Amenity – The facilities and features of a property, usually cruise ship, airline or destination accommodation.

American plan – a hotel’s meal plan that usually includes all three meals each day.

AMEX – American Express (AX).

Amidships – toward the middle of a ship – usually the most stable part of the vessel.

Anniversary travel – a type of milestone travel celebrating a date that is remembered or celebrated because a special or notable event occurred on that date in a previous year, such as a wedding anniversary.

Antebellum – describes a building and/or period of time prior to the Civil War, such as an antebellum mansion on a cotton plantation in the southern US.

APEX – an airline term meaning “advance purchase excursion fare” – normally the least expensive fares.

Apron – The area surrounding the gate areas of a terminal, generally used for parking and maintenance of planes.

ARC – Airline Reporting Corporation- the agency that regulates ticket sales and reports to the airlines for travel agencies.

Archipelago – An archipelago is a grouping of islands, essentially. Indonesia and Japan are both archipelago countries.

ARTA – Association of Retail Travel Agents – professional trade group of travel agents only.

ASC Fee – Administrative Service Charge.  Usually it’s the same as the change fee, or the fee to exchange the ticket for future travel.

AST – Atlantic (or Alaska) Standard Time.

ASTA – American Society of Travel Agents – trade group consisting of travel agencies, travel agents, and allied members (suppliers, etc.).

ATO – Airline Ticket Office – becoming rarer these days, as carriers continue to reduce customer service.

Attractions – An item or specific interest to travelers, such as natural wonders, manmade facilities and structures, entertainment, and activities.

Autobahn – high-speed equivalent to the US interstate highway system, in Germany and a few other European countries.

Availability – The total number of seats allowed to be sold at a particular rate.

Average room rate – The total guest room revenue for a given period divided by the number of rooms occupied for the same period.

B&B – A bed and breakfast home or guest house that a proprietor has converted into accommodation(s) for the public. Each room becomes a separate unit for rent and typically breakfast and/or other meals are served as part of the fare.

Babymoon – A relaxing and romantic vacation or getaway taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born.

Back to back – A term used to describe tours operating on a consistent, continuing basis. For instance, a motor coach arriving in a city from a cross-country tour may conclude the first tour upon arrival, then transport a second group back along the same route to the origination city of the first tour.

Back-to-back ticket(ing) – an against-the-rules practice whereby an air ticket is issued round-trip with only one portion to be used. Another is then issued roundtrip, again with only one portion to be used. In effect, this amounts to using one ticket for the outbound part of a trip, and the other for the return. The normal Saturday night stay requirement is then avoided – useful only when two roundtrip tickets are less than the cost of a single ticket with no Saturday night stayover.

Baggage Allowance – The amount of baggage a passenger may transport without having to pay extra charges, determined by carrier.

Baggage handler – See porter.

Baggage master – The person who controls baggage handling on a ship.

Balcony – sometimes called a verandah – an outside “porch ” that is usually private, just outside your ship’s cabin. Great for relaxing and port arrivals!

Barge cruising – pleasure cruising along a canal system, such as in upstate New York or in Europe, in converted barges or new ships that resemble them.

Base fare – the basic price of an airline ticket, before ANY taxes, surcharges, airport fees, etc.

Base – Flight crew term for their home airport; where the flights originate from and terminate at.

Beam – a ship’s width at its widest point; determines whether or not a vessel can pass through the Panama Canal.

Bed and breakfast (B&B) – Overnight accommodations usually in a private home or boarding house, often with a full American-style or Continental breakfast included in one rate.

Bell captain – The person in charge of luggage at a hotel.

Bellboy – Also called “Bellboy” or “Bellman,” a person that is hired by the hotel to assist guests, such as with luggage, running errands, etc.

Bellman – a person who carries one’s luggage to a hotel room.

Benelux – term for the countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Berth – usually refers to the bed in a ship’s cabin; also the space at which a ship is docked.

Bespoke tour – a tour that is customized, personalized and tailor-made for the traveler.

Biking Trips and tours – Bicycle trips and touring means self-contained cycling trips or pleasure, adventure and autonomy rather than sport, commuting or exercise. Touring can range from single to multi-day trips, getaways or vacations.

Birthday travel – a type of milestone travel celebrating a birthday, quite often marking decade birthday milestones such as 40 th , 50 th , 60 th , 70 th etc. birthdays.

Blackout dates – Specific dates in which special fares or promotions do not apply. Typically exist around holidays or special events.

Block – A number of rooms, seats, or space reserved in advance, usually by wholesalers, tour operators, or receptive operators who intend to sell them as components of tour packages.

Blocked space – seats, rooms, and/or cabins held on airlines, in hotels, or aboard ships. Usually held speculatively and made available at reduced rates.

Boarding pass – a receipt with a seat number, now issued only at check-in at the airport. A ticket is not valid unless a boarding pass has been issued. A Boarding Pass is not a ticket, but allows you to board a plane or ship or other mode of transportation.

Boarding Pass – Bonded – protected or guaranteed by a bond, usually referring to the protection of passenger’s funds.

Booking form – A document which purchasers of tours must complete to give the operator full particulars about who is buying the tour. It states exactly what is being purchased (including options) and must be signed as acknowledgment that the liability clause has been read and understood.

Boutique Hotel – A boutique hotel is a type of hotel, usually smaller and more intimate than a chain hotel, which conforms to a niche.

Bow – Bow is a directional term. Front of a ship or the nose of an aircraft; specifically, the foremost point of the hull of the craft.

Breakage – Expenses budgeted for a tour but not used or expended, thus resulting in additional profit to the tour operator. Examples include meals budgeted but not consumed, currency fluctuations in favor of the tour operator, or the tour selling to much larger numbers of passengers than expected.

Break-even point (BEP) – The point at which revenues and expenses are the same. For example, the BEP is the number of products (or seats, cabins, tickets, etc.) that must be sold for a company to break even. The BEP is calculated as fixed costs divided by the selling price less variable costs. See reasonable number.

Break-even pricing – Pricing a product based on a forecast of the break-even point and the cost of achieving the break-even point.

Bridge – the navigational center of a ship.

Bucket list destinations – Bucket list travel is a list of destinations a person wants to travel to and experience before reaching a certain age or dying.

Bulk contract – An agreement whereby an airline sells large blocks of seats at a discount for resale by a third party.

Bulk fare – A reduced fare for purchases of a large number of tickets.

Bulkhead Seat – Seats located directly behind a bulkhead wall separator. As these seats don’t have the benefit of a seatback in front of them.

Bulkhead – A partitioning wall, usually referring to one within the cabin of an aircraft, or perhaps on another mode of transportation.

Bumping – the airline practice of denying boarding to confirmed passengers who hold tickets on a specific flight, due to an oversold condition. The carrier will ask for volunteers to take later flights, and will normally provide some sort of compensation in the form of vouchers or tickets for future travel. Rules for when compensation must be provided are complicated; ask the ticket agent for a copy of that carrier’s rules, as each has their own set of guidelines.

Business class – While amenities vary based on the airline, business class generally falls between first class and coach.

Cabin – the passenger area on an aircraft; the stateroom aboard a cruise ship.

Cabin Crew – The collective group of flight attendants and the purser as a whole. The cabin crew is responsible primarily for handling the duties within the cabin.

Cabin steward – the person responsible for maintaining/cleaning the cabins aboard ship.

Cabin-(Aircraft) – The section of the aircraft in which passengers travel.

Cabin – A sleeping room on a ship.

Cancellation penalty – the monetary penalty due when travel plans are cancelled, usually after final payment has been made.

Cape – A small version of a peninsula, usually long and narrow, that juts far out into a body of water.

Captain – (Aircraft-The captain is the pilot in command (PIC), which is the person in the cockpit sitting on the left with 4 stripes on their shoulder.

Card mill – a “business “that sells potentially fake travel agent ID cards, usually in a sort of pyramid scheme, whereby the buyer intends only to partake of any legitimate agent benefits.

Carrier – generic term for any company that transports passengers and/or freight.

Carry-on – currently, there are no uniformly enforced airline restrictions concerning carry-on luggage.

Cashless cruising – a term that applies to the system of onboard payment used for most all cruises; the final bill for any such purchases is presented against a credit card or cash deposit given upon check-in. The final statement itemizes the purchases of all passengers in a cabin, such as drinks, shore tours, etc.

Casual research – A form of marketing research that is used to test cause-and-effect relationships between a marketing program and customers.

Cay – pronounced “key” – term for a small island, used primarily in the Caribbean, such as Princess Cay.

Celebrity Travel – celebrity and high net worth travel is an ultra-luxurious travel category describing the highly demanding travel requirements of celebrity and high net worth travelers characterized by the ultra-luxurious travel modalities and destinations with attention to privacy, security and confidentiality.

Certified Tour Professional (CTP) – A designation conferred upon tour professionals who have completed a prescribed course of academic study, professional service, tour employment, and evaluation requirements. The CTP program is administered by the National Tour Association (Lexington, KY) and is open to individuals employed in any segment of the tourism industry.

Certified Travel Associate – (CTA) – a travel professional certified by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents, who has passed a series of rigorous tests, assuring the traveling public of professional competence.

Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) – A designation attesting to professional competence as a travel agent. It is conferred upon travel professionals with five or more years of industry experience who compete a two-year graduate-level travel management program administered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (Wellesley, MA).

Certified Travel Industry Specialist (CTIS) – A designation conferred upon American Bus Association member company employees who successfully complete five correspondence courses (three) required and two electives and written evaluation of eight marketplace seminars.

Chain-ratio method – A method for forecasting market demand by multiplying a base market figure by a series of consumption constraints.

Chamber of commerce – A DMO that operates at the local level and is comprised of businesses that are not necessarily associated with the tourism industry.

Chancery – The physical building that houses an embassy and its diplomatic delegation.

Change of equipment – when a flight, with a single flight number, lands and changes the type of airplane used before continuing on to its destination.  Sometimes referred to as a change of gauge.

Charter service – The transportation of preformed groups (organized by someone other than the carrier), which have the exclusive use of the vehicle.

Charter – To hire the exclusive use of any aircraft, motorcoach, or other vehicle.

Chauffer driven tours – a chauffeur tour is a tour driven by a chauffeur employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.

Chunnel – slang for the tunnel beneath the English Channel, from England to France, through which the Eurostar train passes.

Circle itinerary – A travel routing design that overnights in different locations and returns to the point of departure without retracing the travel route.

Circle trip – any trip that involves more than a single destination, but which returns to the initial point of departure.

City guide – A tour guide who points out and comments on the highlights of a city, usually from a motor coach or van.

City Pair – The departure and destination points of an air or rail journey.

City tour – A sightseeing trip through a city, usually lasting a half day or a full day, during which a guide points out the city’s highlights.

Class of Service – The inventory in which a passenger is booked according to the fare purchased. (E.g. a full fare coach class cabin is usually Y class of service)

CLIA – Cruise Lines International Association, located in New York City, NY.

Client list – A printout of the names of all tour participants.

Client mix – Objectives set by companies to achieve percentages of customers from different market segments.

Closed-end question – A question for which the answers are provided for the respondent, who chooses only from those answers.

Closeout – Finalization of a tour, cruise, or similar group travel project after which time no further clients are accepted. Any unsold air or hotel space is released, and final lists and payments are sent to all suppliers.

Coach – the “economy ” section of an aircraft, which may have literally scores of different fares for the same flight.

Collision damage waiver-(CDW) – Optional insurance provided by car rental companies that eliminates all responsibility of the driver in case of an accident. Car rental insurance covering any damage to a rental vehicle (CDW) many credit card companies cover their clients in this area if they use that card to pay for the rental. Check with you credit card company to see if you are covered and to what extent.

Commission – Money paid to a travel agency or ARC number by suppliers for generating bookings.

Commission cap – The limit placed on commissions paid to travel agents for the sale of air tickets, regardless of their price; designed to allow airlines to increase their profits at the expense of their primary distribution system – the travel agents.

Commissionable tour – A tour available through retail and wholesale travel agencies which provides for a payment of an agreed-upon sales commission to the retailer or wholesale seller.

Common carrier – Any person or organization that offers transportation for a fee.

Commuter – term referring to the small, regional airlines, sometimes called puddle-jumpers.

Comp policy – Arrangements for free tickets, rooms, meals, etc.

Complimentaries (comps) – Items provided free of charge, such as rooms, meals, tickets, airfare, gifts, souvenirs, etc.

Computerized reservation system (CRS) – An automated system used by travel agents that contains pricing, availability and product descriptions for hotels, car rentals, cruises, and air transportation.

Concierge – a hotel employee who provides additional advice, recommendations, and other services to guests, such as restaurant reservations. An employee of the hotel whose primary task is to serve as the liaison between the hotel and non-hotel attractions, facilities, services, and the guest.

Concierge Level – special service level normally offered at higher grade hotels that provide the guest additional amenities and information, typically at a higher rate.

Conditions – The section or clause of a transportation or tour contract that specifies what is not offered and that may spell out the circumstances under which the contract may be invalidated (in whole or in part).

Configuration – The interior arrangement of a vehicle, particularly an airplane. The same airplane, for example, may be configured for 190 coach-class passengers, or it may hold 12 first-class passengers and 170 coach passengers, or any other combination within its capacity.

Confirmed reservation – An oral or written statement by a supplier that he has received and will honor a reservation. Oral confirmation have virtually no legal weight. Even written or faxed confirmations have specified or implied limitations. For example, a hotel is usually not obliged to honor a reservation if a guest arrives after 6 p.m., unless late arrival has been guaranteed.

Confluence – A confluence, also known as a conflux, is the meeting point of two flowing bodies of water, such as streams or rivers; the place where they come together.

Conflux – A confluence, also known as a conflux, is the meeting point of two flowing bodies of water, such as streams or rivers; the place where they come together.

Connecting Flight – A flight that makes a stop at an intermediate point where travelers must change planes in order to connect to another flight to reach their destination. (I.e. San Francisco to Chicago and Chicago to New York).

Connecting room – Two rooms that are connected to each other by a door.

Consolidation – Cancellation by a charter tour operator of one more flights associated with a specific charter departure or departure period, with the transfer of passengers to another charter flight or flights to depart on or near the same day. Also, selling the same tour with identical departure dates through a number of wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets in order to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations.

Consolidator – A wholesaler who purchases airline tickets in bulk and re-sells them to individuals and travel agencies at a discounted rate. These fares tend to have complex restrictions, but can be cheaper than buying direct from the airline. Consolidator fares are found to have the most savings on international flights.

Consortium – A collection of organizations made up of independently owned and managed agencies who band together to increase their buying power.

Consulate – Essentially a satellite office of the embassy, but its roles are limited in scope.

Consul – Head diplomat of the consulate.

Consumer protection plan – A plan offered by a company and/or association that protects the customer’s deposits and payments from loss in the event of company bankruptcy.

Consumer – The actual user of a product or service. See also customer.

Consumption constraints – Issues that limit the number of people in a market who will purchase a product.

Continental breakfast – At a minimum, a beverage (coffee, tea, or milk) and rolls and toast, with fruit juice sometimes included.

Continent – Large landmasses that the world is divided into, by convention, although it is generally-accepted that there are seven.

Contract – A legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties.

Control Tower – Often referred to as simply the tower, the people in the Control Tower oversee aircraft movements at the airport, including ground traffic.

Convenience sample – A collection of research subjects who are the easiest for the researcher to select.

Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) – A nonprofit DMO that operates at the county and city level. A CVB typically encourages groups to hold meetings, conventions, and trade shows in its city.

Co-op tour – Selling a tour through a number of wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets in order to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations.

Cooperative (co-op) advertising – An agreement between two parties to share the cost of placing an advertisement.

Corporate agency – A travel agency that usually caters to medium-large sized businesses.

Corporate Rate – a hotel rate that is designed to appeal to the needs of the business traveler. It is not necessarily a discounted rate or the minimum rate offered by the hotel. Corporate rates normally guarantee the best available room at a fixed cost for a specific period of time, typically outlined in a contract between the hotel and company.

Corporate Travel – Corporate Travel is travel arranged by a business for business purposes. A division or department of a travel agency devoted to such travel.

Costing – The process of itemizing and calculating all the costs the tour operator will pay on a given tour.

Cost-plus pricing – See markup pricing.

Couchette – the sleeping compartment of a train that can contain up to 6 beds.

Coupon – See voucher.

Cruise Tour – A land and sea vacation, which combines a cruise with a multi-night land tour to inland destinations that the ship can’t reach.

Cruise – A cruise is a voyage on a ship or boat taken for pleasure or as a vacation and usually docking at several port destinations.

CST – Central Standard Time.

CTA – Certified Travel Associate.

CTC – Certified Travel Counselor – the ultimate in travel professionals, CTC certification can be compared to the “Master’s Degree “of the industry.

Cuisin e – a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes associated with a specific culture or geographic region.

Culinary Tourism – Culinary tourism is defined as the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences. By combining travel with these edible experiences, culinary tourism offers both locals and tourists alike an authentic taste of a specific culture or geographic region.

Cultural Tourism – Cultural tourism is the category or tourism concerned with a country or region’s culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those people, their art, architecture, religion(s), and other elements that helped shape their way of life.

Cultural Travel – This is travel with regard to a region’s culture and history.

Culture – Similar shared traits or characteristics unique to an ethnic group, region, or nation.

Custom tour – A travel package created specifically for a preformed group or niche market.

Customer – The buyer of a product or service. See consumer.

Customized tours – a customized tour is a tour category where an independent travel plan is designed and arranged just for the traveler’s needs, goals and desires. This type of travel includes private airport/hotel transfers, hotels, internal airfare, trains, cruises, performances, events, activities and privately guided tours.

Customs – The common term for U.S. Customs Service, the federal agency charged with collecting duty on specified items imported into the country. The agency also restricts the entry of forbidden items.

CVB – Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (generic term).

Database – A computerized, organized collection of individual customer information.

Day rate – Also called a day room. A reduced rate granted for the use of a guest room during the daytime, not overnight occupancy. Usually provided on a tour when a very late-night departure is scheduled.

Day tour – An escorted or unescorted tour that lasts less than 24 hours and usually departs and returns on the same day. See sightseeing tour.

Deadheading – Making a trip or a segment of a trip without passengers, such as driving an empty motor coach somewhere.

Debark – to get off an airplane or passenger ship.

Deck – the floor area of a ship. Some cruise liners have as many as 11 to 14 decks or more.

Deck plan – the drawing representing the location of the decks, public rooms, cabins, etc. of a cruise ship.

Demand generators – Strategies and programs developed by DMOs and suppliers to generate destination demand. Examples include festivals, events, cultural tours, and consumer promotion.

Demands – A consumer’s wants backed by the ability to purchase.

Demographics – Population measures, such as age, gender, income, education, race/ethnicity, religion, marital status, household size, and occupation.

Denied-boarding compensation – that payment and/or voucher given those bumped from a flight; may be somewhat negotiable – always ask! See “bumping”.

Department of State – the US government agency that, among other things, issues cautions and warnings concerning travel to many points worldwide. Connect to the Department of State for the latest updates for the areas you are interested in.

Departure point – The location or destination from which a tour officially begins.

Departure tax – Fee collected from a traveler by the host country at the time of departure.

Deplane -To disembark, or get off, a plane.

Deposit policy – A specified amount or a percentage of the total bill due on a specified date prior to arrival.

Deposit – An advance payment required to obtain and confirm space.

Descriptive research – a form of marketing research that is used to provide detailed answers about customer markets.

Destination alliance – A DMO that operates as a for-profit association of select suppliers who form a paid-membership network to promote their services to travelers.

Destination management company (DMC) – A for-profit company that operates similar to a CVB by providing planning and execution services for the convention and meeting market.

Destination marketing organization (DMO) – An organization that promotes a location (city, region, state province, country) as a travel destination.

Destination Weddings – a destination wedding a category of travel where couples celebrate their marriage at a destination of their choosing away from home.

Destination – The geographic place to which a traveler is going.

Dine-around-plan – A meal plan, usually prepaid, that allows one to dine at various restaurants in an area.

Direct access – Refers to a travel agent’s ability to get directly into an airlines database to get true last-seat availability and correct pricing – a big difference between internet fare ” quotes ” and an agent’s CRS ( Computer Reservations System ).

Direct Flight – A flight that goes from a traveler’s origin to their final destination with one or more intermediate stops. No change in aircraft occurs. (I.e. San Francisco to New York with a stop in Chicago)

Direct marketing – Sales and marketing communication that feature direct interaction between a company and its customers without any distribution intermediaries.

Disaster Tourism – Travel when tourists go to an area that may be or may have been affected by natural disasters, civil strife, or warfare.

Disclaimer – a legal document that advises clients that a travel agent acts only as a middleman in the sale of travel products; any liability ultimately lies with the supplier, i.e. airline, hotel, car rental company, tour operator, railway, etc.

DMC – Destination Management Company

Docent – A tour guide who works free of charge at a museum.

Domestic fare – a fare charged for travel within a country.

Double booking – a not-nice practice of holding reservations to the same destination for the same times/days, on the same carriers but through different travel agencies, when only one reservation will ultimately be used.

Double Double – A room with two double beds.

Double occupancy – the way in which almost all cruise fares and tour packages are quoted, that is, based on two people traveling together. Most hotel rooms are quoted based on two adults to a room.

Double-occupancy rate – The price per person for a room to be shared with another person; the rate most frequently quoted in tour brochures.

Double-room rate – The full price of a room for two people (twice the double-occupancy rate.)

Downgrade – To move to a lesser level of accommodations or a lower class of service.

Driver guided tours – A driver guided tour is a tour guided by an individual that operates a vehicle while providing commentary in a front-line position who leads participants (individual or groups) on tours, ensures that itineraries are followed, provides commentary in an informative and entertaining manner, and creates positive experiences for tour participants.

Driver-guide – A tour guide who does double duty by driving a vehicle while narrating.

Drop-off charge – the fee added to a car rental when the vehicle is returned to a city other than where it was originally rented. In some states, there is no drop off fee most of the time, such as in Florida.

Duty-free imports – Item amounts and categories specified by a government that are fee of tax or duty charges when brought into the country.

Early Check-In – A perk that allows a guest to check in at an earlier time than the standard check-in time.

Eco/Sustainable Tourism – Eco or Sustainable Tourism is tourism directed toward exotic, often threatened, natural environments, especially to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife.

Eco-Conscious Travel – Though often interchangeable, being “eco-conscious” literally means that one is simply aware of their environmental impact.

Eco-Friendly Travel – Though often interchangeable, being “eco-conscious” literally means that one is simply aware of their environmental impact.

Economic impact study – Research into the dollars generated by an industry and how these dollars impact the economy through direct spending and the indirect impact of additional job creation and the generation of income and tax revenue.

Ecotour – A tour designed to focus on preserving the environment, or to environmentally sensitive areas.

Ecotourism – Tourism directed at exotic and/or endangered destinations while fostering an environmental understanding and conservation.

Educational tour – A tour designed around an educational activity, such as studying art.

Elder hostel – hostel catering to seniors – see “hostel”.

Electronic ticket – a “paperless” airline ticket allowing one to check-in and fly with just proper photo ID. What may look like a ticket is actually just a paper passenger receipt. E-tickets cannot be lost, or used by anyone else, so they are safer than standard paper tickets, which may soon become extinct. One drawback is that e-tickets on one carrier cannot be honored by another, so in a cancelled-flight snafu, the original carrier must print hard copy tickets before another airline can accept them. This presents major paperwork problems for the affected carrier.

Embark – to board a plane or cruise ship.

End suite – in the hotel industry, indicates that a certain feature(s) is directly in the room, or adjacent to that room.

English breakfast – basic meal of cereal, juice, eggs, meats, and other beverages. Common with most hotels in the UK/Great Britain.

Environmental scanning – The process of monitoring important forces in the business environment for trends and changes that may impact a company.

Errors and Omissions Insurance – Insurance coverage equivalent to malpractice insurance, protecting an agent’s or operator’s staff if an act of negligence, an error, or an omission occurs that causes a client great hardship or expense.

Escort – See tour director.

Escorted group tour – A group tour that features a tour director who travels with the group throughout the trip to provide sightseeing commentary and coordinate all group movement and activities.

Escrow accounts – Funds placed in the custody of licensed financial institutions for safekeeping. Many contracts in travel require that agents and tour operators maintain customers’ deposits and prepayments in escrow accounts.

ES T – Eastern Standard Time.

Estimated Time of Arrival – Literally, the estimated time of the transport’s arrival. As opposed to the ATA (Actual Time of Arrival), the ETA is the time that the flight or transport arrives.

Estuary – A body of water connecting a flowing river and a larger body, such as a sea or ocean. Because it is the transition point.

ETA – estimated time of arrival.

ETD – estimated time of departure.

Ethnicity – A term that groups people together with a similar cultural identity; unlike terms such as nationality, ethnicity is more ambiguous.

Ethno-Tourism – Focusing on exploration of indigenous populations and their respective culture and traditions.

E-Ticket – Regarding transportation, especially on airlines, an electronic ticket, or e-ticket, is the digital version of a paper ticket, issued via email.

Eurailpass – a special fare ticket that allows either unlimited train travel, or travel for a certain number of days/weeks, in many European countries (except in Britain, where the Britrailpass offers similar travel in England, Scotland, and Wales).

European pla n – a rate at a hotel that includes no meals.

Exchange order – See voucher.

Exclusive fare – Discounted airfares offered by travel consolidators.

Excursion – a side trip from a main destination, usually at added cost and optional.

Excursion Fare – special airline fares with restrictions such as minimum and maximum stays.

Exotic Travel – Exotic travel refers to a category of travel that is strikingly, excitingly and mysteriously different or unusual.  Exotic travel is travel that is completely different than what a traveler is accustomed to and is highly subjective in nature.

Experiential Travel – Experiential travel is also known as immersion travel and is a form of tourism in which people focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by connecting to its history, people and culture.

Exploratory research – A form of marketing research that’s used to obtain preliminary information and clues. It is most often used when the marketing problem is ambiguous.

Extension – A fully arranged sub-tour offered optionally at extra cost to buyers of a tour or cruise.

Extensions may occur before, during, or after the basic travel program.

FAM (familiarization) tour – A free or reduced-rate trip offered to travel professionals to acquaint them with what a destination, attraction, or supplier has to offer.

Familiarity Tour – A familiarity tour as used in the travel industry it is a tour of a travel destination, travel accommodation, travel activity or travel mode (airline, cruise, ground transportation) to familiarize a travel advisor and provide knowledge and direct experience with the product or service so they can better serve their clients.

Family plan – offered by most hotels, allow children to stay in the same room as parents, at no additional charge. Age requirements vary between hotels.

Family Vacation – a family vacation is a travel category referring to travel involving family members. It is also commonly referred to as multi-generational travel.

Familymoon – A neologism term used to describe a type of honeymoon a newlywed couple can make along with their children from previous relationships.

Fare Aggregator – Fare aggregators’ redirect the users to an airline, cruise, hotel, or car rental site or online travel agent for the final purchase of a ticket. Aggregators’ business models include getting feeds from major OTAs, then displaying to the users all of the results on one screen. The OTA then fulfills the ticket. Aggregators generate revenues through advertising and charging OTAs for referring clients.

Fare Basis – the letters and numbers assigned to a specific fare like an identification number.

Fare basis (code) – The code that determines the price of an airline ticket.

Final Boarding Call – Last call to board before the jet bridge closes and the flight departs, leaving late passengers stranded.

First class – The class which offers the most premium service. Enhanced seating, meal selection, and drink offerings staples of this services.

First Officer – Pilot who is second in command. The pilot in the cockpit sitting on the right with 3 stripes.

Fishing Trips and tours – a fishing trip or fishing tour is a travel tour category where groups of fisherman are provided guided tours and typically lodging with the overall purpose of catching fish.

FIT – foreign independent tour – actually used generically now for a travel package put together by a travel agent from separate components such as car, hotel and airfare, adjusted exactly as the traveler wishes. May include city tours, theater tickets, and other “independent ” options, and may also include custom mapping/routing to accomplish the client’s goals. It now is more commonly used as an acronym for Flexible Independent Travel.  It describes a type of travel or tourism that does not incorporate a packaged tour but is nonetheless customized by a travel-selling professional.

Fjord – a narrow inlet from the ocean, usually bounded by cliffs, and with spectacular scenery. Most are located in Alaska, Norway, and New Zealand.

Flight Attendant – Commonly referred to as stewards/stewardesses and air hosts/hostesses, flight attendants are available to ensure the safety and comfort of the passengers of an aircraft.

Flight Crew – Sometimes called the aircrew, the flight crew consists of everyone hired by the airlines on a flight, including pilots, pursers, and flight attendants.

Fly/drive tour – An F.I.T. package that always includes air travel and a rental car and sometimes other travel components.

Fly-drive package – a travel package featuring airfare, rental car, and perhaps hotels. Usually less expensive than booking each separately.

Folio – An itemized record of a guest’s charges and credits which is maintained in the front office until departure. Also referred to as a guest bill or guest statement.

Fore – Directional term. Towards the front of the craft, lengthwise, such as the bow of a ship or the nose of a plane. Opposite of aft.

Frequent Flier Program – A program that a traveler can enroll in that earns them rewards such as free flights on a particular airline for being a loyal customer of that airline.

Frequent Flier – One who flies frequently.

Frequent Independent travel (F.I.T.) – A custom-designed, prepaid travel package with many

Full house – A hotel with all guest rooms occupied.

Full service hotel – a hotel with restaurant facilities.

Function room – A special room that is used primarily for private parties, banquets, and meetings. Also called banquet rooms.

Funnel flight – a flight, such as on a regional or commuter carrier that “feeds “larger planes which continue on to other destinations. Also, the use of a single flight number for an itinerary that really involves a connection with two separate flight numbers, thus making the itinerary appear to be a direct flight with a change of aircraft as opposed to a connection. Just call it a connection and be done with it.

Fuselage – The aircraft’s main body section, the cylindrical, central piece that contains the cabin and holds the crew and cargo.

Galley – The kitchen/kitchenette area of a plane or train or ship. On a plane, the galley may be a small affair with a simple arrangement and a few carts.

Gate-Airport – The specific area in an airport where passengers board a plane for a flight. Gates are located in concourses.

Gateway – City, airport, or area from which a flight or tour departs.

GDS – Global Distribution Systems – A system containing information about availability, prices, and related services for Airlines, Car Companies, Hotel Companies, Rail Companies, etc. and through which reservations can be made and tickets can be issued. A GDS also makes some or all of these functions available to subscribing travel agents, booking engines, and airlines. The GDS leaders are Amadeus, Apollo/Galileo/Worldspan, Sabre.

Geotourism – this is “tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive geographical character of a place.

Global distribution system (GDS) – An international computer reservation system that accesses many databases of suppliers, airlines, etc. in different countries, such as Sabre.

Graduation travel – graduation travel is a milestone category of travel which refers to travel celebrating a graduation typically from high school or college.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) – solar based time in Greenwich, England, fun which time in all other time zones in the world is based.

Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) – a measurement of the enclosed space in a ship. Cruise ships in the 70,000 ton range are considered “superliners”.

Ground operator – See receptive operator.

Group – several persons, usually 10 or more, traveling together. Group travel is often available at discounted rates.

Group leader – An individual who has been given the responsibility of coordinating tour and travel arrangements for a group. The group leader may act as a liaison to a tour operator or may develop a tour independently (and sometimes serve as the tour director).

Group Rate – A negotiated rate on travel, perhaps a stay or vacation plan, that incentivizes for a large crowd or group that books together.

Group tour – A travel package for an assembly of travelers that has a common itinerary, travel date, and transportation. Group tours are usually prearranged, prepaid, and include transportation, lodging, dining, and attraction admissions. See also escorted group tour.

Group Travel – group travel refers to a category of travel with a group arranged by an outside company or organization or travel with a group of friends and family that you have organized yourself. Some groups are small, private and escorted, while others large.

GST – Goods and Services Tax, such as levied in Canadian Provinces.

Guaranteed share – a cruise term that promises that a companion will be found for a single passenger, at a special rate. That rate will be honored even if the cruise line is unable to find a cabin mate. The rate is usually the going double-rate at that time, and is much less than the single person rate for that cabin.

Guaranteed tour – A tour guaranteed to operate unless canceled before an established cutoff date (usually 60 days prior to departure).

Guest account – See folio.

Guest houses – a guest house is a private house offering accommodations to paying guests.

Guest ranch – a guest ranch, also known as a dude ranch, is a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism. It is considered a form of agritourism.

Guide or guide service – A person or company qualified to conduct tours of specific localities or attractions.

Guided tour – A local sightseeing trip conducted by a guide.

Half pension – a hotel rate that includes breakfast and one other meal, usually dinner. Sometimes called Modified American Plan (MAP) or demi-pension.

Hard-copy – a printed version of a document, such as an airline ticket or hotel voucher.

Head tax – Fee charged for arriving and departing passengers in some foreign countries.

Hidden-city ticketing – another airline no-no; buying a ticket from A to C with a stop in B. The passenger gets off at B, which was the intended destination anyway. The ticket is purchased because the fare from A to C is LESS than A to B.

High season – the time of year when a destination gets the greatest crowds, and thus can increase hotel and rental car rates, etc. As an example, summertime is high season for travel to Europe (just check the airfares!).

High season – See peak season.

Hiking Trips and tours – a hiking trip or hiking tour is a category of travel vacation or getaway where the traveler is walking or hiking as the major mode of transportation.

Honeymoon Travel – Honeymoon travel is a category of travel where a newly married couple travels while celebrating their marriage.

Hosted group tour – A group tour that features a representative (the host) of the tour operator, destination, or other tour provider, who interacts with the group only for a few hours a day to provide information and arrange for transportation. The host usually does not accompany the group as it travels.

Hostel – an inexpensive accommodation, usually dormitory style, popular with the student crowd – thus the term “youth hostel”.

Hotel – a hotel is an establishment providing accommodations, meals, and other services for travelers and tourists.

House – A synonym used for hotel.

Hub – an airport or city in which an airline has a major presence and many flights to other destinations. As an example, Delta has a hub in Atlanta. Many carriers use the hub-and-spoke system to maximize profits by keeping the aircraft in the air as much as possible. Flights to the hub are many, and from there flights too many other destinations are scheduled.

Hub-and-spoke itinerary – A travel routing design that uses a central destination as the departure and return point for day trips to outlying destinations and attractions.

Hurricane season – in the Caribbean primarily, and the Southeastern US, a period from June through October during which such storms are likely to occur.

IATA – International airline industry trade group, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with executive offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

IATAN – International Airlines Travel Agent Network – administers the IATAN card, the only widely accepted form of legitimate travel agent identification.

In season – meaning only available at certain times of the year.

In transit – en route; in the process of traveling.

Inbound operator – A receptive operator that usually serves groups arriving from another country.

Inbound tour – A tour for groups of travelers whose trip originates in another location, usually another country.

Incentive or incentive commission – See override.

Incentive tour – A trip offered as a prize, particularly to stimulate the productivity of employees or sales agents.

Incentive trave l – travel as a reward for an employee’s outstanding performance.

Incidental Charge – Items and services billed to a room after their use, such as movies, phone calls, etc.

Incidentals – Charges incurred by the participants of a tour, but which are not included in the tour price.

Inclusive tour – a package tour that bundles transportation, accommodations, transfers, sightseeing, possibly some meals, etc.

Inclusive tour – See all-inclusive package.

Independent tour – A travel package in which a tour operator is involved only with the planning, marketing, and selling of the package, but is not involved with the passengers while the tour is in progress.

In-flight Service – Entertainment (movies, television, etc.), meals, beverages and other items made available during a flight for the convenience of the passenger.

Inside cabin – a stateroom aboard ship that has no window. Sometimes smaller, but at times the same size as an outside cabin.

Intercontinental – Having to do with two continents. In travel, transit from one continent to another. Not to be confused with transcontinental.

interline connection – a flight on one airline that connects to a flight on another carrier – these tickets are usually more expensive than flying all on one carrier but may be the only way to get to a destination in some cases.

Intermodal tour – A tour that uses several forms of transportation, such as a plane, motorcoach, cruise ship, and train.

International Air Transport Association – International airline industry trade group, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, with executive offices in Geneva, Switzerland.

International Date Line – at 180 degrees longitude, the date on one side of this imaginary line, running from the north to the South Pole, is different from the other. The line runs through the Pacific Ocean, and because of it, it is possible to leave one destination on one day, and arrive in another the day before

International Rate Desk – Utilizes all available resources to ensure the lowest fare for your selected itinerary, including splitting tickets, consolidator fares, and available discounts.

Involvement device – An element of direct mail that gets the reader involved in the process of evaluating and/or responding to the solicitation.

Itinerary – A list of a tour’s or entire trip’s schedule and major travel elements.

Jet Bridge – An enclosed, movable connector which extends from a terminal gate to a plane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside.

Jet lag – an upset of one’s biological clock, due to travel across many time zones; not all folks are affected by it.

Jones Act – a law dating back to 1886, that forbids foreign-flagged ships from carrying passengers between US ports with no foreign port stops in-between.

Judgment sample – A sample based on the researcher’s choice of subjects for a study.

Jump Seat – A flight term referring to an auxiliary (extra) seat for persons who are not operating the aircraft, such as the cabin crew or perhaps a trainee.

Kilometer – a measure of distance used in almost all other countries, at about 5/8 mile.

King room – a hotel room with a king bed.

Knot – a nautical measure of speed equaling approx. 1.5 mph. A ship traveling at 15 knots is traveling at about 22 mph.

Kph – kilometers-per-hour – land speed measurement in most other countries. 60 kph equals approx. 36 miles-per-hour.

Land arrangements – all the details of a land portion of a trip (hotel, car, tours, sightseeing, etc.).

Land Destinations – A land destination or travel destination is a place to which one is journeying, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure, adventure and amusement.

Land operator – See receptive operator.

Land Transfers – travel by train, bus, limo or taxi to and from an accommodation, plane or cruise ship.

Land-only – a rate that does NOT include airfare; usually includes most other land-based charges such as accommodations, transfers, taxes, and perhaps other optional items like theme park tickets, rental care, etc.

Last-seat availability – the ability of a travel agent to get, literally, the ” last seat ” for you on a particular flight, either at a certain fare or actually the last remaining seat on an aircraft. See “direct access”.

Late booking fee – a fee due if travel arrangement are made at the last minute. Normally covers express delivery of documents and other last-minute arrangements that may have to be made by a tour operator.

Late Checkout – A more exclusive perk for some guests that allow a few extra hours to check out from the normal hours.

Latitude – imaginary horizontal lines of angular distance, measured in degrees north or south of the equator.

Layover – a period of time spent during a trip, sometimes overnight, while waiting for a transportation connection – usually a change of planes.

Layover – The period of time spent between connecting flights.

LDW – loss damage waiver – additional insurance pertaining to car rentals, covering theft and vandalism in addition to accident damage.

Lead-in price – the lowest available price for a travel product, often pertaining to cabins on a cruise ship. Usually, there are only a few staterooms available on board each cruise liner in this category, but often better accommodations are only slightly higher in price. Rock-bottom price shoppers normally insist on these rates, though they sell out quickly.

Leeward – the side of a ship or an island that is located opposite from the direction of the prevailing wind -the “Leeward Islands” in the Caribbean for example.

Leg – Portion of a journey between two scheduled stops.

Leisure travel – Usually signifies traveling for relaxation, vacation, or to visit friends/family. Travel for pleasure as opposed to business.

Letter of agreement – A letter from the buyer to the supplier accepting the terms of the proposal. This may also be the supplier’s first proposal that has been initialed by the buyer.

Lido deck – usually the deck on a cruise ship that surrounds the pool area.

Limited service hotel – a hotel property without a restaurant.

List broker – A seller of mail lists for direct marketing.

Load factor – The number of passengers traveling on a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft compared to the number of available seats or cabins.

Locater map – A map of an area or a city, showing locations of attractions and hotels.

Lodging – Any establishment that provides shelter and overnight accommodations to travelers.

Logistics – Management of the details of an operation.

Low season – the period when a destination experiences its lowest prices and the fewest number of guests.

Low season – See off peak.

Lower (bed) – in a cruise stateroom, the bed(s) on the floor as opposed to the higher bunks (uppers), if any. On many ships, two lowers can be arranged to make a king or queen bed.

Lowest available fare – the current, lowest airfare available for purchase right then.

Lowest available fare – The most inexpensive flight currently available.

Lowest fare – the lowest published airfare between two cities; may not have seats available at that fare, as the airlines usually have a limited number of those seats on any given flight.

Luxury class – the most expensive, high-class accommodations or category of fare.

Luxury Cruise – Luxury cruises are the most comfortable and convenient way to see the world. Ships are usually smaller in size so the ratio of crew and staff to guests is generally higher than other cruise ships offering that premium service and attention to detail to be expected of exquisite vacations.

Luxury Ocean Cruise – a luxury ocean cruise is an ocean cruise on a luxury cruise ship or luxury cruise liner or passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship’s amenities are a part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way.

Luxury River Cruise – a luxury river cruise is a river cruise on a luxury cruise ship or luxury passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship’s amenities are a part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way.

Luxury travel – while luxury travel is completely subjective to the traveler, it can be loosely defined at travel that constitutes the state of great comfort and extravagant living.

Luxury vacations – a luxury vacation is a vacation that encompasses a state of great comfort and extravagant living.

Macro-environment – The broad forces in society and the business world that impact most companies.

Management Company – A firm that owns several lodging properties.

Manifest – Final official listing of all passengers and/or cargo aboard a transportation vehicle or vessel.

Market demand – The amount of a specific product or service that may be purchased during a certain period of time in a particular geographic area.

Market forecast – The realistic demand within a given time period for the products produced by all companies within a certain industry or product category.

Market – All existing and potential customers for a product or service.

Marketing mix – The 4 Ps of marketing- product, price, promotion, place (distribution).

Marketing plan – A written report that details marketing objectives for a product or service, and recommends strategies for achieving these objectives.

Marketing research – The function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through the systematic gathering and analyzing of information.

Markup pricing – Pricing a product by adding a standard markup to costs. Also called cost-plus pricing.

Markup – A percentage added to the cost of a product to achieve a selling price.

Master account – The guest account for a particular group or function that will be paid by the sponsoring organization. See folio.

Maximum stay – The longest period of time a traveler can stay at a particular destination and still qualify for the promotion or discounted fare.

Media – Communications channel such as broadcast (radio, TV), print (newspapers, magazines, direct mail), outdoor (billboards), and multimedia (Internet).

Meet-and-greet service – A pre-purchased service for meeting and greeting clients upon arrival in a city, usually at the airport, pier, or rail station, and assisting clients with entrance formalities, collecting baggage, and obtaining transportation.

Meeting/conference tour – A tour designed around a specific meeting or conference for the participants.

Microenvironment – Those forces close to a company that impact operations and marketing programs.

Midships – Directional term. Amidships, sometimes termed midships, is the center of the vessel or aircraft.

Minimum connect time – defined as the minimum time necessary between connecting flights – 30 minutes domestically, usually – ideally, at least an hour. The shortest time required in order to successfully transfer to a connecting flight. It is recommended to select a connecting flight that exceeds the minimum connection time.

Mission statement – The concise description of what an organization is, its purpose, and what it intends to accomplish.

Modified American plan (MAP) – meal plan that includes two daily meals, usually breakfast and dinner.

Motorcoach tour operators – Tour operators that own their own motorcoaches.

Motorcoach Tour – A tour that features the motorcoach as the form of transportation to and from destinations.

Motorcoach – A large, comfortable bus that can transport travelers and their luggage long distances.

MST – Mountain Standard Time.

Multi-day tour – A travel package of two or more days. Most multi-day tours are escorted, all-inclusive packages.

Multigenerational Travel – multigenerational travel is a travel category referring to travel with parents, siblings, kids, grandkids, and assorted family members with the goal to broaden horizons, provide opportunities to reconnect and provide an enriching assortment of shared experiences.

Murder-mystery tour – A tour that features a staged “murder” and involves travelers in solving the crime.

Mystery tour – A journey to unpublicized destinations in which tour takers aren’t told where they will be going until en route or upon arrival.

NACTA – National Association of Career Travel Agents – trade group representing primarily independent and home-based agents, now part of ASTA.

National tourism organization (NTO) – A federal-government-level DMO that promotes country as a travel destination.

Nautical Mile – Unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude. Air-Sea distance measurement of approx. 1.1 statute miles.

Negotiated Rate – A discounted rate offered to a company based on the volume of business you agree to provide the selected vendor.

Net fare, net rate – Implies the commission has already been added to the price of the fare.

Net wholesale rate – A rate usually slightly lower than the wholesale rate, applicable to groups of individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour brochure. The rate is marked up by wholesale sellers of tours to cover distribution and promotion costs.

Niche market – A highly specialized segment of the travel market, such as an affinity group with a unique special interest.

No show – a passenger who doesn’t show for a flight, hotel, or rental car booking. A guest with confirmed reservations who does not arrive and whose reservation was not canceled.

Non Stop Flight – Do not land in between your departure and arrival destinations. (I.e. San Francisco to New York)

Non-Changeable Ticket – A ticket that cannot be exchanged for a different route or flight once it’s been purchased.

Non-refundable – a fare that cannot be refunded either in cash or via a credit card credit; very seldom is there an exception.

Non-Refundable Ticket – A ticket that cannot be returned for cash or credit once it’s been purchased, but may be changeable for a fee.

Nonstop – A flight that travels directly to its destination without connections or layovers.

Non-transferable – A ticket that can only be used by the person who was originally scheduled to fly at the time of purchase.

NTSB – National Transportation Safety Board; investigates accidents and other incidents related to public transportation.

Objective and task method – A process for creating a promotion budget that sets objectives first, then defines the tasks needed to achieve those objectives, and then commits funds necessary to perform the tasks.

Occupancy rate – the percent of hotel rooms expected to be filled during a specific time period.

Occupancy – The percentage of available rooms occupied for a given period. It is computed by dividing the number of rooms occupied for a period by the number of rooms available for the same period.

Ocean view cabin – a cabin aboard a cruise ship with a window, such as a porthole or picture-window, and perhaps a balcony/verandah.

OCV – ocean view, usually in reference to a hotel room.

Offline connection – a change of aircraft also involving a change of carriers.

Off-peak – A less expensive time to travel as result of lower consumer volume during these periods.

On-site guide – A tour guide who conducts tours of one or several hours’ duration at a specific building, attraction, or site.

Onsite – An on-site is an expert travel provider that lives in the country they serve and has firsthand knowledge and long-standing relationships with all aspect of travel in their country.

Open jaw – a trip in during which there is no travel by air between two cities, such as a flight to Washington DC, then travel by rental car to Charlotte, NC, then a return by air from Charlotte back to the original departure city.

Open return – an air ticket with no return date specified. Rarely done these days, usually quite expensive and not allowed on most discounted fares.

Open-end question – A question that allows the respondent to provide a free-response answer.

Open-jaw itinerary – A travel routing design that departs from one location and returns to another. For example, travelers may fly into one city and depart from another one. Or a traveler may purchase round-trip transportation from the point of origin to one destination, at which another form of transportation is used to reach a second destination, where the traveler resumes the initial form of transportation to return to the point of origin.

Operations – Performing the practical work of operating a tour or travel program.

Operator – a company providing transportation or travel related services (airline, cruise line, railway, hotel, car Rental Company, etc.).

Operator – See Tour Operator.

Option date – drop dead date on which a reservation must be deposited or cancellation will result.

Optionals – Optional tour features that are not included in the base tour price, such as sightseeing excursions or special activities.

OTA – Online travel agencies, examples include Priceline, Expedia and Orbitz

Outbound – the departure leg of a journey.

Outbound operator – A company that takes groups from a given city or country to another city or country.

Outbound tour – A tour that takes travelers out of the area, usually from a domestic city to another country.

Outside cabin – see “ocean view ” cabin.

Outside salesperson – job description of a travel agency employee who sells travel but is not based primarily in the agency location most of the time.

Overbook – Accepting reservations for more space than is available.

Overbooking – the practice of selling more airline seats than are available on a specific flight, to make up for no-shows. Usually backfires on the carrier and at times can create much consumer ill-will. Requires passengers to be “bumped” – not always voluntarily. To some extent, happens in the hotel industry as well.

Overhead – Those fixed costs involved in regular operations, such as rent, insurance, management salaries, and utilities.

Override – A commission over and above the normal base commission percentage.

Packaged travel – A package in combination of two or more types of tour components into a product which is produced, assembled, promoted and sold as a package by a tour operator for an all-inclusive price.

Passenger facility charge (PFC) – a fee for the use of many airports, added in to the cost of an air ticket – another name for an additional tax on travelers.

Passenger name record (PNR) – The official name of one’s reservation in a computer reservation system (CRS).

Passenger vessel – Ships, yachts, ferries, boats, etc.

Passport/visa service – a service that will take your passport and hand carry, if necessary, to the appropriate embassy in order to expedite a visa. Can be expensive if you have waited until the last minute to obtain a travel visa.

Patronage Program – A program that rewards the customer for loyalty and repeat purchase, such as frequent-flyer programs.

Peak season – A destination’s high season when demand is strong. Also called the high season.

Peninsula – A piece of land that is connected to a mainland or larger piece of land on only one side, while the other sides are surrounded by water.

Per Diem – “by the day;” in the cruise industry, the per-day cost of a cruise, per person.

Per-capita costs – Per-person costs.

Per-capita tour – See scheduled tour.

Perceived value – The ratio of perceived benefits to perceived price.

Personal effects coverage – Additional car rental insurance covering loss of personal property from the rented vehicle.

Point-to-point – refers to the fares between two cities; the service between two cities without additional segments or any continuation.

Port – the place where a ship docks; a place visited by cruise ship; the left side of a vessel.

Port charges/taxes – fees levied by local authorities upon the cruise lines for each passenger visiting a port of call, normally added to the total cruise fare.

Port of Debarkation – Port of Debarkation is the geographic point where personnel arrive on a cruise vessel

Port of Embarkation – Port of Embarkation is the geographic point where personnel depart on a cruise vessel

Port of entry – Destination providing customs and immigration services.

Port-Directional – When facing forward, the side of the ship or aircraft that is on the left.

Porter – A person who handles luggage at an airport, train station, etc.; also called skycap or baggage handler.

Porthole – usually a round, sealed window in a shipboard stateroom.

Posada – a small country hotel (Spanish).

Positioning strategy – The development of a clear, unique, and attractive image for a company and/or product in the minds of target customers.

Positive space – space aboard a ship or aircraft that can be confirmed ahead of time.

Post-Cruise Vacation – a post-cruise vacation is a vacation or getaway prior to a cruise in the town or region of the port of debarkation of the cruise.

PPDO – per person, double occupancy. Most tours and cruises are quoted this way; the average cost to stay in a particular location per day.

Pre- and post-trip tour – An optional extension or side trip package before and/or after a meeting, gathering, or convention.

Pre-Cruise Vacation – a vacation or getaway prior to a cruise in the town or region of the port of embarkation of the cruise.

Pre-deduct commission – When a distributor such as a travel agent takes up front the commission on a sale and sends the supplier the balance of the sales price.

Preferred Supplier – The selection of specific supplier(s) for priority promotion to customers and/or integration in travel packages in exchange for reduced rates and/or higher commission.

Preferred Vendor – The vendor(s) a company specifies as their first choice for travelers.

Preformed group – A pre-existing collection of travelers, such as affinity groups and travel clubs, whose members share a common interest or organizational affiliation.

Prepaid ticket advice – a form used when purchasing an air ticket to be picked up and used by someone else at another airport. E-tickets have reduced the need for this greatly.

Primary research – The collection of data specifically to solve the marketing problem at hand.

Prix fixe – meals offered at a fixed price, usually fairly low, consisting of several courses with no substitutions allowed. Common in Europe.

Profit margin – A dollar value that represents the markup of a product’s price over its costs.

Promotion mix – Promotion tools including advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and public relations.

Promotional group tour – A travel package composed of tour elements that match the specific needs and wants of niche customers who aren’t part of an organized or preformed group.

Promotional partnership – The combination of two or more companies to offer special incentives to customers.

Prop – referring to propeller-driven aircraft.

Property – A specific lodging structure, such as a hotel, and the ground on which it is built.

Property – A general term that may be used by a place of accommodation that denotes the facility.

Protection overbooking – The practice of blocking space that will likely be in excess of what will actually be needed.

Pseudo-agent – someone claiming to be a travel agent who really isn’t.  They often produce bogus ID cards, and can disappear when problems arise!

PST – Pacific Standard Time.

Psychographics – Measures of a person’s lifestyle. See also AIO variables.

Public relations (PR) – A management function that determines the attitudes and opinions of an organization’s publics, identifies its policies with the interests of its publics, and formulates and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and goodwill.

Public tours – See scheduled tour.

Published fare – an airfare that is listed in the carrier’s tariff.

Pull strategy – A marketing approach that creates demand at the customer level by generating awareness, interest, and desire so customers pull a product through a distribution channel by demanding it.

Purser – aboard ship, the person responsible for providing a wide array of services such as information, making change, stamps, etc. Found at the purser’s desk.

Purser-(Airline) – On a flight, the purser is the head flight attendant, responsible for overseeing the attendants and making sure travelers’ needs are met.

Push strategy – A marketing approach that creates demand at the distributor level by providing resellers with an incentive to push (sell) a product to end consumers.

Quad – a room suitable for four persons.

Quay – a pier – pronounced the same as “key”.

Query – The process of sorting and retrieving information from a database.

Quid – a monetary term for a British pound sterling.

Quota sample – A research sample that involves forming groups based on certain characteristics. A random sample can then be selected form the quota segments.

Rack rate – The published (brochure) rate for a travel component. The price of a hotel prior to discount.

Rate desk – the office of an air carrier that calculates fares for passengers and travel agents.

Reach – The measure of how many people in a market will be exposed to a certain advertisement via a specific medium.

Reasonable number – A forecast of the break-even point for a tour.

Rebate (ing) – the practice of returning part of an agency’s commission on a scale back to the client in the form of a rebate or “discount.” The trade-off is usually little or no personal/customer service. This is practiced often by “800 ” number travel sellers and others who deal in huge volume.

Receptive operator – A local tour company that specializes in services for incoming visitors, often for tour operator groups.

Reconfirm – to double-check a reservation.

Record locator – The number assigned to a reservation in the airlines number. This number is unique, as it will never be assigned again.

Record locator – the number assigned to one’s reservation in an airline’s computer system.

Red-eye flight – An overnight flight that leaves at night and arrives early the next morning.

Referral agent/agency – an ” agent ” that refers business to a travel agency in return for a commission or fee – often as part of a card mill operation

Registry – the formal registration of a ship’s ownership, and the country it is registered in (such as Panama, Liberia, Norway, etc.).

Reissue – the generation of a new ticket that is exchanged for another, due to a change of plans, dates, flights, etc. May involve additional fare, penalties and fees.

Relationship marketing – The process of building and nurturing ongoing, solid relationship with customers.

Repositionin g – the moving of a cruise ship to another home port for all of part of a season, such as the repositioning of ships to Alaska for the summer. Often these cruises are excellent bargains, but will involve one-way airfare home from the port of debarkation.

Res – short for “reservation”.

Research constraints – Those issues, such as cost and timing that will limit the scope of marketing research.

Reseller – See retailer and wholesaler.

Reservation fee – A customer payment for a certain percentage of the travel package price that’s made immediately after booking.

Responsible Tourism – Travel that extends beyond being merely environmentally responsible, to being culturally-conscious and economically-aware, locally.

Retail price – The actual price a customer pays for a travel element or tour.

Retail tour – See scheduled tour.

Retailer – A middleman, such as a travel agent, who sells directly to the customer.

Retirement travel – retirement travel is a category of travel referring to when a traveler is has retired from a career and commences to travel.  Travel done after retirement age.

Rollaway – a cot or other bedding that can be added to a hotel room to accommodate another guest. There is often an extra charge for this.

Romantic Destinations – romance destination and romance travel is a category of travel that involves travel involving a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love and often refers to travel associated with a wedding, honeymoon, wedding anniversary, babymoon or another type of romantic getaway.

Room Night – In the hotel (hospitality) industry, a room night, room/night occupancy, is a measure of occupancy where a room is the unit of measure.

Room Occupancy – In the hotel (hospitality) industry, a room night, room/night occupancy, is a measure of occupancy where a room is the unit of measure.

Room rates – The various rates used by lodging properties to price rooms. These include- day rate (usually one half the regular rate for a room used by a guest during the day up to 5 p.m.-sometimes called a use rate), flat rate (a specific room rate for a group agreed upon by the hotel and group in advance), group rate (same as flat rate), net group rate ( a wholesale rate for group business to which an operator may add a markup if desired), net wholesale rate ( a rate usually lower than the group rate and applicable to groups or individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour folder), and published rate ( a full rate available to or advertised to the public-also called the rack rate.)

Rooming list – A printout of the names of all tour participants that also lists special lodging requests and provides a spot for the hotel or cruise ship to fill in the passenger’s room number.

Round trip – A flight to a single destination and a return.

Run-of-house (ROH) – refers to a hotel room, the type of which is assigned at the discretion of the hotel shortly before you arrive. Usually, the rates are lower.

Run-of-ship – cabin is assigned at the last moment, giving the cruise line the ability to shift accommodations as needed. Usually, you are guaranteed a minimum category of cabin, and sometimes get an upgraded stateroom at no additional cost. Most upgrades are from inside-to-inside cabins, or from outside-to-outside but occasionally an inside-to-ocean view upgrade will occur. It is not always worth the gamble though.

Run-of-the-house rate – A flat rate for which a lodging property agrees to offer any of its available rooms to a group. Final assignment of the rooms is at the discretion of lodging management.

Sabre® – A computerized travel reservation system.

Safaris – Today the negative hunting connotations of the word ‘safari’ are being rapidly replaced by more modern associations with socially and environmentally responsible travel. Safari travel typically implies that the journey will include game viewing and some time spent in wilderness areas (game reserves and national parks). A traditional is usually focused on seeing wildlife, but safaris are definitely not limited to game viewing.  Safaris are now for admiring wildlife and birds in the wild, along with a host of other adventures. Safaris have largely developed into vacation trips that actually benefit the wildlife by supporting local conservation efforts and wildlife sanctuaries. As opposed to hunting the animals, visitors get to encounter them and help make a difference in protecting the species. Safari companies either actively contribute towards conservation projects or help generate tourism revenue which is used to manage wildlife projects and game reserves. The modern safari is also a socially responsible journey designed to interact ethically with local communities and have a positive impact on local economies. The cultural interactions offered by reputable safari operators do not exploit local people. The local communities benefit from sustainable tourism through employment and financial gains from selling goods and services.

Sales margin – A term used by resellers to describe profit as a percentage of sales revenue.

Sample – The portion of a population chosen to represent the population being studied for research.

Saturday night stay – A requirement by the airlines that your travel must involve a Saturday night stay over in order to obtain our lowest fare.

Saturday night stay – In order to receive a specialty fare, a Saturday stay over is sometimes required.

Scandals tour – A light-hearted history tour that shows locations where interesting scandals took place.

Scheduled carrier – An airline that offers regularly scheduled flights between destinations.

Scheduled flights – Air flights that are publicly scheduled and promoted by major airlines.

Scheduled tour – A tour that’s set in a tour operator’s regular schedule of tour departures and that’s often sold to the general public. Also called public tour or retail tour.

Sea bands – a product resembling a bracelet that is worn on the wrists and operates via acupressure.

Wearers claim that seasickness can be avoided by their use, thus eliminating the need for drugs such as Dramamine, etc.

Sea legs – the ability to move around on a ship without losing balance and without sea sickness.

Secondary information – Research data that was collected by another company or person and usually for a purpose that’s different than the research objectives and tasks at hand.

Sectioning system (GPS) – system of satellites that allows miniature radio receivers on earth to pinpoint one’s location within a few feet. Most cruise ships make use of this system to navigate the world’s oceans.

Segment – a “leg” or part of a journey, usually in reference to an air itinerary. One take-off and landing during air travel constitutes a “segment”.

Segment – One leg or portion of a trip. The segment begins when you board the plane and ends when you de-board the plane. (I.e. A connecting flight from San Francisco to New York through Chicago equals 2 segments)

Self-drive – a rental car (British term).

Service non comprise – in French, meaning “service not included”.

Shells – Preprinted brochures with photos, illustrations, and graphics but no text; also called slicks.

Shore excursio n – tours that are purchased as an option when visiting ports of call while on a cruise; can sometimes be bought before you cruise.

Shore excursion – A land tour, usually available at ports of call, sold by cruise lines or tour operators to cruise passengers.

Shoulder season – a period of time between high and low seasons, where prices at a destination are between their highest and lowest, and the crowds are thinner.

Shoulder season – Those periods between the peak and off season when destination demand is moderate.

Sightseeing companies – Organizations that provide local guided tours.

Sightseeing guide – See driver/guide.

Sightseeing tour – Short excursions of usually a few hours that focus on sightseeing and/or attraction visits.

Simple random sample – A sample that draws a group of respondents randomly from all members of the population.

Single Room – A room that is only guaranteed to comfortably accommodate one guest. May also be called a “Standard Room.”

Single Supplement – An additional charge added to a solo traveler, when prices were originally quoted for dual occupancy.

Sleeper – the sleeping compartment aboard a train.

Soft adventure – an outdoor travel experience that is not especially physically demanding, such as a canyon horseback trail ride or a hot-air balloon flight.

Sommelier – A wine professional, usually hired by the most upscale restaurants and establishments, on staff to primarily suggest wine and food pairing to patrons.

Spa – a resort area centered around a mineral springs, hot springs and the like, typically where one can find massage, hydrotherapy, exercise, steam baths, etc.

Special event tour – A travel package that features major happenings, such as concerts or sporting events, as the reason for the journey.

Special fare – Any fare that deviates from normal pricing (typically discounted).

Special interest tour – a tour catering to the needs of a specific interest, such as bird-watching, whale-watching, river rafting, mountain biking, rain forest exploration among many others.

Split itinerary – An itinerary in which part of the group does one thing while the other part does something else.

Split Ticket – Issuing multiple tickets for one round-trip journey. This is done to reduce the total cost of the entire reservation.

Sports Tourism – sports tourism refers to travel which involves either observing or participating in a sporting event staying apart from their usual environment.

Stabilizer – a device on most all cruise vessels, to reduce pitch and roll when at sea – the movement that can cause seasickness. Stabilizers are often pulled in at night in order to allow faster speeds when traveling between ports of call.

Standby – Referring to a passenger who does not have a confirmed seat on the intended flight.

Star Service – a critical guide describing in detail many hotel and cruise ship properties. Can be subjective, as it is based on someone’s opinion, but provides a travel agent with a non-commercial point-of-view.

Starboard – the right side of a ship.

Stateroom – A private cabin or compartment with sleeping accommodations on a ship or train.

Step-on guide – A tour guide who boards a motorcoach to give detailed, expert commentary about the city or area being visited.

Stern – the rear of a ship.

Stopover – a planned stayover in a city for a day or more, while enrooted to another destination. Sometimes adds significantly to the cost of an air ticket.

Strategic plan – A report that describes a company’s mission statement, goals, objectives and strategic actions.

Student visa – permission to enter a country, issued to a student, normally for the purpose of attending school in that country.

Subcontractor – A local operator who provides services for a wholesaler.

Suite – a hotel accommodation with more than one room, or sometimes a single room with distinct sleeping and living areas and often a kitchenette. A suite in a hotel or other public accommodation denotes a class of accommodations with more space and amenities than a typical accommodation room. Luxury or upscale accommodations often have a scaled range of suites progressively increasing in size, luxury and amenities starting with a junior suite and culminating in the largest and most luxurious suite which is often called a presidential or royal suite.

Supplier – any company that supplies travel and/or related services to the traveling public. The actual producer and seller of travel components.

Surface – travel over land that does not involve an aircraft.

SWOT analysis – A summary of a company’s strengths and weaknesses, and the environmental opportunities and threats that will most influence it.

T&E – Travel and Entertainment expenses.

Target market – The group of customers who will be the focus of a company’s marketing efforts.

Tariff – a schedule of prices/fares.

Telemarketing – Direct marketing via the telephone.

Tender – a small boat or ferry that carries passengers from an anchored cruise ship to the pier at a port of call. Many ships are too large for existing port facilities at some destinations, and so they anchor just off shore and “tender “their passengers in for their visit.

Terminal – A building where clients report for trips via train, plane, etc.; also called a depot or a station.

TGV – the term applied to the French high-speed train system.

Theme cruise – a cruise devoted to a specific interest, such as big bands, country western, Star Trek, exercise and weight-loss, cooking and cuisine, and many more. There is usually a theme cruise to suit just about any interest.

Theme tour – A tour that’s designed around a concept of specific interest to the tour takers, such as history or sports.

Through passenger – a passenger who is not disembarking at a particular stop while enrooted to the final destination.

Ticket stock – Blank airline tickets.

Tickler system – A method for monitoring reservations and payments that’s arranged by date and points out late payments so customers can be contacted.

Tiered override pla n – When commissions rise proportionately with a corresponding increase in sales.

Tiered pricing – When suppliers offer different prices to receptive operators, tour operators, and group leaders, so each party can earn a profit by marking up the supplier’s price while still offering a fair price to customers.

Tour broker – See tour operator.

Tour catalog – A publication by tour wholesalers listing their tour offerings. Catalogs are distributed to retail agents who make them available to their customers. Bookings by retail agents are commissionable.

Tour Company – A tour company or tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a packaged vacation. They advertise and produce brochures to promote their products, vacation and itineraries.

Tour conductor – the person who accompanies and is in charge of a tour, often on a motor coach tour. See tour director.

Tour departure – The date of the start by any individual or group of a tour program or, by extension, the entire operation of that single tour.

Tour director – Also called tour manager, tour conductor, and tour escort. The person who is responsible for a group on tour and for most aspects of a tour’s execution.

Tour escort – See tour director.

Tour guide – A person qualified (and often certified) to conduct tours of specific locations or attractions.

See also step-on guide, city guide, on-site guide, and docent.

Tour manager – See tour director.

Tour manual – A compendium of facts about a destination, tour procedures, forms, and other information that a tour operator gives to its tour directors.

Tour menu – A menu that limits group clients to two or three choices.

Tour operator – A person or company that contracts with suppliers to create and/or market a tour and/or subcontract their performance.

Tour order – A voucher given to the purchaser of a tour package that identifies the tour, the seller, and the fact that the tour is prepaid. The purchaser then uses this form as proof of payment and receives vouchers for meals, porterage, transfers, entrance fees, and other expenses. See also voucher.

Tour planner – A person who researches destinations and suppliers, negotiates contracts, and creates itineraries for travel packages.

Tour rate – See group rate.

Tour series – Multiple departures to the same destination throughout the year.

Tour – A prearranged, prepaid journey to one or more destinations that generally returns to the point of origin, is usually arranged with an itinerary of leisure activities, and includes at least two travel elements.

Tourism – The business of providing marketing services and facilities for leisure travelers.

Tourist card – a card issued to a visitor in lieu of a visa, usually for a short duration visit.

Tourist – This is the majority of adult travelers, when not vacationing. Tourists may be couples, families, or just a person or two who visit locations.

Tours – a tour is a journey for pleasure which includes the visiting of a number of places in sequence, especially with an organized group often led by a guide.

Tracking study – A survey of customers before and after implementing a promotion campaign to assess changes in consumer behavior.

Trans-canal – passing through the Panama Canal.

Transcon – Having to do with crossing a continent. For example, travel of this sort would be from one end of a continent to another.

Transcontinental – Having to do with crossing a continent. For example, travel of this sort would be from one end of a continent to another.

Transfer – Local transportation and porterage from one carrier terminal to another, from a terminal to a hotel, or from a hotel to an attraction.

Transient Occupancy Tax – Also known as a Bed Tax, it is a City or County tax added to the price of the room.

Transient – A person who stays in a place for just a short while; not a permanent resident, such as a visitor or tourist.

Transit visa – A visa allowing the holder to stop over in a country or make a travel connection or a brief visit.

Transportation – Any method of moving travelers from one point in a journey to another, such as air, ship, rail, and motor coach travel.

Travel advisor – a travel advisor simplifies the time-consuming and complicated process of planning travel for their customers in addition to providing consultation services and entire travel packages. They may book flights, cruises, rental cars and hotels, as well as resort stays and events. Agents cater to a wide demographic, serving both individuals and corporations. They may also concentrate in a special segment of travel; many advisors specialize in leisure, business or group travel, or destination-specific journeys.

Travel advisory – a travel warning issued by the US Department of State, indicating a special caution should be taken in a country due to political unrest, natural disaster, or other special situation. These can be obtained from any good travel agent, on any area you are considering visiting.

Travel agency – Usually used in the travel industry to refer to an ARC-appointed storefront retailer.

Travel agent – A person or firm qualified to arrange for lodging, meals, transportation, cruises, tours, and other travel elements, typically on a commission basis. A travel agent simplifies the time-consuming and complicated process of planning travel for their customers in addition to providing consultation services and entire travel packages. They may book flights, cruises, rental cars and hotels, as well as resort stays and events. Agents cater to a wide demographic, serving both individuals and corporations. They may also concentrate in a special segment of travel; many agents specialize in leisure, business or group travel, or destination-specific journeys.

Travel component – Transportation, lodging, dining, attractions, entertainment, guide services, and other travel elements offered as part of a travel package.

Travel Destination – a place to which one is journeying.

Travel Experience – A travel experience or experiential travel (also known as immersion travel) as it is commonly referred to, is a form of tourism in which people focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by connecting to its history, people and culture.

Travel Institute – the primary educational and certification arm of the travel industry. Was formerly the “Institute of Certified Travel Agents” (ICTA), located in Wellesley, Mass.

Travel Insurance – Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling, either internationally or within one’s own country.

Travel Itinerary – a travel itinerary is a travel plan or organization of your travel and involves all of the details, times and dates concerning things like airline, cruises and train transportation confirmations, hotel, villa and accommodation reservations, rental car information, restaurant reservations and much more.

Travel Policy – A fluid internal document, pertinent to the company’s culture that outlines the guidelines for business travel and expenses within a company.

Travel rewards – Travel reward programs are often referred to as a loyalty rewards program, and they are generally a campaign devised to generate repeat customers for a particular company by offering a point gratification system for the customers’ business. They are also meant to provide customers with a “thank you” for their loyalty to a company’s product or service. That benefit is typically some sort of discount on certain items or services. Travel specialist – a travel specialist is a travel agent or travel advisor that concentrates in a special segment of travel; many travel agents or travel advisors specialize in leisure, group or business travel, or destination specific travel.

Travel Tours – a travel tour is a journey for pleasure which includes the visiting of a number of places in sequence, especially with an organized group often led by a guide.

Traveler – One who travels.

Travelogues – Many travel websites are online travelogues or travel journals, usually created by individual travelers and hosted by companies that generally provide their information to consumers for free. These companies generate revenue through advertising or by providing services to other businesses. This medium produces a wide variety of styles, often incorporating graphics, photography, maps, and other unique content.

Trip director – An escort for an incentive company. Larger companies reserve this title for the person who directs all personnel and activities for a particular incentive trip.

Trundle Bed – Bed that stores itself under another bed, usually on casters. Often found in smaller hotel rooms or in cramped transport accommodations.

Turn – Airline parlance. A flight that leaves base and returns back to base in the same day. Also known as a turnaround.

Turnaway – A potential reservation that couldn’t be satisfied because the tour (or hotel, ship, etc.) was fully booked.

Twenty-four hour time – used extensively in Europe and other countries, 1pm becomes 1300 hours, 4pm is 1500 hours, etc., up to 2359 ( 1159pm ). Midnight is then considered 2400 or “zero ” hours. 1-20am is then 0120 or “one hour, twenty minutes “and so on. Most schedules and timetables in the majority of other countries are listed in the 24-hour format.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites – a UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such as a building, city, complex, desert, forest, island, lake, monument, or mountain) that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as being of special cultural or physical significance.

Unlimited mileage – No mileage restriction when renting a car.

Unrestricted fare – an airfare that has no special advance purchase, Saturday stay or certain days to travel requirements, and is usually refundable. Many full coach and most first-class fares are unrestricted. An airfare with no limitations. It is typically refundable and has no blackout days.

Upgrade – To move to a better accommodation or class of service.

USTOA – United States Tour Operators Association – a trade association which requires its members to be very financially stable and to have a million dollars or more in funds set aside for consumer protection against defaults. Visit www.ustoa.com for more information.

Value added tax (VAT) – a tax on goods in Europe, which under certain circumstances can be refunded.

Value season – similar to shoulder or low season, when pricing is lower. See off season.

Value – The relationship between the benefits associated with a product or service and the costs of obtaining the product or service. See also perceived value.

Value-added tax (VAT) – A type of tax system which adds a fixed percentage of taxation on products and services at each step of production or service delivery.

Value-based pricing – Pricing a product based on buyer perceptions of value rather than actual product costs.

Variable costs – Costs that change with sales or production levels.

Variance report – A summary of how much a company has gone above or below budget.

Verandah – a roofed-porch, such as connected to a cruise ship stateroom.

VIA rail – the Canadian railway system.

Villas – a large and luxurious country residence. A villa is a fancy vacation home. The word has been around ever since ancient Roman times to mean “country house for the elite.” In Italian, villa means “country house or farm.” Most villas include a large amount of land and often barns, garages, or other outbuildings as well.

VIP experiences – a VIP Experience is the most exclusive way to go behind the scenes or experience a travel destination, accommodation or mode of transportation.

Visa – usually a stamp in a passport allowing entry into a country for a specific purpose and a finite amount of time.

Visa service – a service that can expedite the processing of a visa, sometimes even at the last minute. A fee is charged that varies, depending on the nature of the service needed. Visas are usually stamped into the pages of a valid passport and are issued for varying reasons and periods of time. Not all countries require them, especially for United States Citizens.

Volume incentive – See override.

Volume purchase – The purchase of large quantities of a product or service.

Voucher – Documents that are exchanged for goods and service to substantiate payment that will be or already has been made.

Voyage – a voyage is a long journey involving travel by sea or in space.

Waitlist – A list of clients awaiting transportation or accommodations at times when they are not available. Waitlisted clients are confirmed as a result of subsequent cancellations.

Waiver – a written acknowledgement that a passenger has declined something, such as insurance coverage for a trip, for example. Also, the formal acknowledgement of the waiving or dismissal of a requirement, such as a waiver of a penalty for late booking, etc.

Waiver – A written acknowledgement that a passenger has declined something.

Walk-up – one who purchases an air ticket at the last moment, usually at the airport ticket counter.

Wants – Ways in which a person satisfies a basic need.

Wellness Travel – wellness travel is a category of travel for the purpose of promoting health and well-being through physical, psychological, or spiritual activities

Wet bar – the area of a hotel room that has a bar or other counter space with running water, used for the preparation of drinks.

Wholesale – Sale of travel products through an intermediary in exchange for a commission or fee generally at reduced tariffs.

Word-of-mouth promotion – Personal communication about a product or service from one customer to another.

World Travel Guide – a yearly publication that provides detailed information on most every country in the world, with entries on currency, transportation, climate, visa and passport requirements, sightseeing opportunities, etc. A primary book of knowledge for the professional travel agent.

Yield management – Calculating and analyzing the profits earned per customer.

World Travel Agency, LLC is owned and operated by Michael and Cheryl LaBaw. We are a husband and wife team dedicated to working together with our clients to insure they travel well. World Travel Agency, LLC is an independent affiliate of Andavo Travel, a Virtuoso® Member. Travel should be more than just a journey, it should be a series of unforgettable experiences. We work hard to ensure our clients’ trips are always stimulating, authentic and – above all else – fun... READ MORE

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Travel Glossary – The ULTIMATE List of Travel Terms

Unravel the mysteries of travel terms, acronyms, and all the essential backpacking jargon.

Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or a first-time adventurer, The Broke Backpacker travel glossary is your passport to understanding the language of the road.

Travel Glossary

Accommodation: The place where you’ll stay during your trip — your home away from home. This can range from a snazzy hotel suite to a bunk bed in a buzzing hostel.

Adventure Travel: Exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations and experiencing adrenaline-pumping activities. The type of travel for those who prefer hiking boots over flip-flops.

Airline Alliance: A partnership among airlines to provide passengers with extended networks, smoother connections, and often, better perks. Like a friendship bracelet, but for airlines.

Airport Code: The three-letter identity tag for airports around the globe, making booking flights and navigating airports simpler. Think of it as the airport’s nickname.

Airport Terminal: The specific area in an airport where you check-in, pass security, and board or disembark your flight. It’s the traveller’s hub within the travel hub.

Backpacker: A traveller known for carrying their life in a backpack, seeking immersive experiences, and often on a budget. Backpackers are known to be part wizard, part ninja, with their ability to pack light yet still have everything they need.

Broke Backpacker: A backpacker traveling the world on a tight budget, often hitchhiking, Couchsurfing and cooking their own food whilst camping out under starry nights. Broke Backpackers are resilient, kind-hearted and always find a way to hustle and make ends meet.

Begpacker: Someone who funds their journey by begging for money in the countries they visit. Not exactly the hero of our travel tales.

Bikepacking : Backpacking by way of bicycle. Travellers pack their things onto a luggage rack and cycle around — sometimes for weeks, and sometimes indefinitely.

Boarding Pass: Your golden ticket to board a plane. For some, a travel collectible of sorts; for others, a paper quickly forgotten in the seat pocket.

Budget Travel: Stretching every little bit of your hard-earned cash as far as it can take you — and seeing the world without breaking the bank. That is what a Broke Backpacker does, baby!

Business Class: A step up from Economy Class, usually with wider seats and better meals. A taste of the high life, often experienced courtesy of points or special offers.

Busking : The art of funding one’s travels (or saving for them) by performing in a public place in exchange for tips. Usually connected to street musicians.

Carry-On Baggage: The essentials you can take with you on the plane. Packing it is something many consider an art, fitting everything a close second to magic.

Checked Baggage: The luggage you trust the airline to transport in the belly of the plane. Also commonly referred to as a “test of faith” amongst the community.

Codeshare: An agreement between airlines where a flight is operated by one but marketed by another. Say you call your mate to take you on a ride, but he shows up in his neighbour’s car… sort of like that.

Couchsurfing: Staying with a host for free, usually sleeping on their couch or spare bed. A powerful tool in a Broke Backpacker’s arsenal, and a term made popular by the Couchsurfing travel app .

Customs and Immigration : The checkpoint at international borders where officials check your documents and luggage. It’s the final boss battle before entering a new country.

Digital Nomad: An individual who works remotely from different parts of the world, often in cafes, co-working spaces, or beach bars. They’ve mastered the art of making anywhere an office.

Domestic Travel: Travelling within your own country, aka something we should all do more often. Our backyard is right there, and it is probably hiding a shit ton of gold.

Eco Tourism: A type of travel focused on conservation, supporting local communities, and minimizing impact on the environment. Often associated with volunteering projects , but not exclusively.

Economy Class: The most common and budget-friendly travel class. Broke Backpackers rarely know any other, really.

Fare Alert: A notification service that alerts you to the best flight deals. Like having a personal scout for travel bargains.

First Class: The epitome of luxury in the sky, with gourmet meals and lie-flat seats. A rare gem for budget travellers, usually only spotted in daydreams.

Gap Year: A year of travel, often taken by students as a break between high school and college, but increasingly popular with adults seeking a career break or life reset.

Ghost Fares: Listed flight deals that vanish when you try to book them. Like chasing a mirage in the desert of internet deals.

Glitch Fare: An error in listing the price of a flight, often ridiculously low. This is what we live for, amigos!

Guest House: A cozy, home-like accommodation option, often run by locals. It’s where you get the warmth of home, without all the boring chores.

Haggling : A type of bargaining for the lowest possible price that tends to be the default way of shopping in many parts of the world, particularly when goods are not sold for fixed amounts.

High Season: The peak travel period with the highest demand and prices. It’s when everyone else has the same travel idea as you.

Hitchhiking: The art of catching free rides with passing vehicles, usually by sticking your thumb out on the side of the road. It’s a gamble of patience and luck, with stories for a lifetime.

Homestay: Staying with a local family, experiencing their way of life. Be a guest, not a tourist.

Hostel: Budget-friendly accommodations, often with shared rooms and communal spaces. A good hostel is a home, and one where stories and friendships are as plentiful as bunk beds.

Hub Airport : A major airport that serves as a central point for connecting flights. Think London, Dubai, Singapore… the grand central stations of the skies.

Layover: The waiting period between connecting flights. An unscheduled mini-adventure, some would say.

Legroom: The space available for your legs on a flight. Often feels like a luxury in economy class.

Long-Haul Flight: A flight covering a long distance, usually over six hours. On long-haul flights, time truly becomes an illusion, and time zones mere suggestions. Reality is not the same anymore.

Low Season: The travel period outside of peak times, offering fewer crowds and often better deals. It’s the introvert’s prime time to travel.

Low-Cost Carrier: Airlines that offer no-frills flights at lower prices. They’re the unsung heroes for budget travellers. If you’re based in Europe, I’m sure you’re familiar with Ryanair and their crazy deals .

Money Belt : A sleek, secret weapon that expertly hides your cash inside of an inconspicuous-looking belt. Money belts are top-tier backpacker safety tools.

Off Season: Similar to Low Season, a time when travel is less in demand. It’s when destinations breathe a sigh of relief and welcome you with open arms and cheaper prices.

Off-The-Beaten-Path Travel: Exploring places that are not on the typical tourist radar. It’s for those who view the road less travelled as a personal invitation or a challenge.

One-Way Flight: A flight not returning to the origin point. One could say that’s exactly the kind of ticket you should be booking… but that’s just me. 😉

Overbooking: When airlines sell more tickets than there are seats. The airline industry’s version of musical chairs.

Overland Travel: Travelling across land, often through multiple countries, by bus, train, or car. Overland travel is the scenic route to adventure and there’s little that can beat it.

Package Tour: A pre-arranged travel package including flights, accommodation, and sometimes meals and tours. Travel on easy mode!

Packing List: The checklist of essentials for your trip. You can look at it as the line between “I have everything” and “I forgot my toothbrush.”

Peak Season: The busiest travel season, with the highest demand. When your favourite spots become everyone’s favourite spots.

Responsible Tourism: Travel that minimizes negative impacts on the environment and local communities. The idea is that you ALWAYS leave places better than you found them.

Revenge Travel: The surge in travel after periods of restrictions or lockdowns, like what we experienced after the decade-year of 2020. The world’s comeback tour is on!

Rural Tourism: Exploring the countryside, away from the city hustle, and finding beauty in the serene and the simplest of things.

Shoulder Season: The sweet spot between peak and off-peak seasons, offering a balance of good weather and lower prices. It’s the savvy traveller’s dream season.

Sleep System : Core essentials of any broke backpacker’s tool kit that allow one to sleep anywhere . We’re talking sleeping mat, sleeping bag, and pillow type of setup, but not all systems are built equal!

Solo Travel: The art of travelling alone, discovering the world, and perhaps a bit of yourself along the way. It’s where independence meets adventure.

Souvenir: A memento from your travels, ranging from the classic fridge magnet to the more eclectic and exotic goods. Some more entrepreneurial travellers even manage to turn it into a business .

Sticky Place: A destination you keep returning to, because some places just stick with you.

Stopover: A break in your journey, allowing you to explore a city before continuing on. It’s like a travel bonus level.

Sustainable Travel: Travelling in a way that ensures destinations are preserved for future generations. It’s about treading lightly and caring deeply.

Transit Visa: A visa required for passing through a country to a final destination. It’s the paperwork pit stop of your journey.

Travel Hacks: Tips and tricks to make travel easier, cheaper, or more enjoyable. A cheat code for the travel game.

Urban Exploration: Discovering the hidden gems and secrets of urban environments, often accompanied by some form of outlaw defunct urban space invasion. Epic.

Visa : A travel document that is required to enter certain countries. Visa policies will differ wildly depending on the destination and your nationality.

Visa Waiver: An agreement allowing travellers to visit a country without a visa for a short period. It’s the travel equivalent of a hall pass.

Wild Camping: Setting up camp in unmarked spots in the wilderness. It’s about as close to nature as you can get without becoming a bear.

Work Exchange: Volunteering your time in exchange for food, accommodation, or experience. The barter system meets backpacking.

World Heritage Area/Site: Locations recognized for their cultural, historical, or scientific significance. It’s the world’s way of saying, “This place is awesome.”

Xenophilia: A love for foreign cultures. The heart of every true traveller.

Travel Glossary: 100+ Terms, Acronyms & Definitions You Need To Know

This travel glossary contains more than 100 of the most common terms and acronyms you are likely to hear in the travel industry.

The travel niche has its own terms, abbreviations, and definitions.

As it can get complicated to understand them all, we created this complete travel glossary. 

You can either click on:

• A letter 
• Ctrl + f to use the search function

Note that we are still working on this glossary and we’ll update it frequently.

Abbreviation for American Airlines.

A Broken Backpack

A travel blog about long-term travel, adventure travel, budget travel, and more. You’re currently reading abrokenbackpack.com. At first, our blog was targeting backpackers and long-term travelers. Over the years, we have expanded our content with more travel tips for everyone.

Abbreviation for Air Canada.

Usually, an option that can come with an extra cost. Examples: optional luggage, optional meal.

Abbreviation for Air France.

Abbreviation for Air India.

Airalo is an online eSIM store that allows you to purchase eSIMs (digital SIM cards) in 190+ countries and regions around the world at affordable prices. Learn more about eSIM cards for travel .

An organization that provides air transportation.

A set of buildings, facilities and runways that are made for take-off, landing, and plane maintenance.

Airport codes

A combination of 3 letters is used to identify a specific airport. Examples: YUL identifies the airport in Montreal city.

Airport tax

Costs that an airline has to pay for departure and arrival in airports. These can vary from one airport to another and are usually included in a flight ticket price.

Practice in which you can order individual items from a menu instead of a set meal.

All-inclusive

A vacation that includes all the essentials (usually accommodation, food, and drinks). We commonly refer to an all-inclusive holiday or an all-inclusive resort.

An association or union between countries or airlines. Examples: Star alliance is an airline association regrouping several major airlines that collaborate to offer more flight connections and smooth stopovers.

Abbreviation for Aeromexico Cargo.

Abbreviation for Alaska Airlines.

Abbreviation for Royal Air Maroc.

Availability

The number of hotel rooms, or seats remaining.

Abbreviation for Finnair.

Abbreviation for Alitalia.

A bag that you use to carry things on your back. Usually large enough to carry all your things when you travel. Synonyms include “packsack” or “rucksack”.

A traveler or hiker who carries their belongings in a backpack.

Backpacking

A travel style that includes travels or hikes with a large backpack. Commonly, backpacking is a way to travel on a budget. The traveler may hike and camp outside for multiple days, or stay in hostels during their travels.

The basic cost of an airline ticket. Usually, this fare doesn’t include extra fees, taxes, or surcharges.

A bed and breakfast (often shortened to B&B) is a small hotel that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast.

Black Friday

A Friday at the end of November when you’ll find crazy travel deals on airfares, hotels, Amazon, etc. You can stay up to date with Black Friday deals here .

Step in which passengers are getting into the airplane. Usually, the airport staff calls passengers divided into different zones to board the plane.

Boarding pass

A paper ticket or a mobile ticket issues after check-in that allows you to board the plane.

Booking.com

An accommodation travel booking website with worldwide coverage comparing hotels, hostels, apartments and car rentals. You can book your hotels easily on Booking.com .

Booking number

Also known as a reservation number – a unique code including letters and numbers that confirm your reservation.

Bucket list

A travel expression used to define a set of destinations to visit or things to do in a country.

A bus travel booking website with worldwide coverage comparing bus route fares. You can purchase bus tickets on Busbud .

Business-class

A section that is usually between the first class and the economy class. The business class provides more amenities and services than the economy class. You can find a business class on planes or trains.

A cabin in a plane is the space inside the plane where passengers sit. A cabin in a ship is a room where a passenger sleeps.

Van that was designed for sleeping and road-tripping. Some campers prefer to sleep inside a van than in a tent. Also known as a camper van.

An activity that involves sleeping in a tent.

A captain in a plane is the pilot.

Carry-on baggage

A piece of luggage that you can bring along on the plane cabin. Usually, you’ll put this luggage in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you.

Checked luggage

A bigger piece of luggage that you don’t have access to during the flight. Usually, you’ll drop off your luggage at the airline counter before you go through security and customs.

A confirmation of your presence on a flight, train, or bus. Usually, you can check-in online or directly at the airport, bus station, or train station. Once the check-in is completed, you’ll get a boarding pass which can be issued electronically or on paper.

It can also be used in hotels. In this situation, the client goes to the hotel reception, presents identification documents, and receives a key to their hotel room.

A client leaves a hotel by bringing back the key on time at the hotel reception and paying for any remaining fees.

It’s a synonym of a bus.

A hotel staff member who helps guests organize transportation, reservations, or any special requests.

Connecting flight

A flight that includes a stopover and as a result, the passenger must change aircraft.

Culture is a shared system of symbols and meanings that allow people to communicate and interact with one another. It includes the customs, traditions, and values that are passed down from generation to generation.

Custom Tour

A custom tour is a personalized experience that is tailored to your specific needs. A custom tour can be created for any location, and can be customized to include any number of activities or attractions.

Cyber Monday

A Monday at the end of November or early December when you’ll find crazy travel deals on airfares, hotels, Amazon, etc. You can stay up to date with Cyber Monday deals here .

Direct flight

A flight that goes from an origin to a destination without stops, or connections.

A deck is a floor on a ship. Some cruise ships can have multiple decks.

Destination

The final stop on a travel itinerary. 

Type of rooms where you’ll find several beds or bunk beds. Usually popular in hostels because of their cheap rates.

Double room

A hotel room that had two double beds and that can accommodate between 2 and 4 people.

Exemption from import taxes. For example, in an airport, there’s a duty-free shop area where you won’t need to pay import taxes on products.

Early check-in

Early check-in is when you check in to your hotel before the check-in time.

Economy class

A section of the plane, bus, or train, with basic services and lower fares.

Electronic boarding pass

A virtual boarding pass that is usually on a mobile phone.

Another word for expatriate. A person who lives in a different country temporarily or permanently.

First class

The class with the most services – usually comes with more space, better meals, and premium services.

A fjord is a long and narrow inlet of the sea, usually flanked by steep cliffs.

Frequent flyer program

An airline loyalty program that allows you to collect points and transform them into vouchers or rewards.

G-Adventure

Adventure travel company that organizes small-group tours, expeditions and safaris around the world.

Area and door where passengers board their flight from or deplane at their arrival.

An establishment that provides accommodations to travelers.

Holafly is a website that allows you to purchase eSIM for your travels. You can read our complete Holafly review to learn more about it.

A budget accommodation offering shared dorms and private rooms. Very popular amongst budget travelers, backpackers and young travelers.

A popular airport where many airlines organize connecting flights to smaller destinations.

Immigration

An area where a traveler must present travel documents like their passport or visa in order to enter the country.

A plan, or route designed for a trip, usually in chronological order.

A feeling of tiredness felt by a person after flying across different time zones.

King-size bed

The biggest bed size there is.

A period of time between transportation connections, or stopover.

One part of a journey. For example, one flight out of a 3-flight route.

A small house or a part inside a large house where travelers sleep. Usually, it’s a synonym for guest houses or hotels.

The hotel is located next to the main roads and that is made for road trippers.

A vehicle that is designed for mobile living accommodation. For example, RVs, campervans, campers.

A traveler or passenger that doesn’t show up for a flight, hotel, or reservation without canceling the booking.

Point of departure.

Overbooking

A popular practice in which airlines sell more seats that they have available to compensate for no-shows. Unfortunately, this practice can create problems if all the passengers show up.

A document issued by a government that includes information about the identity, nationality, and visa of a traveler.

A word used as a synonym for passenger, mostly used in the travel and the tourism industry.

When staying in a hotel, a traveler can request a quiet room. Usually, this room is isolated or is in a quieter area.

Reservation

Action taken to book a flight, activity, or hotel room.

An area designed for massage, hot springs, steam baths, or saunas.

A building or area inside an airport. For example, an airport can be divided into multiple terminals so that passengers can know where their departure or arrival gate is located.

Moving to a better class of service, or accommodation.

A stamp or a sticker in a passport allowing you to enter a country for a specific amount of time.

Documents you can use to exchange for goods, accommodation, or services. Usually, the payments for these good, and services has already been made.

Synonym of travel in the French language.

A list of potential travelers that are not confirmed yet.

A software designed for digital nomads and online entrepreneurs who have a business in Estonia.

An expression used amongst young people that means You Only Live Once.

An establishment that displays, studies, and rescues wild animals.

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The Travel Glossary - find the best Terms, Definitions and Acronyms

Travel terms, glossary, definitions and acronyms of the travel industry from A – Z. Click on a letter to see the terms and descriptions in our glossary.

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Add-collect, adjoining room.

Average Daily Rate. A hotel industry term used to calculate average hotel room rate. Equal to room revenue divided by rooms sold.

advance purchase

The advance time before travel that a fare requires a ticket to be issued, normally 3,7,14 or 21 days.

Agent Error. An incorrect entry made by a consultant during the reservation process.

AEA (see “Association of European Airlines”)

A US based travel agency that has entered into an agreement with BCD Travel to use the BCD Travel trademarks and provide travel services to customers in the affiliate’s territory.

Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)

An independent corporation jointly owned by most of the major United States airlines; ARC collects payments for tickets sold by travel agencies and distributes the monies to the airlines; ARC also governs appointment of travel agencies to sell domestic air transportation.

airport code

The three-letter code used by airlines and the air travel industry to identify airports around the world, e.g. LHR=London Heathrow, JFK=New York John F. Kennedy. http://www.world-airport-codes.com/

airport security check

Airport security checks are procedures and measures for screening passengers and baggage to ensure security against terrorist threats and other dangers.  Find out how to get through quickly

airport tax

Tax levied by certain airports throughout the world. In many cases this can be built into the total ticket price, although some airlines will not co-operate, thus making payable locally by the passenger.

On outbound journey’s, airside includes all those areas of the airport terminal after you have passed through passport control. On inbound journey’s, airside includes all those areas of the terminal before you pass through passport control.

A short-hop aircraft for up to 20 passengers, usually flying unscheduled services with a 200 / 500-mile range.

all-inclusive

A hotel program which usually includes all meals, snacks, beverages and activities.

A joint partnership between specified carriers which may include, but not limited to, interlining, code-sharing, joint frequent flyer program participation, and even equity participation of stock ownership.

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, a government-subsidized corporation that operates all passenger train service in the United States.

Automatic Number Identification. A contact center term for a telephone network feature that passes that number of the phone the caller is using to the contact center, real-time.

American Plan. A hotel rate that includes breakfast and dinner, sometimes lunch.

Asia Pacific. A geographical term used interchangeably with ASPAC and often used in reference to the entire Asian market.

Advance Purchase Excursion Fare

applicable fare

The fare to be applied.

Accounts Receivable. Money which is owed by a customer to a company for products or services provided on credit.

ARC (see “Airlines Reporting Corporation”)

An eight-digit identification number issued by ARC to travel agencies who have met accreditation standards.

Arrival Unknown. An ARNK is added to a reservation when there is a break in the itinerary and continuity is not recognized; it does count as a segment when ticketing.

Around-the-world

A continuous journey circumnavigating the globe in one general west-to-east or east-to-west direction in which both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are crossed not more than once each.

ARR (see “Average room rate”)

Asia South Pacific. A geographic term used interchangeably with APAC.

Automated Ticket & Boarding Pass. IATA standard transportation ticket and combined boarding pass which features a magnetic strip containing passenger and journey details.

Average Ticket Price. The average price of all tickets purchased; domestic and international are sometimes calculated separately.

availability

The total number of seats allowed to be sold at a particular rate.

average room rate (ARR)

Ratio of hotel’s sales revenue to the number of occupied rooms.

back-to-back ticketing

An against-the-rules practice whereby a traveler books a return ticket nested inside another return ticket to avoid minimum stay requirements for the purpose of saving money. For example, the traveler uses the first ticket to fly from origin to destination on Monday in week 1, then he uses the second ticket to fly from destination to origin on Friday in week 1 and back to destination on Monday in week 2, and then he uses the first ticket again to fly back to origin on Friday in week 2. The normal Saturday night stay requirement is then avoided. While this will sometimes save money, most airlines do not allow this practice and doing so might result in penalties.

backtracking

Having to return to your original airport of entry in a country to make the return trip home. A time-consuming and costly procedure to overcome by arranging an op-jaw itinerary, which allows you to fly out to one point and return from another.

Carry-on-baggage and checked baggage have many restrictions. Most notable are the number and size of the baggage. Many airlines allow only 1 carry-on bag, plus one personal item (purse, back-pack, computer bag). For checked baggage restrictions and fees, refer to the carrier’s website for details.

banker’s buying rate (BBR)

Exchange rate used to convert from one currency to another; called the ‘buying rate’ because it is the rate used when banks purchase currency from an individual

banker’s selling rate (BSR)

Exchange rate used to convert from one currency to another; called the ‘buying rate’ because it is the rate used when banks sell currency to an individual

Best Available Rate. A hotel industry pricing method for yielding room rates (floating) based on demand while ensuring the best rate is presented for sale to agents, consumers.

A fare without tax.

Measurement of hotel occupency.

blackout dates

Certain dates or periods when travel on specific fares is not permitted (usually holidays).

blocked space

Multiple reservations, often subject to deposit forfeiture, which wholesalers or travel agents make with a supplier in anticipation of resale.

boarding pass

A permit to board a ship, plane, or other form of transportation. In the case of air travel, the card indicates boarding gate and aircraft seat number.

booking code

A letter code used to make an airline reservation at a particular fare level in a computerized reservation system. (CRS/GDS)

Bank Settlement Plan. Outside the USA, a system by which the travel agent community pays carriers for tickets it issues.

Business Travel Account. If a company has a corporate credit card program where certain purchases such as air, rail, and associated transaction fees are centrally billed to one “master” credit card number, this is referred to as the Business Travel Account (BTA). This account allows for the purchase of certain air travel expenses for corporate employees without the need to issue individual credit cards to each traveler for the designated expenses. Because the account has no physical card, it’s often called a “ghost card.”

BTC (see “Business Travel Center”)

Business Travel News. A travel industry publication that delivers news and research to the corporate travel population.

bucket shop

An unlicensed, unbonded travel agency used by some airlines to dispose of excess capacity seats that are available on certain flights.

buffer zone

For taxation purposes, an extension of the US border 225 miles north into Canada and 225 miles south into Mexico border; all cities within this area are assessed the 7.5% US domestic tax when tickets are purchased and sold in the US.

A net fare contract for certain number of seats. Similar to blocked space except that the tour operator, wholesaler, or travel agent usually contracts for airline seats at a low, non-commissioned price without the option of releasing space back to the airline.

A partition (usually a wall) on an airplane separating compartments.

Travel slang for the removal of a passenger from a flight through overbooking; usually applied to those holding concessionary tickets.

bundled pricing

A pricing proposal, always a transaction fee, where elements other than air (e.g. car hire, hotel, rail) are included in the fee with the air transaction.

business class

Level of airline service between First class and Economy class. On European routes business class has now replaced first class as premier service level. Most airlines have their own brand names. (e.g. British Airways – Club World and Club Europe: Air France – Le Club etc.)

Business Travel Center (BTC)

Standard full service and online service in a local call center, undedicated, team environment.

Business Travel Management

Business travel management is the process of planning, organizing, and overseeing business travel for an organization. This includes booking travel arrangements, managing expenses, and developing policies and procedures for business travel.

cancellation policy

The advance time a hotel requires a booking to be canceled by to avoid being billed for the room

carrier (CXR)

Another term for airline.

Credit Card. A system of payment whereby the issuer of the card grants a line of credit to the cardholder, to be used to make payment to a merchant or to withdraw cash.

Collision Damage Waiver. An industry term for optional insurance provided by car rental companies that eliminates all responsibility of the driver in an accident.

centralized billing

System under which a travel supplier, credit card company, agency or other supplier consolidates all costs/charges incurred by different employees or departments into one total invoice.

change of equipment

Also known as “change of gauge”. A single flight number used to represent flights on two different aircraft; usually on international destinations.

Notification to an airline or hotel that a traveler has arrived to take a flight or stay at a hotel; some airlines provide curbside check-in while others only allow check-in at the ticket counter.

Advice to a hotel that a guest is leaving the property and usually includes payment for the stay.

A traveler who has had his/her second birthday, but not yet his/her twelfth birthday (this definition may vary by carrier).

Churning refers to any repeated booking or canceling of the same itinerary in the same class or different classes of service in one or more PNRs or GDS.

circle pacific

Travel from IATA Area 1 (North and/or South America) to IATA Area 3 (Asia, Australia, South Pacific) by way of the North Pacific Ocean in one direction, via the South Pacific Ocean in the opposite direction, and at least one flight within IATA Area 3 that crosses the Equator.

circle trip (CT)

A journey from origin to destination with a return to origin in a continuous, circuitous route using two or more fare components

The orgin (from) and arrival (to) points of a trip, usually by air or train.

city terminal

Airline office, usually city center, where passengers may check-in, receive seating details and board special bus/ taxi/ helicopter/ rail/ shuttle services to the airport.

class of service

The interior of an aircraft is divided into sections, each with a different level of service and amenities; common classes of service are first, business, and economy.

Cruise Lines International Association. An association dedicated to the promotion and growth of the cruise industry.

Section of a hotel offering higher security and special facilities either for a premium payment or as an incentive/ privilege for frequent users.

club ticket

Fully flexible, redeemable business class ticket valid one year from date of issue. Phrase used primarily in the U.K.

Another term for bus.

Close of Business. A term meaning the end of the business day.

A marketing agreement between two airlines (very common amongst airlines that have an alliance) where a seat is purchased on one airline (the selling carrier), but the flight is actually operated by a different airline (the operating carrier).

combination

Two or more fares shown separately in a fare calculation.

Computerized Reservation System

System used to book and process travel reservations, also known as a Global Distribution System (GDS).

A hotel employee who attends to guests’ needs for special information, theater and restaurant reservations, and any other special requests.

connecting flight

A flight which the passenger must change aircraft.

A stop in a given city for less than 4 hours (domestic US); less than 12 hours (domestic US as part of an international journey); less than 24 hours (international); continuing on the next applicable flight to an onward destination; designated by X/ in a linear fare construction line.

conjunction ticket

Two or more tickets concurrently issued to a passenger and which together constitute a single contract of carriage.

connecting rooms

Two rooms that are side-by-side that have a common connecting interior door.

consolidation fare

A group inclusive tour fare available to travel agents and other operators to construct packages to destinations which are inclusive of accomodation. Consolidation fares, although group fares, are for sale to individual passengers.

consolidator

A person or company which forms groups to travel on charter or at group fares on scheduled flights to increase sales, earn override commissions or reduce the chance of tour cancellations.

A group of independent companies that join together to gain greater profits.

construction point

A city through which fares have been combined for the purpose of pricing an itinerary; a destination city or a turnaround point; a fare break shown on the ticket.

A contact center term for an individual who is calling or visiting your company by phone or through the website, and who is requesting an interaction with an agent.

contact center

An umbrella term that generally refers to reservations centers, help desks, information lines or customer service centers, regardless of how they are organized or what types of transactions they handle.

continental breakfast

A light breakfast of such things as coffee, pastry and sometimes juice.

contract fare / contract discount

A discounted fare agreed upon by the client and a carrier; contract fares require a client give the carrier a certain percentage of its business in all markets.

corporate fare

A discounted airfare for business travelers.

corporate rate

A special rate negotiated between a supplier (hotel or car for example) and a company.

corporate hotel rate

Learn how to get corporate hotel rates .

Corporate Travel Department (CTD)

A CTD (Corporate Travel Department) establishes a direct purchasing relationship between the company and its travel suppliers. The accrediting body, ARC (Airline Reporting Corporation) authorizes the company to function as its own “travel agency” and control it’s financial settlement.

co-terminals

A group of cities/airports considered to be the same point; example: JFK/LGA/EWR.

country of commencement (COC)

The country in which a journey begins; the base fare is converted from NUCs into the currency of the Country of Commencement by using the IATA ROE.

country of payment (COP)

The country in which a ticket is being purchased; the base fare is converted from the currency of the Country of Commencement into the currency of the country of payment using the Bank Rate if the countries are not the same.

Cost Per Mile. A calculation of the average price paid per mile.

Cost Per Transaction. A calculation of the total cost a company incurs for generating a customer transaction.

Customer Relationship Management. A term used for a database that is used to house and maintain customer information.

CRS (see “Computerized Reservation System”)

Corporate Social Responsibility . A concept whereby companies consider the impact to society and the environment of their actions.

Central Security Record. A hotel industry term for the name of the Viewership Management Table used to maintain a list of offices authorized to access a client’s negotiated hotel rates.

Central Standard Time. A time zone in the US, also known as Central Time or CT.

Corporate Travel Department. A company’s in-house travel agency that purchases air transportation and related travel services on behalf of its own employees.

Computer Telephony Integration. A contact center term for the software, hardware, and programming necessary to integrate computers and telephones so they can work together seamlessly and intelligently.

A checkpoint at which imported goods are verified for legality and value.

Data Release Authorization (DRA)

Under a DRA, Client instructs, as of the date specified, BCD Travel to receive, process, and/or transfer certain personal travel data from Client’s travelers, including, but not limited to, transactional ticket-level, segment-level, and traveler-level information, which may include, without limitation, traveler name and address, origination and destination, corporate and/or personal credit card number, passport number, drivers license, travel preferences, and other special needs or any other sensitive data as may be provided by or behalf of the travelers (“Travel Data”).

Decision Source (DS)

A BCD Travel product that allows our customers to interact with their reservation data.

delegate rate

An inclusive rate for meetings on a daily basis. Twenty-four hour delegate rate also includes accommodation. Phrase primarily used in the U.K.

denied boarding compensation (DBC)

Commonly called “bumping,” – When more passengers arrive to take a flight than can actually fit on the plane; although legal, the carrier is only responsible for providing compensation to a traveler if he/she has a confirmed reservation and is checked in and has arrived at the departure gate within a pre-determined time period; compensation may be in cash or in a voucher for future travel; passengers who voluntarily relinquish their seats are compensated with a cash payment or voucher towards a future trip and are then accommodated on the next available flight; if an airline delivers a bumped passenger to his/her destination within an hour of the originally-scheduled time, no compensation is required.

deregulation

Originally applied to American air travel: in 1978, federal law phased out the civil Aeronautics Board and stopped government intervention or regulation of airline routes and fares.

destination

The final stopping place as shown on the ticket; the furthest point on a fare component used to price an itinerary.

Destination Management Company

Company, possibly an incoming tour operator, who organizes local ground services at destination.

differential

The difference between the fares for two different classes of service between two cities; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

direct fare

The fare for one-way or half round-trip travel visa the shortest route operated between two cities.

direct flight

A flight from origin to destination that makes one or more intermediate stops, but passengers do not change planes.

directional fare

Fare valid only in a specified direction of travel.

discount fare

Transportation fare lower than the full published tariff for an airline’s route. A discount fare usually entails certain stipulations regarding purchase or travel (space availbility).

DMC (see “Destination Management Company”)

Domestic travel.

Travel wholly within any one country; typically used to designate intra-US travel.

A hotel room with two double beds and/or accommodating 2-4 people.

double booking

The practice of making reservations for two or more flights, cars or hotels as a type of backup; considered to be unethical.

double occupancy

The way in which almost all cruise fares and tour packages are quoted, that is, based on two people traveling together. Most hotel rooms are quoted based on two adults to a room, as well.

double open jaw (DOJ)

Travel in which the outbound departure point and arrival and the inbound point of departure and arrival are not the same.

To move a passenger to a lower class of service or accommodation.

drop-off charge

A fee charged for dropping a rental car at a different location from where it was picked up.

Being exempt from any import tax.

economy class

The rear area of the aircraft in which passengers having paid one of the lower fare types are seated.

electronic miscellaneous document – Associated (EMD-A)

Document that allows for the fulfillment of all flight related services and fees (such as bags, seats, meals, etc.). An EMD or EMD-A is linked to a specific eticket coupon in the airline’s database.

electronic miscellaneous document – Standalone (EMD-S)

Non-flight related services (such as lounge access or change fee collection) a stand alone EMD, a EMD-S is issued. To issue an EMD-S a manually created service segment must be in the PNR. Specific services that can be charged on an EMD-S is dependent on the airline’s own requirements.

electronic ticket (eticket)

An airline transportation ticket that is entirely in a GDS; no physical ticket is required for travel.

EMD (see “electronic miscellaneous document”)

Endorsement.

Permission from the plating carrier, the ticketed carrier or the carrier losing air space for the traveler to use the flight coupon(s) for travel on another airline at no additional cost; usually only required for international tickets.

end-on-end combination

A special type of combination in which two round trip fares are combined to produce a complete itinerary.

In this example, the passenger buys a round trip ticket from AAA to BBB (Rule 1), and a separate round trip fare from BBB to CCC (Rule 2). The net effect is to travel from AAA to CCC, but breaking the fare at BBB, which may in some cases be less expensive than the round trip (through) fare from AAA to CCC.

equivalent fare paid

An amount converted into the currency of the country of payment when the published fare is in a currency other than that of the country of payment.

ERA (see “European Regions Airline Association”)

Eastern Standard Time. A time zone in the US, also known as Eastern Time or ET.

Electronic System for Travel Authorization. ESTA is a free, automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program. The ESTA application collects the same information collected on Form I-94W. ESTA applications may be submitted at anytime prior to travel, though it is recommended travelers apply when they begin preparing travel plans.

Estimated Time of Arrival. A measure of when an object is expected to arrive at a certain place.

Estimated Time of Departure or Delivery. The expected start time of a particular journey or the expected delivery of a good or service.

e-ticket (see “electronic ticket”)

Electronic Ticket Record.

European Regions Airline Association

Association which aims to identify, protect and promote the interests of regional air transport in Europe. Over 170 memebers including airlines, aircraft manufacturers and airports. www.eraa.org

excess baggage

Baggage in excess of the allowable number, size or weight.

The process of reissuing a ticket due to a change of flight, fare basis, dates or routing.

excursion fare

Round-trip fare with restrictions, such as minimun and maximum stays and the need to purchase well in advance.

executive card

Types of privilege cards available to frequent users of airlines, hotel chains, car rental companies, etc. Most carry benefits and have their own brand names, e.g. British Airways Executive Blue, Executive Silver, Executive Gold and Premier.

executive room

Higher grade than standard room and usually slightly larger, the executive room often has additional facilities for the business traveler such as trouser press, desk etc. and may be located on a separate Executive Club Floor.

Expatriot (or expat)

An expatriate (in abbreviated form, expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person’s upbringing or legal residence.

explant/ outplant/ offsite

Branch office dedicated to serving a single client that is not located on the client’s premises, but rather operates as a separate part of a BTC.

familiarization tour

A complimentary or reduced-rate travel program for travel agents, airline or rail employees, which is designed to acquaint participants with specific destinations. Often known as “Fam-Trips”.

family plan

A hotel rate that allows children to stay free with adults in the same room.

A combination of letters and numbers used to identify a fare type which may also indicate the rules of the fare

fare component

A fare between two points.

fare ladder

A vertically-written fare construction that includes fare components, surcharges and additional amounts collected.

• fee – bundled air transaction fee An air transaction fee that includes the costs associated with servicing air, hotel and car transactions. Therefore, hotel and car only bookings (not to exceed XX% of air bookings) are not charged a transaction fee.
• fee – management fee Fee assessed in addition to direct costs. Covers primarily overhead and profit. Can be assessed as % of sales, per transaction or fixed amount.
• fee – management fee structure (formerly cost plus offering) Client fee arrangement whereby direct expenses are passed through to the client in addition to management fee. Management fee could be % of sales, fixed fee, or per transaction.
• fee – online booking tool fee (PNR fee) Charged per unique reserved PNR. Additional fees may be assessed for transactions booked on a website accessed via the online booking tool.
• fee – online transaction fee (e-fulfillment fee) Charged per online transaction – that excludes any ‘flow through costs’ charged by the online booking tool provider.
• fee – transaction fee structure Client fee arrangement whereby client is billed per transaction for all major program costs including direct expenses and contribution to overhead and profit, usually at POS.
• fee – unbundled (menu) transaction fee Separately charged per each type of transaction, e.g. hotel, car, rail and air. AM and MIS costs might also be charged separately.

final destination

The last point on an itinerary/fare component.

first class

The cabin on an aircraft where there are fewer seats, more elaborate service and amenities.

FIT (see “Fully Independent Traveler”)

Flag carrier.

The airline that internationally represents a given country; sometimes financed or owned by the government.

flight coupon

A section of an airline ticket; one flight coupon is required to take each flight.

flight/time specific

A fare rule that requires a to fly on a specific flight or at a specific time of day.

FOI (see “Form of Indemnity”)

Form of Payment. The method of payment for a transaction.

form of indemnity

A form that needs to be completed by the passenger in order to claim refund in respect of an air ticket that has been misplaced or stolen.

frequent flyer number

Find out what a frequent flyer number is and how to get one

frequent flyer program

An airline loyalty program that provides awards to travelers who use an airline or its partners.

frequent guest program

A hotel loyalty program that provides awards to guests who use a hotel chain.

frequent renter program

A car rental loyalty program that provides services (such as fast pickup) to those who use a car rental vendor.

front office (FO)

An industry term used for products associated with customer-facing activities. The GDS is a front office system.

fuel surcharge

A surcharge assessed for fuel use applicable for travel between specified points and/or for departure from a specified city.

Hotel rate with accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

full economy

This is a fully flexible, fully refundable ticket which is valid for one year from date of issue in economy class.

full exchange

Change an already ticketed reservation, with no flown flight segments.

full to full exchange

Change to a ticketed reservation when no segments are flown and the change is to any segment other than the outbound flights. Or when a segment has been flown and there is a change to a remaining flight segment. In either of these instances, the FULL value of the original ticket must be exchanged for the ‘combined’ FULL value of the new ticket.

fully independent traveler

A traveler / tourist not part of a tour group.

One of the world’s CRSs (GDSs).

Area in an airport where passengers for a flight gather before boarding their flight or deplane on arrival.

gateway city

The last domestic city from which a passenger departs prior to arriving at an international destination; the first point of arrival in a given country (e.g., on the journey SFO-CHI-FRA-MUC, CHI and FRA are gateway cities).

GDS (see “ Global Distribution System “)

Gds operations (gdso).

An industry term for computer reservation systems that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines.

GEBTA (see “Guild of European Business Travel Agents)

In the credit card industry a system used by corporations whereby travel related charges made through designated travel agencies are centrally billed but no plastic card actually exists. Often referred to as “Lodge card” in Europe.

global distribution system

An industry term for computer reservation systems that book and sell tickets for multiple airlines.  Learn more

global indicator

Two-letter code used to identify the direction of travel applicable to a given fare.

governing carrier

The airline whose fares and rules are used on a given itinerary.

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)

Solar based time in Greenwich, England, from which time in all other time zones in the world is based.

ground time

The time not flying.

A booking solution that allows the booking and managing of all ground transportation services, such as limousines, executive sedans, taxis, vans and parking services.

A fare that offers discounts to groups of varying minimum sizes in selected markets, with various conditions, and usually require round trip travel within a specified time limit.

guaranteed hotel reservations

This means that the hotel will hold the room all night. However if the room is not required, failure to cancel will result in a charge. Where reservations are made on an ad hoc basis, rather than through a regular account arrangement, a credit card number will be required to effect this guaranteed reservation.

Hotel rate for accommodation, breakfast and one other meal.

half round trip fare

Half of a fare designated for use on round-trip journeys.

Fee or tax some countries or cities levy on arriving or departing travelers.

Half of the globe; the North and South hemispheres are divided by the Equator; the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans divide the East and West hemispheres.

higher intermediate point (HIP)

A pair of cities within a one-way or half round-trip fare component that has a direct fare higher than the direct fare between the origin and destination of the fare component; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

hotel sourcing

Hotel sourcing or procurement is the process of identifying, negotiating and contracting with hotels to secure accommodations for a specific group, event or organization.

An airport at which an airline centers many of its schedules, particularly connecting flights to smaller destinations.

(see “International Air Transport Association”)*

IATA Number (see “ARC Number”)

Iata rate of exchange (roe).

Rates of exchange designated by IATA to convert local currency to NUCs and to convert NUCs into the currency of commencement of travel.

ICAO (see “International Civil Aviation Organization”)

Interline e-ticket. An interline agreement between airlines that allow e-ticketing on each other’s flights. Interline agreement between airlines permitting travel service cooperation in areas such as: baggage transfer services, guaranteed connection times.

IGK (see “International Gatekeeper”)

Immigration.

Area at which a traveler’s documentation (e.g., Passport and Visa) are verified to ensure the traveler may enter the country.

implant (on-site)

Dedication operational team, based within an office of the client.

implementation

Phase of launching a new relationship, including e.g. opening a new location, training staff, installing technical equipment, and informing clients, travelers and travel arrangers.

inbound travelers

Travelers coming into a specified location are considered inbound. Travelers departing from the location are considered outbound.

A traveler who has not yet reached his/her second birthday.

Term used in the U.S. to describe an implant.

international departure taxes

Taxes levied on all travelers departing a country on an international journey that are, typically collected at the airport at the time of departure.

Between two airlines; TUS-HP-DEN-UA-LON is an interline journey.

interline baggage agreement

An agreement between two air carriers that a carrier will transfer baggage to the other carrier.

interline connection

When a passenger changes airlines as well as aircraft during a journey (same as off-line connection).

interline ticketing agreement

An agreement between two air carriers that permits air travel of one carrier to be on a ticket issued and/or ‘plated’ on another carrier.

intermediate point

A ticketed point of an international journey at which there is no fare break; an intermediate point may be a stopover or connection.

intermediate stop

An enroute stop at a city between the origin and destination (see also Direct Flight).

International Air Transport Association

The world trade association of international air carriers; appoints travel agencies to sell tickets; determines rules and regulations for international carriers. www.iata.org

International Civil Aviation Organization

Specialed agency of the United Nations with responsibility for civil aviation action in standardization, technical co-operation and the formulation of international aviation law. www.iaco.int

A chronological plan showing a traveler’s booked arrangement.

A special through fare (usually only internationally) that permits travel on two or more different airlines.

The origin to final destination of a fare construction.

BCD Travel provides support for KDS. KDS provides an online booking platform for the confirmation of air, car, hotel and rail itineraries.

On outbound journeys, landside includes all those areas of the terminal before you arrive at passport control. On inbound journeys, landside includes all those areas of the terminal after you’re through passport control.

last date of purchase

The date by which a ticket must be issued – fares are not guaranteed until tickets are issued.

last room availability (LRA)

A hotel industry term for ensuring a negotiated rate is always available when standard inventory is available or when the room type negotiated is available.

LDW (see “Loss Damage Waiver”)

One flight; one part of an entire journey.

Lowest Fare Routing. The least expensive airfare available to a destination.

local currency fare (LCF)

See Country Of Payment (COP).

locator reference

Unique identifying booking number used within a computer reservations system as part of a booking file.

In the credit card industry a system used by corporations whereby travel related charges made through designated travel agencies are centrally billed but no plastic card actually exists. Often referred to as “Ghost Card” in the U.S.

Loss Damage Waiver

Additional insurance pertaining to car rentals, covering theft and vandalism in addition to accident damage.

low cost carrier (LCC)

An airline that offers generally low fares in exchange for eliminating many traditional passenger services.

lowest combination principle

Construction of a fare using a particular combination of sector fares to provide the lowest fare when there is no published fare between two points.

Marine Travel

Specialized travel services, available 24/7, provides travel arrangements (including helicopters and charter aircraft) for marine personnel.

Market Number (MK)

A code all online booking tools (OBTs) add at the time each reservation is made, as a way to track PNRs for online adoption and fulfillment purposes. It should never be removed once added to the PNR.

Married Segments

Two or more connecting flight segments joined, or “married,” meaning that these segments are inseparable and the subsequent rebooking or cancellation of any one flight segment must, at the same time, be applied to the connecting flight segment.

maximum permitted mileage (MPM)

The number of miles that may be flown on a published direct fare between origin and destination; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

maximum stay

The maximum amount of time a traveler may stay at a destination before return is required.

MCO (see “Miscellaneous Change Order”)

Meetings, Incentives and Corporate Events. An industry term for a department within a company that offers meeting planning services to customers. BCD Travel’s department is called BCD M&E

midoffice (MO)

An industry term for the management information (MIS) portion of a travel agency’s system.

mileage fare

A fare based on the total miles flown from the origin to destination; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

mileage surcharge

A percentage of fare increase applied to a fare because the routing exceeds the maximum permitted mileage; the percentage is in 5% increments to a maximum of 25%; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

minimum connection time

The amount of time required to change planes; varies by airport and often varies by carrier.

minimum stay

The minimum time a travel traveler must stay at a destination (or be gone ‘away from home’ internationally) before return travel can commence.

miscellaneous charge order (MCO)

An accountable document issued by a travel agency or airline as proof of payment for a specific fee (such as pet service fee) or as residual amount of an exchange (higher priced ticket exchanged for a lower priced ticket) to be used on a future purchase.

Mountain Standard Time. A time zone in the US, also known as Mountain Time or MT.

National Business Travel Association

U.S. business travel association which is a member of IBTA. www.nbta.org

NBTA (see “National Business Travel Association”)

New distribution capability. Read more

negotiated fare/rate

This is a term used by travel agents to descibe reduced airfares that have been negotiated by their air fare specialists on behalf of clients.

neutral units of construction (NUC)

An imaginary currency established by IATA that allows fares of different currencies to be added together; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

Non Last Room Availability. A hotel industry term for restricting availability of a negotiated rate when occupancy levels are high. Negotiated room rate is not guaranteed to be available.

Net Operating Income. A financial term for the amount by which operating revenue exceeds operating expenses in a specific accounting period.

non-endorsable

This expression often appears in the endorsements box of an airline ticket and it means that the flight coupon on which the worlds appear may be used only on the services of the airline indicated.

non-refundable(NR)

A ticket issued on a fare that does not allow for a refund; most non-refundable tickets can be changed for a fee and any difference in fare.

normal fares

The full fare established for first, business, economy or an intermediate class and any other fares published designated as normal fares.

normal open jaw (NOJ)

Travel from a country and return to the same country with a surface sector at either the origin or turnaround point (single open jaw – SOJ) or at both the origin and the turnaround point (double open jaw – DOJ).

An airline passenger or hotel guest who fails to use and/or cancel a reservation.

National Transportation Safety Board. An independent US government agency that investigates accidents including aviation, highway, marine, pipelines and railroads.

OBT and OBLT (see Online Booking Tool”)

Off-airport location.

Usually a car rental office serving an airport but physically located off the airport site (and often picking up renters at the airport in buses or taxis). When the office is located on-site, the term used is on airport location.

A destination that a carrier does not serve; see also Interline.

off-line connections

When a traveler changes airlines as well as aircraft during a journey (may also be referred to as interline connection). Changes of aircraft with the same airline are known as on-line connections.

offline transaction (traditional transaction)

A transaction that initated by an agent following a call/email request by a client.

Time of year or day of the week when travel is less common.

off-line point

Airline term to describe points (areas or cities) they do not serve.

off-loading

This occurs when an airline has over-booked: that is, it has sold more seats on a particular flight than the aircraft has to offer. The passengers to be off-loaded are usually those who have paid the lowest fares. Off-loaded passengers will normally qualify for denied boarding compensation. Passengers may also be off-loaded at the captain’s discretion if they are unfit to travel due to drink, drugs, illness or for bad behavior.

BCD Travel is a re-seller of onesto. On-esto provides an online booking platform for the confirmation of air, car, hotel and rail itineraries.

Online Booking Tool

A web-based platform allowing travelers to make self-service reservations (e.g. Cliqbook, GetThere).

operating carrier

In a codeshare, the airline providing the plane, crew and ground handling services.

online or online point

On the same carrier; TUS-UA-DEN-UA-LON is an online journey.

online adoption

An account’s use of their predetermined online booking tool.

online high touch transaction

A transaction that originates via an online booking tool, but then requires more than one agent intervention (one touch).

online low touch transaction

A transacion that originates via an online booking tool, and then requires agent intervention or manual review/processing that is initated by the customer.

online transaction fee

(E-fulfillment fee) A fulfillment fee canged per online trasaction – that excludes any ‘flow through costs’ charged by the online booking tool provider.

A BCD Travel office located at/on/in a client’s location.

Term used to describe the principle of showing a client the complete cash-flow cycle, including commissions and overrides.

open date sector

Part of a journey for which no firm reservation has been made (usually owing to changeable plans on the part of the traveler) but for which the fare has been paid.

open jaw ticket

Where passengers fly out to one destination and return from another. Open jaw arrangements save backtracking and make a trip more cost effective.

Much-used term for unrestricted air services between several countries.

open ticket

A ticket valid for transportation between two points but has no specific flight reservation.

originating carrier

The first airline of a passenger’s journey and/or portion of a trip.

Other Service Information. A GDS entry that provides information to a carrier that does not require action for traveler action such as contract discount code, record locators of additional family members traveling together (TCP), age information for children/infants, etc.

Travel from the point of origin to the farthest destination.

outplant (off-site)

Dedication operational team, based within a BTC office.

overbooking

Also known as bumping. Airlines and hotels can predict, with some accuracy, how many travelers/guests will show up for previously made reservations; when more people show up than what is expected, travelers/guests are re-accommodated; see also Denied Boarding Compensation.

Abbreviations for ‘passport and visa’ used in the U.K. Some affliates have a specialist team which advises on and acquires passports/visa on behalf of their clients.

Pacific Asia Travel Association

Association which aims to promote travel to Asia Pacific. www.pata.org

PAR (see “Passenger Account Record”)

Passenger account record.

In Galileo, the profile showing passenger information.

passenger facility charges

An airport-designated surcharge to raise funds for airport expansion, renovation, operating costs, etc.

passenger name record

Record held within a CRS/GDS which gives the personal details associated with a particular booking.

An official document issued by a government to its citizens that establishes an individual’s identity and nationality and enables travel abroad.

PATA (see “Pacific Asia Travel Association”)

Abbreviation for passengers.

Payment Card Industry. Security standards set to help protect account data information.

Time of year or day of the week when travel is most common.

A fee charged by a carrier or vendor for changing and/or canceling a reservation or ticket.

Per diem is a daily allowance given to an employee to cover business travel expenses such as lodging, meals and incidentals while traveling for the company. Learn more about per diem .

Penalty excursion fare. Public excursion fare are within minimum stay requirements, but which has no advanced purchase requirements.

PIR (see “Property Irregularity Report”)

Plate / plated.

See Validating Carrier.

PMS (see “Property Management System”)

Pnr (see “passenger name record”).

Purchase Order. A commercial document issued by a buyer to a seller that indicates the quantities and agreed upon prices for products / services.

point-to-point fares

De-regulation has led to a growing number of these on routes throughout the world. They are low fares in first, business, or economy class between two points by direct flights. Stopovers are usually, but not always, prohibited.

Point of Service or Point of Sale. The time and place in which a transaction is made.

prepaid ticket advice (PTA)

A form used when a person is buying a ticket that will be issued at the airport of the same or a different city. Example: A ticket purchased in Chicago to be picked up by the traveler in and for a departure from Buenos Aires.

pre-trip auditing

A product offered by travel management companies that allows for the review of travel itineries before departure to identify savings or prevent unnecessary expenditure.

pricing unit (PU)

A journey, or part of a journey which can be priced and ticketed as a separate entity; a round-trip, circle trip, one-way, normal open jaw or special open jaw; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

pricing unit concept (PUC)

An alternative method of fare construction for multiple-stopover journeys that uses pricing units; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

primary carrier

Airline flying the governing sector (prime segment).

prime segment

The first “true” international journey; often called the “over-the-water” segment; see also Gateway.

A computerized file containing company and traveler information.

promotional fare

A fare designed to attract passengers who would not otherwise travel.

proof of citizenship

Documentation that establishes nationality.

property irregularity report

Form submitted by passengers to ground handling agents at airports in the event of loss or damaged baggage.

property management system

Computer-based system for controlling hotel inventory, check-in and -out and billing.

Pacific Standard Time. A time zone in the US, also known as Pacific Time or PT.

PTA (see “Pre-paid Ticket Advice”)

Public fares (air).

Fares that anyone can obtain and is available in a regular fare display.

Quality of Service Index. An index developed by the Civil Aeronautics Board to provide a comparative rating of service offered by individual airlines.

A computer’s electronic filing system. Also a contact center term for the holding point for a number of calls or interactions that are waiting to be answered by an agent. The calls or interactions are usually assigned to available agents in a first-arrived, first-answered basis, but may also be assigned based on a company’s routing strategies.

queue group

A contact center term for a group of virtual queues. Also referred to as a DN Group or Group of Queues.

The official posted rate for each hotel room.

rate desk (see “International Rate Desk”)

Rate of exchange (roe) (see “iata rate of exchange”), rearden commerce.

BCD Travel is a referrer for Rearden. Rearden provides an online booking platform for the confirmation of air, car, hotel and rail itineraries.

reason codes (RC)

An industry term for codes used to document and report on traveler decisions and behavior.

reconfirmation

Particularly on international flights, passengers are required to indicate their intention of using the next leg of their itinerary by contacting the appropriate carrier before departure; internationally, reconfirmation is requested 72 hours prior to departure.

record locator

A computerized number that identifies a Passenger Name Record – PNR or other reservation; when speaking to travelers, usually called a confirmation number.

red-eye flight

Usually an overnight flight that arrives early in the morning – great when you don’t want to lose precious sightseeing time at your destination.

If necessary for a passenger to change journey en route, the ticket must be reissued. The value of the original ticket will be offset against the new fare and any extra or refund, calculated. Settlement can be direct with airline or with referral to the issuing agent.

BCD Travel is a re-seller for ResX. ResX provides an online booking platform for the confirmation of air, car, hotel and rail itineraries.

return journey

A journey for which the fare is assessed as a single pricing unit using half round-trip fares.

revalidation

If the passenger’s travel date or flight needs to be changed, without affecting the route, there is not always a need to reissue the ticket. The relevant flight coupon is simply revalidated by means of a revalidation sticker.

Revenue Per Available Room. A hotel industry measure that calculates room revenue divided by rooms available (occupancy times average room rate will closely approximate RevPAR.)

Rate Loading Instructions. A hotel industry term for the instructions provided to hotel properties for loading client-specific or TMC-specific rate codes as displayed in the GDS.

room with facilities

Describes a hotel room which has a bathroom en-suite. In some smaller two-star or three-star hotels facilities may refer to toilet and washbasin only.

round-the-world (RTW) (see “Around-the-World”)

A trip that begins and ends in the same city with no un-flown portions; internationally, with the same dollar amount on both portions .

route deal / route incentive

An agreement between a corporate customer and an airline. The agreement allows for an incentive payment to be made to the cient by the airline as a reward for loyalty.

The carrier and/or cities and/or class of service and/or aircraft type via which transportation is provided between two points.

routing fare

A fare based on a specified routing.

run-of-the-house (ROH)

A flat rate for which a hotel offers any of its available rooms.

Schengen Visa

A special visa that permits holders to travel to any of the 25 Schengen member countries on a single visa (rather than obtaining a visa for each country. It is only issued to citizens of countries who are required to obtain a visa before entering Europe for leisure, tourism or business travel. Schengen Visa holders are not permitted to live permanently or work in Europe. The following countries are currently active Schengen Visa members: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

A specific time of year for a fare; High Season is the most popular time of year to travel to a specific destination and fares are more expensive at that time; Low Season is the least popular time of year to travel to a specific destination and fares are less expensive at that time; Fares affected by seasonality are usually indicated as such by fare basis coding and/or seasonality details listed in the fare’s rules.

The distance between aircraft seats, measured in inches and commonly used to show a passenger’s legroom.

security surcharge

Surcharge assessed by a carrier to cover costs of airport and in-flight security.

secondary carrier

Airline(s) flying the sectors preceding and/or succeeding the prime segment.

A journey from one point to another.

A flight; see Leg.

self-service reservations

Situation where the traveler makes his/her own reservations. A reservation generated by the customer using an online booking tool.

selling carrier

In a codeshare, the airline offering the flight for sale, under their vendor code

service fee

A fee charged by a travel agency to a company/individual for travel services.

Service Level Agreement

An agreement stating measurable performance commitments made to our customers.

Regular or schedulable bus/van transportation such as from an airport to a downtown location; regular air service on heavily-traveled routes (e.g., BOS-LGA).

A journey from and/or to an enroute point of a fare component.

Accommodations designed for one person.

SLA (see “Service Level Agreement”)

Designated take-off and landing times allocated to airlines at certain airports.

soft opening

Period when new hotel is open for business although not entirely finished – some services of facilities may not yet operate.

Standard Operating Procedure. A set of instructions that define the official standard for a specific process or situation.

Scope of Services. A document that defines the number, type, and intensity or complixity of services to be provided.

space available

Confirmation of a reservation subject to availability at the last moment.

special needs

Atypical traveler needs such as a special meal or wheelchair service.

split ticket(ing)

Issuance of two or more tickets usually for the purpose of obtaining a lower fare; usually applied to international itineraries to take advantage of fare and/or currency conversion differences.

Spouse fare

This type of are applies to selected destinations on a round-trip only basis and offers a discount of 50% to the spouse of a full first class or business class passenger. Economy passengers also qualify where there is no business fare.

SSR (see “Self Service Reservation”)

Special Service Request. A GDS request for a carrier to provide additional action for a traveler such as special meal, ticket number transmission, wheelchair, etc.

standard room

The normal hotel room type, generally with television, and en-suite bathroom.

A passenger on waitlist or one prepared to travel if space becomes available at the last moment.

Interruption of travel for more than domestic US – 4 hours; domestic US as part of an international journey – 12 hours; international – 24 hours .

stopover charge

An additional fee assessed for making a stopover.

STP (see “Satellite Ticket Printer”)

Any extra literature included with the delivery of travel documents.

sub-journey

A self-contained pricing unit that is combined end-on-end with another self-contained pricing unit on the same ticket; this fare construction principle is only used internationally.

surcharge (Q)

An airline-imposed fee included in fare calculations; see also Excess Mileage Surcharge, Fuel Surcharge, and Security Surcharge.

surface sector

Travel from one point or another not by air (ARNK – which stands for Arrival Not Known).

Travel 24. A BCD Travel department that services customers 24 hours a day when their normal business office is closed.

Ticket Fulfillment Location. An industry term for a virtual ticket printer that is shared by various BCD Travel ARC ticketing locations on the same GDS.

through fare

A fare applicable for transportation via an enroute city(ies) between the origin and destination of the fare that allows for intermediate points of travel.

A contract of carriage for an airline to transport a passenger from one point to another.

ticket on departure

Transportation ticket collected at the point of departure such as an airline ticket counter at an airport.

ticketed point

A city for which a flight coupon has been issued.

time and mileage rate

Car rental rate based on fixed charge for the rental period plus a charge for each kilometer or mile driven during the period of the rental.

TOD (see “Ticket on Departure”)

Tourist card.

A registration form required by certain countries indicating a traveler’s intended stay; used in lieu of a Visa and common in Latin America.

transaction

A Ticket issued; defined as all airline and rail tickets (electronic and paper) issued by BCD Travel or reserved by BCD Travel through a third party, regardless of whether the ticket is subsequently used, refunded, or voided in whole or in part. Cancellation of a reservation before a ticket is issued is not considered a transaction. Optional: Hotel and car booking made, regardless of whether or not the traveler uses the hotel or car reservation.

transaction – domestic air

Domestic – travel between two destinations that are within the same country. e.g. Frankfurt to Berlin

transaction – regional air

Regional – Travel within the same continent. e.g. Madrid to London

transaction – international air

International – Travel between two continents. e.g. New York to London

transaction – offline – traditional

A transaction that is initiated by an agent following a call/email request by a client

transaction – online high touch

Transaction – online low touch.

A transaction that originates via an online booking tool and then requires agent intervention or manual review/processing that is initiated by the customer.

transaction – online no touch

“Touchless E-fulfillment transaction” An electronic transaction entirely processed through an online booking tool and BCD central fulfillment service, without any agent intervention and where invoicing is provided via email.

A point at which the passenger changes aircraft; if the change is to/from the same carrier, it is an online transfer; if the change is to/from different carriers, it is an interline transfer.

transit lounge

An area within an airport for the sole purpose of international flight connections; travelers do not clear immigration or customs to enter the transit lounge as it is considered to be an international point.

transit point

Any stop at an intermediate point which does not fall into the definition of a stopover whether or not a change of planes is involved.

Travel Management Company

A travel management company (TMC) is a company that provides corporate travel services to businesses.

A BCD Travel umbrella brand name for our technology suite, which includes a variety of products listed below. read more

• TripSource:Active Itinerary A single point of access for traveler and travel arrangers for active and historical travel detail, including real time flight status, itinerary details, destination information and invoicing, billing and expense information.
• TripSource:Flight Alert Keeps travelers informed & productive while on the road by providing flight status information, including delays and real-time gate changes, for BCD Travel bookings.
• TripSource:Fulfillment Drive touch-less transactions with as little human intervention as possible while driving traveler contact behavior to minimize touches.
• TripSource:Portal (TSP) A comprehensive global solution to address traveler needs, travel program and corporation objectives. Arming travelers with rich content, productivity tools and critical safeguards for business travel, TripSource:Portal empowers travel programs as a centralized communications vehicle to deliver relevant, timely information and critical alerts to targeted audiences. The Portal expands traveler services while aligning program needs to drive savings, support business objectives and avoid corporate travel program risks.
• TripSource:Profile Manager (TSPM) Drives optimal data management by integrating profile management and online booking, and promoting secure web-based self-service maintenance of traveler-level detail.
• TripSource:Quality Measurement (TSQM) Ensures a means to track and manage supplier & transaction quality in addition to resolution of client concerns.
• TripSource:Rail Search (TSRS) BCD own rail booking tool for Deutsche Bahn only.
• TripSource:Ticket Tracker BCD manages and recovers committed travel dollars. Based on markets and supplier rules, BCD communicates with travelers to prevent loss of committed funds and when to apply unused funds toward future travel.
• TripSource:Trip Authorizer In response to growing concern for compliance, this module enables clients to implement pre-trip authorization requirements as well as post-ticketing compliance reporting.

Transportation Security Administration

twin for sole use

A twin-bedded reserved for sole occupency and charged out at a rate that falls between the single and double room price.

Two Factor Authentication

Also known as 2FA. Method of accessing a secure environment where a person proves their identity with two of three methods

User-Defined Interface Data. UDID remarks are standard and contain predefined reporting information such as lost hotel night reason codes, merchant billing codes or additional traveler data fields.

unlimited mileage rate

Car rental rate that covers all costs, other than insurance and petrol, for the duration of the rental, regardless of the distance driven.

Move to a better class of airline service, larger rental car or more luxurious hotel room.

validating carrier

Airline designated as the “owning” ticketed carrier; the carrier on whose “plate” the ticket is issued. The validating carrier is the carrier to which payment is submitted and is usually the first carrier on the itinerary (domestic) or the carrier on the first international flight (international). If a ticket is issued on multiple carriers or is validated on a carrier not on the itinerary, the validating carrier is responsible for payment to the other airlines on the ticket.

The process of stamping an air ticket or other airline document, at the time of issue, with the issue date, name and location of the issuing office and its IATA code number. Tickets not bearing such a stamp re invalid and will not be accepted by airlines.

value-added tax (VAT)

A general tax that applies, in principle, to all commercial activities involving the production and distribution of goods and the provision of services.

VAT reclaim

Value-added tax, or VAT, is included in hotel, dining and car rental bills and more when travelers go to countries that assess the tax. It can be a significant expense: VAT rates can be as high as 25%. The good news is most T&E-related VAT is eligible for reclaim. The bad news: In the past, it’s been hard to collect. But automation has made VAT reclaim for European Union transactions much easier. BCD Travel has partnered with VAT-recovery firm Taxeo to automate the process.

virtual credit card (VCC)

A VCC isn’t a physical card, but it has many of the same features as plastic corporate cards.

virtual payment

A virtual payment is a terminal-based payment method where the payment is delivered through a virtual card (VCC) instead of by check or cash.

An endorsement or stamp placed into a passport by officials of a foreign government giving a traveler permission to visit; not all countries require visas.

VCC (Virtual Call Center)

A network of call centers where the client calls one phone number, regardless of where they are based, that will be routed through to an available agent. For multi-national accounts this service would be multi-lingual as appropriate.

Virtual Multiple Purpose Document. A document issued by a travel agency or airline, working with BSP, as proof of payment for transactions and services, either related to an eticket already issued (example: rebooking fees) or for services other than flights (for items like surface transportation, transfers, and excess luggage charges).

A traffic document which has been spoiled or canceled.

Documents issued to confirm arrangements or used to be exchanged for services.

A list of people seeking a travel service that is sold out; generally, as other travelers cancel, waitlisted individuals are confirmed in the order in which their waitlist request was received – sometimes prioritized by frequent traveler membership.

When a hotel is sold out and there are no rooms available for a person who has a confirmed reservation, the hotel provide alternate accommodations at a different hotel.

an agreement to pay to use an aircraft with a crew , fuel, and insurance

wide-body aircraft

Aircraft with wide passenger cabins and seating configurations that require more than one aisle. Current models include Boeing 747, 777 or Airbus A380, A350

system that checks hand luggage at an airport, without damaging, for example, light-sensitive film material or laptops.

Yield Management

is a variable pricing strategy, based on understanding, anticipating and influencing consumer behavior in order to maximize revenue or profits from a fixed, time-limited resource (such as airline seats or hotel room reservations).

Zulu Time Zone (Z) has no offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Zulu Time Zone is often used in aviation and the military as another name for UTC +0. Zulu time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), is the time zone used by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. It is the basis for all other time zones in the world.

2FA, or two-factor authentication, is an extra layer of security used to protect online accounts. In addition to a password, users are also required to enter a code that is sent to their mobile device. This makes it more difficult for hackers to gain access to an account, as they would need to have both the password and the code.

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Demystifying Travel Terminology: A Comprehensive Guide to Common Travel Terms and Questions

Zackary Hooper

Navigating the world of travel jargon can feel like traversing a foreign landscape with no map. From words like “ blackout dates ” and “ yield management ” to abbreviations like OTA , the lexicon is vast and confusing.

Table of Contents

This blog post is your compass, guiding you through the thicket of travel terms, acronyms, insurance details , key expressions and even entry requirements for specific locations such as Belgium.

Are you ready to have your most informed trip yet?

Key Takeaways

• Travel insurance provides coverage and protection for unforeseen events such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and lost luggage.
• It’s important to understand the common exclusions in travel insurance policies , including pre-existing medical conditions , extreme sports activities , war and terrorism incidents, alcohol or drug-related incidents, traveling against government warnings, unreported losses, high-risk destinations, and non-medical evacuations.
• Medical evacuation coverage is crucial for international travelers as it ensures transportation to a suitable medical facility in case of a serious medical emergency or injury while abroad.

Understanding Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is vital to any trip, providing coverage and protection against various unforeseen events such as trip cancellation, medical emergencies, and more.

What is Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is a type of coverage that safeguards you from various risks while you’re on your trip. It serves as a safety net, protecting you against potential financial losses that can occur due to several travel-related issues such as trip cancellation , medical emergencies , and lost luggage .

Just like other types of insurance, it involves paying an upfront premium for coverage over a specific period – the duration of your planned trip. The kind of protections offered may vary significantly between different policies but essentially they ensure peace-of-mind during your travels, providing assistance when unpleasant surprises strike.

Trip Cancellation & Interruption

Understanding trip cancellation and interruption is crucial when it comes to travel insurance. Trip cancellation coverage helps protect you financially if you have to cancel your trip before it even begins.

This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as unexpected illness or injury , severe weather conditions , or other unforeseen events. Interruption coverage, on the other hand, steps in if your trip is cut short for covered reasons.

Having this type of coverage can provide peace of mind knowing that you won’t lose all the non-refundable expenses associated with your travel plans. It’s important to carefully review the policy details and understand what situations are covered under trip cancellation and interruption.

Common Insurance Exclusions

Insurance policies often come with certain exclusions that can affect your coverage. It’s important to be aware of these common exclusions when choosing a travel insurance policy :

• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions : Many insurance policies do not cover expenses related to pre-existing medical conditions, unless you purchase a specific waiver or rider for coverage.
• Extreme Sports and Adventure Activities : Some policies may exclude coverage for injuries or accidents that occur during extreme sports or adventure activities such as skydiving, bungee jumping, or mountaineering.
• War and Terrorism : Insurance policies may have exclusions for losses or damages caused by acts of war, civil unrest, terrorism, or political instability.
• Alcohol or Drug-Related Incidents : Coverage may be denied if an injury or accident occurs while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Traveling Against Government Warnings : If you choose to travel to a destination against government warnings or advisories, your insurance policy may not provide coverage for any resulting incidents.
• Unreported Losses : Insurance companies generally require you to report any losses or incidents within a specific timeframe in order to be eligible for reimbursement.
• High-Risk Destinations : Some insurance policies have exclusions for high-risk destinations where the likelihood of accidents, thefts, or medical emergencies is considered higher than average.
• Non-Medical Evacuations : Not all insurance policies cover non-medical evacuations due to natural disasters, civil unrest, or other events that require immediate evacuation from a location.

Terrorism & Severe Weather Incidents

Terrorism and severe weather incidents are unfortunate events that can disrupt travel plans. It is important for travelers to be aware of these risks and take necessary precautions.

Some travel insurance policies provide coverage for trip cancellation or interruption due to terrorism or severe weather conditions. However, it is essential to carefully review the policy details and exclusions before purchasing insurance.

In case of an emergency, having access to emergency medical insurance and medical evacuation coverage can offer peace of mind. Stay informed about any travel advisories or warnings issued by authorities regarding your destination in order to make informed decisions about your travel plans.

Emergency Medical Insurance

Having emergency medical insurance is essential for international travelers . It provides coverage for unexpected medical expenses that may arise while you are abroad. Accidents and illnesses can happen at any time, so it’s important to be prepared.

With emergency medical insurance, you can have peace of mind knowing that if something unforeseen happens during your trip, you will be financially protected . Don’t leave home without it!

Medical Evacuation

Medical evacuation is a crucial aspect of travel insurance, especially for international travelers . In the unfortunate event of a serious medical emergency or injury while abroad, medical evacuation coverage ensures that you can be transported to the nearest appropriate medical facility for treatment.

This type of coverage typically includes expenses related to air or ground transportation, as well as any necessary medical personnel and equipment . It provides peace of mind knowing that if something unexpected happens during your trip, you will have access to the necessary resources and support to get you the help you need quickly and safely.

Medical evacuation coverage is particularly important when traveling to remote areas with limited healthcare facilities or in instances where local healthcare services may not meet your needs.

Exploring Travel Terminology

In this section, we will dive into the world of travel terminology, providing you with a comprehensive glossary of commonly used travel terms and expressions.

Travel Terms Glossary

This section is dedicated to helping you understand the variety of travel terms you might encounter while planning your trip. Let’s dive into some of the most common travel jargons to help demystify these industry-related terms.

Knowing these terms will help you navigate the industry’s lingo better and ensure you make well-informed travel decisions.

Essential Travel Expressions

As a travel enthusiast, it’s important to familiarize yourself with essential travel expressions. These phrases and expressions will come in handy during your trips, helping you navigate different situations and communicate effectively with locals. Here are some key expressions to remember:

• “Hello” and “Goodbye”
• Greet locals with a friendly “hello” or “good morning/afternoon/evening” depending on the time of day.
• Say “goodbye” when leaving someone or a place.
• “Please” and “Thank you”
• Use these polite phrases when requesting something or expressing gratitude.
• “Excuse me”
• Say this when trying to get someone’s attention or pass through a crowded area.
• “Where is…?”
• If you’re looking for a specific location or landmark, ask locals by saying, “Where is…?”
• “How much does it cost?”
• Use this expression to inquire about the price of an item or service.
• “I need help”
• If you find yourself in need of assistance, don’t hesitate to ask by saying, “I need help.”
• “Do you speak English?”
• This phrase can be helpful if you’re unsure whether the person you’re speaking to understands English.
• “Can I have the bill, please?”
• When you’re ready to pay at a restaurant or cafe, use this expression to request the bill.
• “Could you recommend…”
• If you’re looking for recommendations on places to eat, visit, or things to do, ask locals using this phrase.
• “I’m sorry”
• Apologize if you accidentally bump into someone or make a mistake.

Travel Expressions at the Airport, Hotel, and while Eating Out

When traveling, it’s important to know some common travel expressions that can come in handy at the airport, hotel, and while eating out. Here are some useful phrases for different situations:

• At the airport :
• “ Where is the baggage claim area? ?”
• “ Is there a shuttle service to the hotel? ?”
• “ Could you please direct me to the nearest restroom? ?”
• “ What gate is my flight departing from? ?”
• At the hotel :
• “ Can I have an extra towel, please? ?”
• “ Is breakfast included in the room rate? ?”
• “ What time is checkout? ?”
• “ Could you recommend a good restaurant nearby? ?”
• While eating out :
• “ Do you have any vegetarian options on the menu? ?”
• “ Could I have a glass of water, please? ?”
• “ What’s your specialty dish? ?”
• “ Could we split the bill, please? ?”

Navigating Entry Requirements

Belgium Entry Requirements, Belgium Visa Requirements, and Special Considerations for Brussels Entry. Learn what you need to know before traveling to Belgium! Read more to ensure a smooth entry into the country.

Belgium Entry Requirements

Before you embark on your trip to Belgium, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the entry requirements. Here’s what you need to know:

• Valid Passport : Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure date from Belgium.
• Visa Exemptions : Depending on your nationality, you may be exempt from obtaining a visa for short stays in Belgium (up to 90 days). Check if your country is eligible for visa exemptions.
• Schengen Area : Belgium is part of the Schengen Area, so if you have a valid Schengen visa, you can enter and stay in Belgium. This visa allows for travel within the Schengen countries without additional documentation.
• Proof of Accommodation : You may be required to provide proof of accommodation during your stay in Belgium. This can include hotel reservations or an invitation letter if you’re staying with friends or family.
• Sufficient Funds : It’s important to demonstrate that you have enough funds to cover your expenses during your stay in Belgium. This can be done by showing bank statements or carrying sufficient cash.
• Return Ticket : You may be asked to provide proof of a return or onward ticket when entering Belgium. Make sure you have a copy of your travel itinerary handy.

Belgium Visa Requirements

Belgium has specific visa requirements for travelers based on their nationality, purpose of travel , and duration of stay . Here are the key things you need to know:

• Nationality : Different visa rules apply depending on your nationality. It’s important to check if you need a visa before traveling to Belgium.
• Schengen Visa : Belgium is part of the Schengen Area, which means that a Schengen Visa allows you to travel not only to Belgium but also to other countries in the area. Make sure to apply for a Schengen Visa if needed.
• Purpose of Travel : The type of visa you need will depend on your purpose of travel. Whether it’s for tourism, business, study, or work, there are specific visas available for each category.
• Application Process : To apply for a Belgian visa, you will need to complete an application form and provide supporting documents such as proof of accommodation, travel insurance, financial means, and a valid passport.
• Duration of Stay : The duration of your visa will depend on various factors such as your purpose of travel and the decision made by the Belgian authorities upon your application. Make sure to check the allowed duration before planning your trip.
• Additional Requirements : Certain categories of travelers may have additional requirements when applying for a Belgian visa. For example, students may need an acceptance letter from a Belgian educational institution or researchers may require an invitation from a Belgian research organization.

Special Considerations for Brussels Entry

When planning your trip to Brussels, it’s essential to be aware of the special considerations for entry into the city. One important aspect is understanding the Belgium entry requirements .

Make sure you have a valid passport that is not expiring within six months of your travel dates. Additionally, check if you need a visa based on your nationality and the purpose of your visit .

It’s crucial to research and understand these requirements well in advance to avoid any last-minute complications or surprises at the border. By being prepared and knowledgeable about Brussels’ entry regulations, you can ensure a smooth and hassle-free journey to this beautiful city.

Essential Travel Documents

Understanding Required Travel Documents, such as passports and visas, is crucial for international travelers.

Understanding Required Travel Documents

To have a smooth and hassle-free travel experience, it’s important to understand the required travel documents . These documents vary depending on your destination and citizenship. For example, if you’re planning to visit Belgium, you’ll need to have a valid passport .

It’s also advisable to check if there are any additional visa requirements for your particular country of origin. If you’re a student traveling internationally, keep in mind that certain countries may have specific considerations or restrictions for students entering their borders.

Ensuring you have all the necessary travel documents will help avoid any last-minute complications during your trip.

Belgium Passport Requirements

To enter Belgium, you will need to meet certain passport requirements. Here are the key details:

• Validity : Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your planned departure date from Belgium.
• Blank Pages : Make sure your passport has enough blank pages for entry and exit stamps.
• Visa-Free Travel : If you are a citizen of a visa-exempt country, you can enter Belgium for tourist or business purposes without a visa. However, if you plan to stay longer than 90 days, you may need to apply for a long-stay visa or residence permit .
• Schengen Area : Belgium is part of the Schengen Area , which means that if you have a valid Schengen visa, it allows you to travel within the Schengen countries without additional visas.
• Non-Schengen Nationals : If you are not a citizen of a Schengen country or do not have a valid Schengen visa, you may need to apply for a Schengen visa at the Belgian embassy or consulate in your home country before traveling to Belgium.

Student Travel Considerations

As a student traveler, there are some important considerations to keep in mind before heading off on your adventure. First and foremost, it’s crucial to have the necessary travel documents in order.

Make sure you have a valid passport that will not expire during your trip. Additionally, if you’re traveling to certain countries or regions, you may need a visa, so be sure to check the entry requirements beforehand.

Another important consideration is travel insurance . While it may be an additional expense, having travel insurance can offer peace of mind and protect you from unforeseen circumstances such as trip cancellations or medical emergencies.

Look for a policy that includes coverage for medical expenses and emergency evacuation.

Lastly, budgeting is key when planning your student travel experience. Determine how much money you’ll need for transportation, accommodations, meals, activities, and any other expenses you anticipate.

It’s also wise to set aside some extra funds for unexpected costs that may arise during your journey.

Tips for Choosing and Using Travel Insurance

When choosing travel insurance, research and prioritize coverage that aligns with your specific needs.

Researching and Prioritizing Coverage

To make sure you have the right travel insurance for your trip, it’s important to do some research and prioritize your coverage. Start by identifying what types of coverage are most important to you, such as trip cancellation or medical evacuation .

Look for insurance providers that offer these specific benefits and compare their policies. Make sure to read the policy details carefully, paying attention to any exclusions or limitations .

It’s also a good idea to check if your credit card or existing insurance policies provide any travel-related coverage that may overlap with a separate travel insurance policy. By taking the time to research and prioritize your coverage needs, you can find the best travel insurance policy for peace of mind during your trip.

Understanding Policy Details

Understanding the details of your travel insurance policy is crucial for making informed decisions. It’s important to research and prioritize coverage that suits your needs. Take the time to read through the policy thoroughly, paying attention to exclusions and limitations .

Make sure you understand what is covered in terms of trip cancellation, emergency medical expenses, and other potential incidents. Don’t forget to bring a copy of your insurance information with you on your trip, so you have it readily available if needed.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to contact your insurance provider for assistance or clarification on any policy details.

Bringing Insurance Information on the Trip

To ensure a smooth and stress-free trip, it’s important to bring along all the necessary insurance information . This includes having copies of your travel insurance policy documents readily available in both digital and physical formats .

In case of any emergencies or unforeseen events , having easy access to your insurance details will help you navigate through any potential challenges with ease. It’s also advisable to save the contact information for your insurance provider on your phone or write it down for quick reference.

By being prepared and organized with your insurance information, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re covered throughout your journey.

Contacting Insurance Provider for Assistance

If you find yourself in need of assistance during your trip , don’t hesitate to reach out to your travel insurance provider. They are there to help you navigate any unexpected situations or emergencies that may arise.

Whether it’s a medical emergency, lost luggage, or trip cancellation , contacting your insurance provider is the first step towards resolving the issue. They can provide guidance on what steps to take next and may be able to offer reimbursement for any expenses incurred .

Don’t forget to have your insurance information readily available when reaching out for assistance.

Supplemental Coverage Options

I want to mention some additional coverage options that you may consider when purchasing travel insurance. These options can provide extra protection and peace of mind during your trip.

• Baggage Loss/Delay Coverage : This coverage reimburses you for the loss, theft, or damage to your baggage or personal belongings during your trip. It can also provide compensation if your baggage is delayed for a certain period of time.
• Trip Delay/Cancellation Coverage : This coverage helps reimburse you for expenses incurred due to trip delays or cancellations beyond your control. It can cover costs like hotel accommodations, meals, and transportation if your trip is delayed or canceled due to covered reasons such as severe weather, airline strikes, or natural disasters.
• Travel Medical Insurance : While emergency medical insurance is usually included in standard travel insurance policies, it’s worth considering supplemental coverage for more comprehensive medical protection. This can include coverage for pre-existing conditions, emergency dental treatment, and medical evacuation.
• Rental Car Collision Coverage : If you plan on renting a car during your trip, this optional coverage can help protect you against the cost of damages to the rental vehicle in case of an accident or theft.
• Adventure Sports Coverage : If you’re planning on participating in adventurous activities like skiing, scuba diving, or bungee jumping, this optional coverage can provide additional protection specifically tailored to these types of activities.

Conclusion on Travel Terms

Understanding travel terminology is crucial for navigating the complexities of the travel industry . By demystifying common terms and providing a comprehensive guide to insurance, entry requirements, and essential documents , this article equips readers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and have a smoother travel experience.

Start exploring the world with confidence and a better understanding of the travel jargon that comes along with it.

FAQs on Travel Terms

1. what is the meaning of the term “layover” in travel.

A layover refers to a scheduled stop during a journey where passengers stay at an airport for a certain period of time before continuing their flight to the final destination.

2. How do I book a non-stop flight?

To book a non-stop flight, simply select the option when searching for flights on an airline’s website or through a travel booking platform. A non-stop flight means there are no stops or connections between your departure and arrival airports.

3. What does “checked baggage” mean?

Checked baggage refers to luggage that is taken from passengers at the check-in counter and transported in the cargo hold of an aircraft rather than being carried onto the plane as carry-on baggage.

4. Are cancellations refundable when I book with a budget airline?

Refund policies vary among budget airlines, but generally, they have stricter cancellation policies compared to full-service airlines. It’s important to review the terms and conditions of your ticket purchase or contact customer service for information regarding cancellations and possible refunds.

About the author

I’ve been fortunate to visit over fifty countries, each journey leaving a unique footprint on my life’s map. From bustling cities to serene nature trails, I’ve immersed myself in different cultures and experiences, constantly broadening my understanding of the world. On this site, I share my travel stories, tips, and insights, hoping to inspire others to embark on their own journeys. Join me as we uncover the beauty of our planet, one adventure at a time. Please reach out here if you need to get in touch.

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Do you have a glossary of travel, tourism & hospitality terms?

Every industry has its own jargon and lingo. tourism is no different. here's a great list of tourism terms that you should know..

The list has been compiled by the world-class team of strategists, consultants, educators and established tourism experts at the nonprofit Tourism Academy . Our team offers relationship powered professional development, trade marketing, tourism development and consulting solutions. 

Glossary of Tourism Terms

adventure travel:  a type of niche tourism, involving exploration or travel with a certain degree of risk (real or perceived), and which may require special skills and physical exertion 

affinity group : a group of people linked by a common interest or purpose. See also pre- formed group. 

agent : one who acts or has the power to act as the representative of another. A person whose job it is to arrange travel for end clients (individuals, groups, corporations), confirming travel components and simplifying the planning process for customers, providing consultation services and travel packages. 

American Bus Association (ABA) : A trade organization consisting of member bus lines throughout the country. www.buses.org 

American National Standards Institute (ANSI): A private non-profit organization that oversees the development of voluntary consensus standards for products, services, processes, systems, and personnel in the United States. www.ansi.org

American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA):  The oldest and largest travel agent organization in the world with travel agents being the primary members. Other companies providing travel industry products and services can be associate members. www.astanet.com 

Application Programming Interface  ( API) : a code that allows two software programs to communicate with each other. 

attrition : Shortfall of sleeping room block pick-up or food-and-beverage projections from numbers agreed to in a contract. Penalties for attrition may be outlined in a contract’s attrition clause. 

Average Daily Rate (ADR) : a statistical unit that represents the average rental income per paid occupied room in a given time period. 

back of house : a business term that refers to parts of a business operation that customers do not see. This may refer to mechanical rooms, accounting offices, kitchens, and those persons who are engaged in those areas. 

block : a group of rooms, tickets, seats or space reserved for a specific customer - usually for a set period of time. Room blocks are commonly reserved for conventions, meetings or groups in general. Room blocks may also be allocated to high volume buyers (wholesale, receptive, tour) who intend to sell them as tour components on an ongoing basis. A room block is usually under a firm agreement and is for a set period of time. 

Brand USA : A public/private partnership to promote inbound tourism to the United States and communicate US entry/exit policies. Also known as the Corporation for Travel Promotion. www.thebrandusa.com 

bulk pricing : the practice of offering exceptionally low, typically non-commissionable rates to high volume buyers who purchase a specified number of units to resell at a mark up. 

campaign : A specific, defined series of activities used in marketing a new or changed product or service, or in using new marketing channels and methods. 

Certified Tour Professional (CTP) : A designation administered by the National Tour Foundation and conferred upon tour professionals who complete prescribed evaluation requirements. 

certificate:  an official document attesting to a fact such as a level of achievement in a course of study or training.

certification: the action or process of providing someone or something with an official document attesting to a status or level of achievement. See also: American National Standards Institute

certified: officially recognized as possessing certain qualifications or meeting certain standards. 

Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) : A designation conferred upon travel professionals who have completed a travel management program offered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents. 

Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) : A designation conferred upon convention and meeting management professionals who have completed an application and written exam offered by the Events Industry Council. 

channel manager : a system or platform that coordinates the distribution of product details, inventory and pricing in real time across multiple sales “channels” 

charter : to hire for exclusive use any aircraft, motorcoach, cruise ship or other vehicle 

class of service : a parameter used to differentiate the types of accommodation offered by travel suppliers, often denoted by fare code on air tickets. Classes may reflect differences in space, comfort, amenities and cabin service. Ex: First Class, Business Class, Coach Class or please hold this chicken until we land. 

commercial rate : A special rate given by a hotel or rental car, motor coach, bus or passenger transport company to an organization based on either the volume of business done or the type of accommodation or rental car. Also referred to as a corporate rate. 

commission : The varying amount paid by suppliers to travel agents for the sale of travel products and services. 

commissioned tours : A tour available for sale through retail and wholesale travel agencies, which provides for a payment of an agreed upon sales commission either to the retail or wholesale seller.

complementary : goods or services that add to the value of another good or service. Ex: peanut butter complements jelly

complimentary (comp) : Service, space or item given at no charge.

complimentary (comp) ratio : The number of rooms, tickets, meals or service items provided at no cost based on the number of occupied rooms.

• The industry standard is one complimentary room per 20-50 rooms occupied per day. 
• The industry standard for ticketed attractions and restaurants is one complimentary admission/meal per 10-20 paid. 

complimentary registration : Waiver of registration fees. 

concierge : a hotel employee whose job is to assist guests by arranging tours, local transportation, making reservations for theater or restaurants, etc. 

Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) : A nonprofit organization supported by bed taxes, government budget allocations, private memberships or a combination of these. A CVB promotes tourism, encourages groups to hold meetings and trade shows in its city, and assists groups before and during meetings. 

consolidator : a person or company which forms groups to travel using group rates on to increase sales, earn override commissions or reduce the possibility of tour cancellations. 

consortium : a loosely knit group of independently owned and managed companies such as travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, or other suppliers, with a joint marketing distribution process 

convention and visitors bureau (CVB) : a nonprofit local organizations charged with representing (and promoting) a specific destination. CVBs are funded by transient room taxes, government budget allocations, private membership dues, sponsorship sales and program participation fees, or a combination of these mechanisms.  See also: destination marketing organization 

co-op marketing: outreach activities that help multiple suppliers reach the target audience by sharing costs, resources and tactics. 

course: a series of lessons or modules to teach the skills and knowledge for a particular job or activity. 

destination : a place where travelers might visit. This may be any neighborhood, city, region or country that can be marketing as a single entity for tourists. 

destination management company (DMC) : Company or professional individual engaged in organizing tours, meetings of all types and their related activities. Also referred to as a ground operator. 

destination marketing organization (DMO) : A nonprofit marketing organization for a city, state, province, region or area whose primary purpose is the promotion of the destination.  See also: convention & visitors bureau 

direct spend : the value of goods and services purchased by tourists (e.g., attraction ticket, hotel room rate and meals) 

double double : refers to a room containing two separate double beds, capable of sleeping up to four guests comfortably, sometimes referred to as a “quad” 

double occupancy rate : the price per person for a room that will be shared between two people 

dynamic pricing : the practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions, in particular the charging of a higher price during times of greater demand. This is the opposite of static pricing. 

educational travel : a type of niche tourism, built around learning objectives, often to the benefit of students and/or those who share a common interest, hobby or profession 

emerging market : A group of customers who do not provide as much business as the target markets, but show interest in the destination. 

escort : a person employed or contracted by a seller of packaged travel product who accompanies tour participants from point to point often acting as a the tour operator liaison and onsite problem solver. 

escorted tour : a packaged, pre-planned itinerary that includes the services of a tour manager or tour escort who accompanies participants for the full duration of the tour 

escrow : a legal concept and financial instrument whereby assets are held by a third party on behalf of two other parties that are in the process of completing a transaction. In many places, agents and tour operators are required by law to maintain customer deposits and pre-payments in escrow until the time of service. 

excursion : a trip made for leisure, education or physical purposes. It is often an adjunct to a longer journey, cruise or visit to a place. 

familiarization tour (FAM) : A program designed to acquaint participants with specific destinations or services. Offered in groups and on an individual basis. 

folio : an itemized record of guest charges and credits, often referred to as a guest bill or statement. 

frequent independent travel (FIT) : A custom-designed, pre-paid travel package with many individualized arrangements. An FIT operator specializes in preparing FITs documents at the request of retail travel agents. FITs usually receive travel vouchers to present to onsite services as verification or pre-payment. Also known as foreign individual/independent travel or frequent individual travel. 

front office : a business term that refers to a company’s departments that come in direct contact with customers. 

gateway : a city, airport, port or area where visitors arrive. International gateway refers to places where foreign visitors may first enter a country. 

ground operator : a company or individual providing local accommodations, transfers, ticketing and related services.  See also: receptive operator 

group booking : Reservation for a block of rooms for a single group. 

group tour : A prearranged, prepaid travel program for a group usually including transportation, accommodations, attraction admissions and meals. Also referred to as a package tour. 

guaranteed departure : a tour that will definitely operate on the day it is scheduled and will not be cancelled. 

Horizontal Market : audiences for products or services that are not easily distinguished by consumer characteristics. Examples of horizontal markets include those for computer security, legal or accounting services. 

Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI):  A trade association for hotel sales, marketing and revenue management professionals. 

hotel classifications : Classification of a hotel by its amenities, facilities, service and cost. Qualifications and terms may vary by country. 

• limited service or economy  is generally a reasonably priced, generally providing a bed, telephone, TV, shower and free parking. They often do not have room service or a restaurant. 
• full service  may refer to a property of any price category that offers some meeting space and features a restaurant onsite 
• moderate  medium-priced property with services and amenities such as a restaurant and possibly conference rooms. 
• upper moderate  is a property that offers special services such as a first-rate restaurant, banquet and conference rooms, valet service, room service, cable TV, and a host of other amenities. 
• luxury or deluxe  is a top-grade hotel or resort offering the highest service and the maximum variety of amenities. All rooms have a private bath, and all the usual public rooms and services are provided. 
• boutique  is loosely used to describe properties that have typically between 10 and 100 rooms and often contain luxury facilities in unique or intimate settings with full service accommodations. 

hub and spoke : a style of tour that has guests staying in a single location with excursions to nearby destinations 

incentive tour : travel experience offered to stimulate employee productivity or as a reward for sales agents 

incidentals : items not included in the package price 

inclusive : referring to a package or product price that includes all of the varying components, taxes and gratuities for a flat rate. An inclusive tour may include transportation, lodging, transfers, etc. for a set price. An inclusive meal might include food, drink, tax and gratuity. 

independent tour : a style of travel packaging that allows visitors to move about without the accompaniment of a tour manager or escort 

indirect spend : the value of all goods and services used to produce tourism output. (e.g., toiletries for hotel guests, ingredients for meals and plastic used in souvenirs) 

International Inbound Travel Association (IITA) : A trade association of inbound receptive tour operators and suppliers from the US. Formerly RSAA Receptive Services Association of America. 

incentive travel : A travel reward given by companies to employees to stimulate productivity. Also known as an incentive trip. 

inclusive tour : A specific package in which all components of the package are part of the price. Generally, an inclusive package includes transportation, lodging, meals, gratuities and taxes, and some form of sightseeing or rental car. The terms and conditions of a tour contract should specify exactly what is covered. Also referred to as an all-expense tour and an all-inclusive tour. 

inclusive rate : The rate charged to an operator that includes all service, tax, gratuities and additional fees. 

IPW : A computerized scheduled appointment show for international tour operators always held in the United States and sponsored by U.S. Travel Association. Formerly known as Pow Wow. 

itinerary : a schedule of travel components put together by an agent or operator. 

leg : a portion of a journey between two scheduled stops.

lesson: an amount of teaching given at one time; a period of learning or teaching.  

market segment : a group of consumers or buyer types that share one or more common characteristics, lumped together for sales or marketing purposes. 

markup : the difference between the cost of a good or service and its selling price. 

meet and greet : Pre-purchased service for meeting and greeting a client upon arrival in a city, usually at the airport, and assisting the client with entrance formalities, baggage and transportation. 

microlearning : a tool for training, teaching and development that delivers content in small, very specific bursts. 

module: each of a set of standardized parts or independent units that can be used to construct a more complex structure such as an item of furniture or a building. multiple lessons may be combined to create a module.  

motor coach : A large, comfortable, well-powered bus that can transport groups and their luggage over long distances. Motor coaches are normally able to accommodate 46 to 54 passengers. 

motor coach tour operator : A company that creates tours in which group members are transported via motor coach to their destination, itinerary activities and back. 

mystery tour : a short journey, usually in a bus, that people make for pleasure without knowing where they are going. 

NAJ : Producers of the RTO (receptive tour operator) summit and similar small trade show formats with a regional focus. Also referred to as North American Journeys 

net rate : A wholesale rate for groups (usually 10-15 people) which an operator may add a mark up. 

NTA (formerly National Tour Association) : A trade association of North American motor coach tour operators. www.ntaonline.com 

occupancy : the percentage of available rooms in use during a given period. 

online travel agent (OTA) : a travel website that specialized in the sale of travel products to consumers 

outbound operator (or outbound tour) : A company or tour that takes groups from a given city or country to another city or country. 

Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA) : A trade association of motorcoach operators based in and around Ontario province. 

package : Travel arrangements with two or more components offered for one price, inclusive of all taxes. Also refers to a single-fee booth package offered by show management. 

packager : An individual or organization that coordinates and promotes the development of a package tour and establishes operating procedures and guidelines for that tour. 

performance tour operator : A tour operator company that focuses on planning trips for groups that must perform while traveling like school bands, choral groups, etc. 

plus plus : a term used to describe a product price that does not include taxes, gratuities and/or service charges. Ex: The meal is $15 plus tax and gratuity OR $15++. 

pre- and post-trip tours : Optional extension or side trip package offered before or after a meeting, gathering or convention. 

pre-formed group : a group that contacts the tour operator to plan travel exclusively for the group members. 

rack rate : the normal rate of a product or service, before any discounts, commissions or net price arrangements 

receptive operator : A tour operator who provides local services, transfers, sightseeing, guides, etc. Many large receptive operators develop packages and sell them through wholesale tour operators in foreign countries. Also referred to as a ground operator, an inbound tour operator, a land operator, an RTO and a receiving agent. 

retail tour : A tour put together by a tour operator and sold to individuals.

request for proposal (RFP) : A document that stipulates what services the organization wants from an outside contractor and requests a bid to perform such services.

retailer : one who sells directly to the consumer.  See also: travel agent 

return on investment (ROI) : Net profit divided by net worth. A financial ratio indicating the degree of profitability. 

revenue per available room (RevPAR) : A measure used by hotels that divides revenue for a given time period by the number of available rooms for the same time period. 

sales mission : Intense selling effort in a particular locality; calling upon qualify leads. Usually performed by a group of people who may or may not all be in a sales capacity but have an interest in meeting with the same buyers. 

Seasons  (from a buyer/operator perspective): 

• looking The time of year when tour operators are looking at for new activities & vendors to include in future trips. Also known as product or catalog development season. 
• selling The time of year when tour operators are focused on reaching out to their customers, promoting future trips and selling packaged travel programs. 
• booking The time of year when tour operators are booking and confirming tour components they plan to utilize. 
• travel The time of year when the majority of the tour operators’ customers are traveling. 

Seasons  (from a supplier perspective): 

• off-season The time of year when tourist traffic, and often rates, are at their lowest because of decreased demand. Also referred to as low season, off-peak or value season. 
• peak season The time of year when demand and price is at a premium. Also known as high season. 
• shoulder season The season between peak season and off-season when demand is average and the travel product will not produce the highest price but does not need a deep discount to generate traffic.

series : describing a piece of business or scheduled itinerary that takes place on a regular frequency 

site inspection : Personal, careful survey of property, facility or area.

Skål  is a professional, fraternal organization of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. 

SMERF : Meetings acronym for a category of meeting market segments including social, military, educational, religious and fraternal type groups. These organizations often are looking for value when selecting a meeting destination. 

supplier : The actual provider of a travel product such as the hotel, attraction, restaurant, airline or car rental agency; not the travel agent or tour operator selling the product. 

STAR (STR) Report : a tool used to measure hotel performance against competitive aggregates and within local markets. Data is collected and distributed by strglobal 

static pricing : the practice of maintaining the same price for a product or service at all times regardless of changing market conditions, trends and demand. This is the opposite of dynamic pricing. 

Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) : a trade association representing tour operator companies that specialize in student travel. www.syta.com 

tariff : a schedule of rates for a good or services provided by a supplier 

tiered pricing : A pricing structure that offers a variety of price points for different customer types. For more or suggested rates by buyer type. 

tour operator : A person or company that negotiates discount rates, packages travel products, prints brochures, and markets these travel products through travel agents or to the general public. 

tour vouchers : Documents issued by tour operators to be exchanged for accommodations, meals, sightseeing, admission tickets and other services. Also referred to as coupons and tour orders. 

tourism : travel for business or pleasure; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. Tourism may be international, or within the traveler’s country. 

tourism ambassador: an individual possessing the knowledge, skill and training to represent a destination, assist tourists and create better visitor experiences. 

Tourism Cares : A charitable organization that focuses on helping preserve the travel experience for future travelers. www.tourismcares.org 

trade association : Group of persons employed in a particular trade.

trade publication : A magazine or newsletter that targets a specific industry. 

trade show : Exhibit of products and services that is targeted to a specific clientele and not open to the public. 

travel agent (or travel agency) : Person or firm qualified to advise and arrange for travel needs such as hotel rooms, meals, transportation, tours and other travel elements. Represents all travel suppliers worldwide. Also referred to as a retailer. 

Travel Alliance Partners (TAP) : A member-owned organization of tour operators that work together to develop unique itineraries within their respective regions, cross-promote products offered by other members and leverage their collective buying power. www.tapintotravel.com 

travel receipt : purchase of travel and tourism related goods and services by visitors. These goods and services include food, lodging, recreation, gifts, entertainment, local transportation and other items incidental to travel. 

United Motor Coach Association (UMA) : North America's largest association for operators of motorcoach companies providing charter, tour and regular route services. www.uma.org 

United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) : A nationwide organization of tour operators offering protection for travelers purchasing member travel products by way of a multi-million-dollar bond. www.ustoa.com 

Upsell : sales technique where a seller induces the customer to purchase more expensive items, upgrades or other add-ons in an attempt to make a more profitable sale 

U.S. Travel Association : The national, nonprofit association representing all components of the U.S. travel industry. (formerly known as TIA - Travel Industry Association of America) www.ustravel.org 

Vertical Market : used to identify areas where vendors offer goods & services specific to a group of customers with specialized needs. Examples may include customers identified by their areas of origin, age range(s) or interest types. 

Visa : a conditional authorization granted by a country to a foreigner, allowing them to enter, remain within, or to leave that country. 

voluntourism : the act or practice of doing volunteer or charitable work as needed in the communities where one is vacationing 

voucher : documents or digital codes issued to consumers by tour operators that may be exchanged for tour components 

walk-through : Review of meeting details, or inspection of function room or trade show floor prior to event. 

webinar : Short for web-based seminar, a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the web. A key feature of the webinar is its interactive elements – the ability to give, receive and discuss information. Contrast with webcast in which the data transmission is one way and does not allow interaction between the presenter and the audience. 

wholesaler : A company that creates and markets inclusive tours and FITs for sale through travel agents. Often used interchangeably with “tour operator,” but several distinctions should be drawn: a wholesaler presumably sells nothing at retail, a tour operator does both; a wholesaler does not always create his or her own products, a tour operator virtually always does; and a wholesaler is less inclined than a tour operator to perform local services. 

World Tourism Organization (WTO) : An organization created to promote and develop tourism in the interest of the economic, social and cultural progress of all nations. www.world-tourism.org

About the Author

Stephen Ekstrom is the Chief Strategist at The Tourism Academy | tourismacademy.org, featured speaker at numerous tourism industry conferences, travel writer and host of the Business Class podcast.

The A to Z of the tourism industry

Let’s be honest. We’ve all been in that scenario where you find yourself stumped with a travel acronym that you can’t quite remember! We don’t blame you for feeling frustrated by it all… travel is a complex industry and understanding (and remembering!) all of the jargon, terminology and acronyms can sometimes feel like you are learning an entirely new language.

Lucky for you, we’re making things a bit easier. Drawing from our team’s experience through creating travel software, and decades working as travel professionals ourselves we wanted to share the knowledge and create your very own Tour Operator Software glossary. 

Bookmark it for times of need, skim over it to get refreshed, or share it with your industry friends and colleagues.

Adventure Tourism

The adventure tourism industry has developed for those thrill-seekers looking for a holiday jam-packed full of activities. From whitewater rafting to dog sledging to glacier exploration, Adventure Tourism isn’t for the faint-hearted.

Average Daily Rate (ADR)

The ADR is used to track performance and measures the average income for each paid room over a certain time period. 

Business Development Manager (BDM)

As a tour operator, travel agent or DMC , you are most likely going to be working closely with a Business Development Manager (BDM). These are the sales representatives for suppliers, therefore a good relationship with the BDM is likely to serve your business well!

Blackout Dates

There are often dates when particularly awesome promotions or sales don’t apply. This is usually because of holiday periods or big events where suppliers anticipate that there is going to be an increased demand during that time.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Nowadays, CRM software is used by almost every organisation, both in and outside the travel industry. At its simplest form, a CRM allows you to store contact details of your customers and prospective customers. More complex CRM’s allow you to keep track of customers food allergies to pet names (and everything in between). Learn how to get the most out of your CRM here

Once upon a time, data would be stored on a local computer. However, the birth of Cloud computing means that platforms are able to store their information on remote servers. Meaning you can access your online information from any device at any time.

Cross season pricing

With the change of season often a change in pricing also comes for many tour operators. Tour operators may adjust their pricing in either direction to accommodate the decrease or increase in business during these times – See Low Season Travel. 

Destination Management Company (DMC)

Known for their deep local knowledge, DMC’s are organisations that specialise in offering tours, logistics, and planning services for a particular destination. Often known for re-selling their services to tour operators.

This one is just what it sounds like; how long someone ‘dwells’ or stays in a certain place. It’s relevant to the tourism industry as it refers to the amount of time a customer spends at a certain activity or accommodation – this is useful to know when planning and creating tailor-made itineraries. 

Demand-Based Pricing

Pricing does not have to stay the same all the time, it can fluctuate based on the amount of people interested in a product of service. In the tourism industry, this pricing model is commonly used and operates under the same principle as Cross-Seasonal Pricing above. As a tour operator, this may affect your own pricing or the pricing of the suppliers you use.

As more people and businesses are becoming aware of the environmental impact that travel can have, the niche market of ecotourism is developing. This type of tourism works to ensure that environmental impacts are minimised at every opportunity and is driven by both the tourist and the tourism industry. Learn more about ecotourism and sustainable travel here.

Also known as Electronic Commerce or EC, this is any form of commercial transactions conducted via the internet. For example, your customers might book and pay for their tour online, using e-commerce platforms.

Free Independent Travellers (FIT)

This is a bit of a contentious one, we found 6 slightly different definitions in our search alone! Regardless of whether the F stands for Free, Foreign or Fully, the underlying definition is the same: FIT’s are people who shy away from mass tourism and want to travel with people they know. They want a tailor made itinerary created based on their unique needs, passions and interests. They do not travel with group tours or by a schedule imposed by others. 

Fragmentation

Globalisation has meant that travellers are able to shop around for the cheapest rate and source their trip from multiple different suppliers. Read more about travel industry fragmentation here .

Far from researching everything that there is to know about every destination in the world, travel agents often go on famils. This is a scouting trip; to be able to give some insider knowledge about the destinations they are sending their customers to. Famils are also often organised and paid for by airlines or suppliers in an effort to encourage you to promote their offering.

This is the final rate that your customers pay for your service, ie. the cost plus your commission.

Hotels will sometimes offer a discounted rate for hotel rooms if you book more than 5 rooms at a time.

Group Tour/GIT

Also known as Group Incentive Tour (GIT), packaged trips or escorted tours, a group tour has a set date, price and itinerary. The itinerary may include portions of free time with optional activities to choose from but the travellers are limited to what the tour offers. The group is made up of a variety of travellers.

Heritage Sites

The UNESCO World Heritage Sites are popular tourist destinations listed by UNESCO as having cultural or environmental significance.

Inbound Tour Operator

A tour operator based in a specific destination country who plans itineraries and organises travel arrangements or conducts tours for travellers based elsewhere.

Travellers often want to stop over in a transit country to refresh when taking long-haul flights. The second flight of their journey may be with a different airline that fits in with their travel times and needs. The Joint Fare is the fare for both of these flights combined.

Carrier Confirmed. An abbreviation used when booking airline tickets.

Low Season Travel

Also called off-peak travel, certain destinations are less popular during different times of the year (think of a tropical island in the middle of the rainy season). Often, rates also drop during these times – see cross season pricing

Luxury Tour Operator

These tour operators work with often high net worth customers who are looking for a luxury holiday for them or their family. Their travel plans may include private yachts, helicopters or exclusive, VIP experiences – the sky’s the limit.

A supplier may increase their rate at a time in which there is a higher demand for their offering. For example, flights and accommodation in a popular destination will increase during school breaks where there are lots of families travelling.

Market Segment

Identifying a market segment is an ideal way to make sure that your offering is being marketed to and attracting the right type of customers. This is especially important for niche tour operators who may specialise in adventure tourism in Canada for under 30’s for example.

The price of the flights, accommodation etc without the agent’s commission added.

Online Booking System

An easy way for customers to book (or reserve) an offering online and receive confirmation without having to go through an agent.

Outbound Tour Operator

The opposite of an Inbound Tour Operator , an Outbound Tour Operator or OTO typically offers trips to a variety of destinations, some or all of which are not in the country that the tour operator is based in.

Online Travel Agency (OTA)

An online travel agency is a web-based marketplace where people can go to research, plan and book travel products or services. For many tour operators working with or listing their products or services on an OTA allows them to be seen by a wider audience.   

Pax is travel industry jargon that refers to the number of passengers ie. 2 pax. It also extends to the number of guests, diners or participants.

An easy and popular way to travel is by buying packages. These often include accommodation, travel and some meals. 

Peak Season

Peak season, also known as the high season, is the time of the year when most people are travelling to or around a destination. This means that travellers will experience bigger crowds and higher costs. Pre-booking activities or experiences well in advance may also be required to ensure travellers can do what they want to at the destination during the peak season.

Also known as a proposal, it is a document that details the planned itinerary and the costs associated with the trip. It is usually supplied by a tour operator or travel agency based on a discussion about what the traveller wants. By providing a quotation it makes it easier to compare details before selecting the ideal trip for themselves.

A company who resells and markets tours and activities for a specific destination, country, region or specialisation.

Although not specifically related to travel, Search Engine Optimisation is an aspect of digital marketing that is crucial for travel businesses in this day and age. SEO refers to the way that you can make sure your website ranks highly in organic search results – increasing your visibility. Read more about how to make sure your website is serving you well here .

You may have been to a website where an alert popped up notifying you that the website was not secure – not a great first impression, right? The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is the standard way to reassure your customers that your site is safe, by creating an encrypted link between your browser and the server. Read more about the importance of SSL certification here .

Single Supplement

A single supplement is a surcharge applied to a single person staying in a room usually intended for two or more people. The surcharge usually applies when a room is charged per person and is essentially to cover the cost of only receiving a single payment for a room that they usually get two payments for.

Travel/Trade Association

Travel associations and communities exist to service those in the travel industry who wish to network with, collaborate and be supported by others in the industry. These associations can be niche or broad and often provide fantastic resources and support to help your business thrive! There are a lot out there but don’t worry, we’ve got the down-low on travel associations and luxury travel communities for you.

TTL (Ticket Time Limit)

This is the time limit that businesses (often airlines) give for a ticket to be purchased to avoid cancellations or expiration of the fare.

Target Market

Unfortunately, no one can please everyone. That’s why when you are marketing your tour operator business, it pays to think about who your target market is – the demographic or type of people you expect to be most interested in your offering. Specialise your business offering to this target market to get more joy from your marketing efforts.

This is a payment method used mainly in China, however, Union Pay is also becoming increasingly available and accepted internationally, opening doors for many Chinese tourists to use this payment method during their travels.

From production to consumption, Value Added Tax may be added to products or services each time they are bought or resold for a profit. Also known as goods and services tax, VAT may apply when tours or activities are resold by a wholesaler. 

Waitlist (WL)

Travellers may wish to buy waitlisted tickets in order to save costs. This means that they are placed on a list and will wait to take the place of someone who cancels or doesn’t show up.

WTM (The World Travel Market)

The World Travel Market is a leading event in the travel industry, bringing together all areas of tourism and facilitating business connections and growth.

XE.com currency conversion

Currency conversion is the difference in value between two countries’ money. Determining what currency you need and the rate of exchange easily is helpful when travelling between countries.  XE.com is the leading currency conversion website with 20 years of experience in the industry.

Yield Management

The yield of your offering is the average revenue per unit of sale eg. revenue per 1 person’s airline ticket. Yield management involves understanding the times in which your offering is in higher demand and identifying the type of people who would purchase your offering. You can then calculate and manage your anticipated yield to maximise profit!

You may have seen pictures before of adrenalin-junkie tourists hurtling down a hill in a blow-up ball. These balls are called Zorbs and it might seem mad but it’s a massively popular adventure tourism activity. 

Relating to the rise of ecotourism , some areas are prone to the pressures of tourism and are zoned as such. These zoned areas sometimes limit the number of people allowed at one time, or simply notify tourists about their environmental impact and monitor the damage.

How does the travel industry actually work?

Who are the key players in the industry, where do they all fit together and how does the industry actually work?! There’s no doubt that the travel industry is a confusing space to wrap your head around so we’ve broken it down for you in this easy new resource.

Travel designers- meet the influencers you should work with.

Understand the role travel influencers play in the industry and why tour operators should be following, interacting and collaborating with them. Explore eight global travel influencers who are inspiring travellers daily.

Tourism news websites you can trust

In the tourism industry it can be hard to differentiate the reliable travel news sources from the not-so-trustworthy ones. In this blog we summarise the top travel news websites that tour operators, travel agencies and DMC’s should pay attention to.

How to set your team up for success when introducing new software

Making changes happen is hard. Especially when it is something that will create a significant impact on the way you work, like new software. We discover what change management is and how it can assist you, your leaders and your team in creating new processes that will make you more successful in the long run. Is it time for a change?

Travel glossary: Travel phrases, travel-related words and acronyms

Travel planning can be fun.

But it can also be an overwhelming experience.

Especially if it’s one of your first trips abroad, and you aren’t an experienced traveller yet. What do all those terms and travel phrases mean? How to get everything right, and not ruin your holiday? How not to make silly mistakes? Are you planning a trip right now? And now you’re trying to understand travel industry jargon?

Check out our guide to most common travel terms and industry jargon.

Travel glossary

Actual time of arrival - the time when your flight actually lands.

Actual departure time - the time when your flight actually left for your destination

Add-on - optional extra for an additional charge.

Airport code - a three (IATA) or four (ICAO) letter code used to identify a particular airport. Three letter IATA codes are mainly used for ticketing. The code you see on your ticket is an IATA code.

Airside area - a controlled area in an airport after ticket gates and security check. Passengers with valid boarding passes can enter landside area.

Airport terminal - a building at an airport where passengers go to depart on a flight, or disembark form an aircraft.

All inclusive - a hotel (or a resort) that includes all or most meals and non-alcoholic drinks. Not every all inclusive resort includes alcoholic drinks.

ATOL - Air Travel Organiser's Licence; financial protection scheme operated by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). ATOL covers package holidays. All UK travel companies that sell package holidays are required to hold an ATOL certificate .

Baggage allowance - The weight and volume of bag­gage that may be carried by a passenger without additional charge.

Baggage drop-off - an airline counter where you can check in your luggage (to be put on a plane), if you have already checked in for the flight (online or using self-service check-in kiosks).

Basic Economy - usually the cheapest airline seating option. Here are our tips for flying in Basic Economy .

B&B - Bed & Breakfast; overnight accommodation and breakfast, typically provided by small hotels and family-run guesthouses.

Boarding pass - a physical or digital confirmed ticket (for boarding the aircraft) that is issued to a passenger after the check in.

Booking confirmation - an e-mail that is sent to a customer after the booking is made. This e-mail informs the customer that the reservation is definite.

Booking reference number - a unique code which is assigned to every booking. It’s an internal identifier for your flight or hotel within the company's booking system.

Budget airline - low-cost airline or low-cost carrier; an airline that has lower fares and operates with emphasis on minimising operating costs. The tickets are cheap, and budget airlines doesn’t include traditional services and amenities in ticket price to make up for loss of earnings. Wizz Air is one of the most popular budget airlines in Europe.

Bulkhead - a wall which divides the inside of a plane. It separates one class from another on larger planes (e.g., the business class from the economy class). On smaller planes curtains work as a dividing wall (bulkhead).

Bulkhead seat - A seat directly behind the bulkhead. These seats usually have more legroom.

Business class - a class of seating on a plane which is level up from economy class but less expensive than first class.

Cabin crew - the members of an aircraft crew who attend to passengers.

Cancellation policy - the terms under which a reservation or booking may be cancelled; and will be there be any penalties by doing so.

Cancellation fee / penalty - an amount of money you must to pay if you cancel your booking after the cancellation deadline.

Capsule hostel - a hostel concept deriving from Japan, now popular across the globe. Rather than bunk beds capsule hostels provide enclosed single (sometimes, double) beds (capsules). Capsules often feature power sockets, a reading light, a personal air vent and other features.

Carry on baggage - a piece, or pieces, of luggage, you are allowed to take on board at no extra charge. Then there is a whole list of carry on baggage restrictions you have to know about, when going on a trip.

Charter airline - an airline that offers its aircrafts for rent to third-party travel providers. Learn more about your rights when you're travelling with a charter airline .

Charter flight - a flight by an aircraft chartered for a specific journey, not part of an airline's regular schedule.

Checked baggage - a piece, or pieces, of luggage that are put in in the hold of an aircraft.

Check in - a process of arriving and registering at a hotel or airport. Most airlines permit online check-in as well.

Codeshare flight (codeshare agreement) - arrangement where two or more airlines share the same flight. How to claim compensation if it was a codeshare flight?

Connecting flight - two or more subsequent flights. Passengers are required to change from one airplane to another in-between. There are airline protected connecting flights & self transfer connecting flights. Remember, that mostly connecting flights with low cost airlines work differently. Most of them are so called self transfer flights. And there is a list of other things to know, when travelling with budget airlines in Europe .

Continental breakfast - A light, uncooked breakfast consisting of pastries, bread, cheese, meat, coffee, tea and / or juice. This kind of breakfast is served in continental Europe and North America, as opposed to the English breakfast served in the UK. The term “Continental breakfast” originated in Britain in the mid-19th century. 

Customs and immigration - checkpoints through which travellers must pass before they leave the airport.

Denied boarding - when an airline doesn’t let a passenger on a plane due to overbooking. What to do if you are denied boarding? Could you be entitled to denied boarding compensation ?

Direct flight - a commercial flight from Point A to Point B, with no change in flight numbers. Unlike non-stop flight, a direct flight may include one or more stops along its route.

Domestic flight - a flight within a country.

Double room - a room that can accommodate two people, and has one bed. It can be double, queen or king bed.

Dorm room - a large (shared) room containing several beds. Such rooms are generally booked on a per bed basis.

Dorm bed - a bed in a dorm room.

Economy class - usually the cheapest type of seat in a plane. Unless there is also Basic economy.

Economy plus - a travel class offered on some airlines. It’s a class of seating on an aircraft that is superior to economy class but less expensive (and with less comfort) than business class.

Estimated time of arrival (ETA) - the time when an aircraft (or other vehicle) is expected to arrive at a destination.

Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) - the time when an aircraft (or other vehicle) is expected to depart from an airport (bus terminal / train station, etc.).

E-ticket (electronic ticket) - digital ticket equivalent of a paper ticket.

EU flight compensation - compensation (money) passengers may get in case of flight disruption (flight cancellation, flight delay or denied boarding due to overbooking). Read more about flight delay compensation , flight cancellation compensation , denied boarding compensation and flight downgrade compensation .

EU flight compensation regulation 261/2004 (EC 261) - a regulation in EU law establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of long flight delays (3+ hours), flight cancellations or denied boarding. EU Flight Compensation Regulation 261/2004 applies to all EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland. See the regulation here .

Fare alert - a notification which is sent to a person’s e-mail when the price for particular flight our route changes. A person has to subscribe in order to receive fare alerts.

Fast track - a paid service (and a dedicated lane at the airport security) which allows to skip the queue at the security check and reach the departure gate faster. One of the ways to get through airport security faster .

5 star airline - an airline that delivers the highest level of service.

First class - a class of seating on an aircraft that is superior to business class.

Flight attendant - a steward or stewardess on an aircraft.

Flight cancellation compensation - amount of money a passenger may get in case of flight cancellation. Learn more about flight cancellation compensation .

Flight delay - when a flight takes off and/or lands later than planned.

Flight delay compensation - amount of money a passenger may get in case of flight delay. Read more about flight delay compensation .

Flight disruption - flight cancellation or delay.

Flying standby - buying a ticket (last minute) for the next available flight with empty seats.

Force Majeure - extraordinary circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract. Examples - severe weather conditions, political unrest, etc.

Full service airline - an airline which offers passengers checked baggage, meals, beverages and comforts such as blankets and pillows in the ticket price. There are some major differences between full service and low cost airlines , but they are fading.

Galley - a section of a ship, train, or aircraft where food is prepared.

High (peak) season - the time when a place receives the most visitors.

Hub - an airport in which an airline has a major presence. Often it’s in the city where the airline was formed.

Itinerary - a travel plan with a list of cities you want to visit, a list of hotels you’ve booked and a list of activities for each day.

International flight - a commercial flight where the departure and the arrival take place in different countries. 

Landside area - the opposite to “Airside”. It’s an area in the airport where are no entry restrictions. Any person (even the ones without a boarding pass) is allowed to enter.

Layover - a wait at the airport between two flights.

Legroom - amount of space between your seat and the seat in front of you, in which a passenger can put their legs.

Low cost carrier - see “Budget airline”.

Long-haul flight - a flight lasting more than 6 hours. Learn how to prepare for a long haul flight & what not to forget with you.

Matrix (ITA Software) - an airfare search website made by ITA Software, a travel industry software division of Google. However, it is not possible to buy tickets from “Matrix”.

Minimum connect time  - the minimum amount of time that is considered sufficient to make a connection between an arriving flight and a departing flight on the same ticket (meaning - a connecting flight). The minimum connect time is agreed in advance between airlines and airport authorities.

Multi-city flight - multiple stopovers on the same ticket. You add a couple (or a few) more flights to different cities on the way to your final destination.

No-show - when a person who has a hotel or flight booking doesn’t turn up and use the booking. Neither do they cancel it.

Non-refundable (ticket, accommodation, etc.) - cannot be returned / cancelled for a refund.

Non-stop flight - a commercial flight which takes passengers from one airport to another without stopping (unlike direct flight).

Off-season - a time of year when travel business is slack due to low tourist numbers.

Online check-in - a process in which passengers confirm their presence on a flight via the Internet.

Open-jaw flight - a return ticket where the destination and/or the origin are not the same. For example, a flight which flies from Point A to Point B, then from Point C back to Point A. 

Overbooking - accept more reservations for (a flight or hotel) than there are seats, rooms, places, tickets, etc.

Oversized baggage - bags that are over the general size limitations.

Premium economy - see “Economy plus”.

Priority boarding - a service offered by budget airlines. This service allows passengers to skip the queue at the gate and board the aircraft faster. Some budget airlines allow their priority passengers one extra bag on board.

Red eye flight - a long haul flight that scheduled to depart at night or late evening and arrive the next morning.

Roundtrip - a journey (on a flight, train, bus) to a place and back again.

Scheduled, or standard, time of arrival - the time your flight should have arrived at the destination.

Scheduled departure time - the time your flight should have departed, and it is specified on the boarding pass and in the schedules.

Scheduled flight - a flight that operates regularly and is planned a long time before.

Self-service check-in kiosk - a machine which a passenger can use to check-in for their flight.

Self transfer - buying separate flights (not travelling on the same ticket) from different airlines or the same budget airline which doesn’t offer connecting flights . In which cases the passenger is responsible for the connection.

Shoulder season - a time just after the peak season and before the off season.

Single room - a room that can accommodate one person, and has one single bed.

Suite - a set of connected room (under one room number).

Transfer - prearranged transport from one place to another. E.g., from an airport to a hotel.

Transit area - an area in an airport (airside) for the passengers. For connecting passengers: visa is not necessary if a passenger stays in the transit area.

Transit visa - a permission to pass through a country.

Transit passenger - a passenger who has a layover in an airport transit area and does’t leave the airport.

Travel agent  – An individual or company that sell travel services on a commission basis.

Travel agency  – Usually used in the travel industry to refer to an ARC-appointed storefront retailer.

Travel document - passport. In some cases, also a person’s ID. See our international travel document checklist .

Travel insurance - insurance coverage for risks associated with traveling such as loss of luggage, delays, and death or injury while in a foreign country.

Travel fare aggregator and travel fare metasearch engine - airfare search sites, such as SkyScanner, Momondo, Google Flights, Kayak.

Triple room - a room that can comfortably accommodate three people.

Trip cancellation insurance - reimburses a person for non refundable trip costs if they have to cancel the trip. Covered reasons: injury, sickness, or death of a family member, or a traveling companion. 

Twin room - a room that can accommodate two people, and has two separate single beds.

Visa - a permission to enter the country and stay there for a specified period of time.

Visa free entry - no visa is needed to enter the country.

Voucher - a digital or physical coupon that entitles its holder to a discount, or can be exchanged for goods or services.

Have a great trip!

Remember - whenever your flight is delayed , cancelled or you've been denied boarding - you might be entitled to flight compensation. Contact us to get it sorted out right away!

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Travel Glossary

Travel brochures and websites are filled with travel-related terms and expressions. Some of them are obvious, but other commonly used phrases might raise some eyebrows. We have created a glossary to elucidate some of the most common words and travel jargon you might encounter when you’re planning a family holiday: the ultimate travel glossary .

A-la-carte: Food that can be ordered as separate items, instead of being part of a set meal. It can be applied to both restaurants and tours.

Accommodation: Place to spend the night during a trip, like a hostel, hotel, or apartment.

Activities: Forms of animation that can be undertaken on the travel destination.

Add-on: Supplementary to existing travel arrangements and products, such as luggage or tour activities. Add-ons generally come at additional costs.

Adjoining rooms: Rooms that are right next to each other. When family rooms aren’t available, adjoining rooms are usually available upon request.

Adventure travel: A type of traveling that usually involves cultural experiences or physically challenging activities, such as sports and hiking. The term ‘adventure travel’ can also be applied to traveling to less-visited, remote destinations. 

All-inclusive resort: Resort where the use of all amenities, meals, drinks, and most alcoholic drinks are included in the package price. Sometimes, activities and specific tours are included in the price as well.

Amenities: Any desirable feature you can find in an accommodation.

Amenity kit: Small pouch with toiletries, typically provided on long-haul flights.

Airport code: International three-digit code to identify airports worldwide. 

B&B: bed and breakfast; a type of accommodation where the guests get served breakfast. 

Babymoon: Relaxing holiday for couples before the birth of their child.

Backpacker: Traveler who travels light and carries all the luggage in a rucksack. Backpackers generally travel budget-friendly and stay in hostels.

Bar: Counter in a cafe or hotel lobby where drinks are served. In some cases, snacks and meals are also on the menu.

Barbecue facilities: Establishment where you can do barbecuing around the accommodation. Generally, these include a grill and utensils.

Base fare: The price of a ticket or travel service before taxes are applied.

Beach holiday: Leisure trip that’s primarily focused on beaches and water activities.

Berth: A bed on public transportation, such as trains, buses, and boats.

Blackout dates: Certain travel dates when discounts or special promotions regarding tours, airfares, or accommodation prices can’t be claimed. Broadly, these dates include holidays or periods in the high season.

Booking.com: Online travel agency, which is one of the largest booking sites in the world. It can be used for accommodation, tours, and car rental.

Boutique hotel: A generally small-sized hotel focused on a stylish interior with decorations and artworks. A boutique hotel tends to be quite upscale and chic.

Breakfast buffet: Spread of food items displayed in the morning in hotels and other types of accommodation. 

Bridal suite: Suite in a hotel dedicated to newly-wed couples.

Bucket list: A wishlist of enticing destinations travelers want to go to someday. 

Bucket list destination: A specific place travelers aspire to travel to. This could be countries, a national park, a resort, et cetera.

Budget-friendly travel: Travel to inexpensive destinations or economically travel to expensive countries.

Buffet breakfast: Variety of food items and drinks served on a counter or table in an accommodation. 

Bunkbed: A bed unit that consists of two beds, one being above the other.

Cancellation fee: An additional payment that comes into effect after the deadline for cancellation has passed, and a traveler wishes to cancel nonetheless.

Carry on: Baggage that doesn’t have to be declared at the check-in counters of an airport, but can be brought by the passenger to the cabin instead.

CDW: Collision Damage Waiver; extra rental vehicle insurance to cover damage or loss of the vehicle.

Charter: Motorized vehicle rented by a private person or group.

Checklist: List of things to pack or things to do before the travel date.

City guide: Travel book or brochure aimed to inform travelers on an individual city anywhere in the world. A city guide features places to eat, nightlife, activities, and cultural venues for travelers to visit.

City trip: A – generally – short holiday which is aimed to visit one or several cities.

Coffee bar: Cafe in the lobby of a hotel or attached to the hotel.

Compression bag: Small sack within a backpack or suitcase that can fit more luggage than regular bags, as it doesn’t contain air.

Concierge: Caretaker in holiday accommodation who takes care of the needs of the guests.

Connecting flight: Flight from a destination other than where the journey started. The passenger has to change airplane to reach the final destination. 

Connecting room: Rooms that are next to each other, and connected by a private door. Connecting rooms can be requested by families if their company is too large for one room. 

Continental breakfast: A light breakfast in a hotel or restaurant which usually has hot pastries, bread, spreads, and hot beverages. Sometimes optional eggs, cereals, meats, and cheeses are available.

Continental climate: Dry climate characterized by hot summers and cold winters.

Couchette: Train compartment wherein seats can be converted into berths.

Cruise: Holiday or tour on a ship that docks at a variety of destinations for sightseeing purposes.

Cuisine: A style or method of cooking typical for a particular country or region.

Customized tour: Travel itinerary that’s designed by and arranged for an individual traveler or traveling family. 

Deal: Airfare, accommodation, or other travel service offered at a discounted price for a limited amount of time.

Deck plan: Map on a cruise ship that shows the layout of the vessel.

Demand-based pricing: Price that fluctuates based on the number of people interested in a specific service or product.

Deposit: A sum paid to a booking agent, hotel, or tour operator as an installment. 

Destination: A place to venture for a holiday. 

Destination wedding: Celebrating a wedding outside the own country or at least 100 miles away from home.

Diet menu: Food and drinks list in hotels that are adjusted to dietary needs and wishes of the guests.

Domestic airport: An airport that exclusively handles flights within the same country it’s located in. 

Domestic travel: Seeking a leisure trip within the own country.

Dormitory: Bedroom with sleeping space for a number of people. Commonly, dorms have bunk beds, and they are most present in hostels.

Double occupancy rate: Price based on two people sharing the same room. In general, the double occupancy rate is lower than the rate for an individual traveler.

Double room: Room that sleeps two people. A double room houses two single beds or one double bed. 

Eco-friendly travel: Traveling in a way that doesn’t harm the environment, but instead aims to preserve nature and educate travelers about its importance. 

Economy class: The most cost-friendly class for traveling on a train or airplane.

Ecotour: Tour, which directly raises awareness for preserving the environment.

English breakfast: A type of breakfast commonly served in hotels and resorts, which consists of bacon, baked beans, sausage, egg, tomato, and mushrooms.

En-suite: The bathroom that directly adjoins the bedroom and forms one complete set with the other room(s).

Entertainment program: Schedule with activities for children, initiated by a team hired by the holiday accommodation.

Excursion: Commonly a short (day-)trip for leisure purposes, enjoyed from a holiday destination.

eTA: Electronic Travel Authority; entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals for certain countries.

ETA: Estimated time of arrival. 

E-ticket: Ticket that’s generated online and can be shown upon check-in without the use of paper.

Exchange rate: The price of a currency in terms of another type of money.

Executive suite: Term often used in hotels for a completely furnished, apartment-style dwelling.

Exhibition: Display of any kind in museums.

Facilities: Desirable features in an accommodation. 

Familymoon: Post-wedding holiday joined by the children of the newly-weds. 

First-class: Most expensive and luxurious class within train and airplane travel.

Flashpacker: Backpacker with a larger budget that wants to travel with more comforts.

Fly-drive package: Package holiday that often includes flights, a rental vehicle, and accommodation at the holiday destination. Generally, these packages are cheaper than booking each product separately.

Full Pension / full board: Accommodation that – besides sleeping – offers three meals per day, and sometimes tea, coffee, and snacks.

Fun park: A park that features a bundle of attractions, usually specially designed for children. 

Gift shop: Shop attached to a hotel where guests can buy souvenirs and other items. The term can also be used for general gift shops.

Glamping: Portmanteau of glamorous and camping. Glamping is camping with the level of luxury some holiday homes would offer.

Group rate: Price for a travel service based on the attendance of at least two persons. Group rates are usually relatively lower than individual rates.

Group tour: A tour that consists of an assembly of travelers with the same itinerary.

Half pension: Accommodation which offers breakfast plus one additional meal (usually dinner). This term is most commonly used at European destinations.

Heritage trail: A walking or cycling route that shows culturally significant features of a certain area.

Hideaway: Secluded place to go to for relaxation, meditation, or enjoying nature.

Honeymoon: Holiday spent by a newly-wed couple.

Hotspot: Country, region, or town that has a high concentration of tourists.

Hub: Central point of a country often used a nerve center of transportation. 

Infinity pool: Swimming pool that mingles with the surrounding landscapes thanks to the scenic views enjoyed from the pool.

In-flight entertainment: Entertainment provided on screens on board of long-haul flights. Typical forms of in-flight entertainment are movies, music, digital games, and e-books.

Infrastructure: Network of roads, railways, and air connections.

International airport: Airport which handles flights to destinations in foreign countries.

Island hopping: Traveling from one island to another. Most of the time, this is part of a short excursion or holiday.

Island life: Temporary or long-term stay on an island. Typical expressions of island life are spending time at the beach and watching sunsets.

Itinerary: Travel route or list of activities that are planned beforehand.

Joint fare: One-way journey broken by a stopover in a transit country. Joint fare can apply to a journey undertaken with two different airlines.

Junior suite: A junior suite is a suite that’s usually smaller than a regular suite, and it lacks an apparent separation between the living area and bedroom(s). 

Kid-friendly hotel: Hotel with facilities that make it pleasant for children to stay there. This includes hotels with a pool, board games, baby beds, et cetera.

Kinderhotels : Hotels aimed at families with children through their facilities, atmosphere, and surroundings. German term you’ll mainly encounter in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

King size bed: Largest sized bed in accommodations. Sizes, however, depend on which part of the world you are in.

Layover: A break before the next part of the journey starts.

Leisure travel: Travels intended for relaxation. The primary motivation is to seek a routine different from all-day life. 

Long-haul flight: Commercial flight that covers a distance of 4000 kilometers or more.

Low season: Time of the year when the number of tourists is small in a travel destination.

Loyalty program: A marketing strategy that rewards customers with discounts or other advantages when they are regular customers.

Luggage storage: Space in an accommodation where you can put baggage before check-in or after check-out.

Luxury travel: Indulging in a destination with few limitations, for example, by customizing a travel itinerary with a wide range of unique experiences. 

Meet and greet: Service that hotels or tour agencies provide to pick up travelers from an airport or station. 

Minibar: Small fridge in a hotel room filled with drinks. Usually, the beverages need to be paid for, but they can be free of charge on occasions.

Minimalism: Deliberately packing light for travels.

Multi-city flight: Flight with stops in several cities worldwide, which enables travelers to explore several destinations on one advanced ticket.

Multiple-entry visa: Visa that allows entrance to a foreign country for at least two times.

Museum: Building that displays exhibitions of any kind (usually art, historical subjects, or nature subjects).

Niche travel: Travel specializing in a specified destination or type of activities, For example, gastronomy travel, wildlife travel, and luxury travel. 

Nightlife: Entertainment and social activities available in a place in the evening hours.

No-frills: Low-budget traveling by eliminating all non-essential services and goods.

No-show: Keeping nor canceling a reservation or booking.

Off-peak season: Season with the lowest tourist numbers in a specific destination.

Open-jaw: A traveler arrives at one destination and flies back home from another travel hub.

Overstay: Staying in a country longer than the visa allows.

Packing list : Pre-made list of what to bring on a holiday.

Patio: Paved outdoor area right next to a holiday house or hotel room, commonly used for relaxation.

Per pax: Per passenger.

Pet-friendly hotel: Hotel that allows pets to stay and has pet-friendly facilities, such as food trays and kennels.

Plunge pool: Modestly-sized but deep swimming pool, typically used for a cool down after a sauna visit.

Premium-economy class: Middleground travel class between economy class and business class in an airplane or train. Premium economy comes with perks such as more legroom and upgraded meals compared to economy class.

Private parking: Parking space adjoining accommodation, available exclusively for guests.

Private tour: Guided tour for one party exclusively: 

Queen size bed: One bed size smaller than a king-size bed. Sizes, however, depend on which part of the world you are in.

Rafting: Traveling down a river on a raft by way of sports.

Relocation cruise: Cruise that terminates in a harbor different from the departure point. Relocation cruises take place mostly when the tourist seasons change in various locations around the world.

Rental agreement: Contract regarding the rental of a holiday house or vehicle between the property owner and the renter.

Resort: Holiday accommodation where people go for enjoyment.

Responsible tourism: Tourism that reduces the negative impact on the environment and improves local people’s well-being.

Road trip: Long-distance journey with a car or motorbike, primarily to do sightseeing.

Round-the-world ticket: Pre-arranged flight tickets with two or more destinations around the world.

Round trip: A trip to a place and returning from there to the original departure point.

Safari: Excursion intended to see wildlife in their natural habitat, often undertaken from a car or boat.

Safety box: Small safe in a hotel room where the guest can store valuables for safekeeping.

Segway: Two-wheeled transportation device regularly used on city tours. 

Shopping arcade: Collection of shops under one and the same roof.

Shore excursion: A tour on land operated for cruise passengers and available when the ship docks.

Short-haul flight: Commercial flight that covers a distance of 4000 kilometers or less.

Shoulder season: The season between the touristic high season and the low touristic season.

Shuttle bus: Bus service between two places with a regular schedule.

Sightseeing tour: Expedition to bring tourists to points of interest in the concerning area.

Ski pass: A pass that allows skiers and snowboarders to use the ski facilities and ski fields in a specific area.

Ski piste: Slope used for skiing and snowboarding.

Smoking room: Room in a public building designated for smokers.

Star rating system: A ranking system developed by organizations to indicate what level of luxury and facilities guests can expect in a hotel. Hotel ratings range from one to five stars.

Staycation: Celebrating a holiday in your own country rather than going abroad.

Step-on guide: Guide that gives a tour on board of buses. 

Suite: Connecting rooms that form a dwelling within a hotel.

Terrace: Outdoor area beside or on top of accommodation.

Ticket service: Accommodation provides help with booking tours and activities.

Tour desk: Designated counter within an accommodation where tickets, tours, and other activities can be booked.

Tour guide: Escort for a group of tourists during an excursion.

Tourist card: Type of visa that can be obtained prior to departure to the concerning country.

Tourist tax: Small fee tourists have to pay to a municipality through the accommodation. The amount is based on the number of nights the traveler spends in the city. 

Train travel: Undertaking a journey to or at your holiday destination by train. 

Transit visa: Visa which allows the holder to pass through a country rather than to stay for a longer time.

Travel agency: Firm that makes arrangements for travelers.

Travel dictionary: Pocketable dictionary with essential words and sentences in a foreign language. 

Travel restrictions: Limitations to traveling due to certain circumstances, such as conflicts, natural disasters, political quarrels, et cetera.

Travel scam: People making money by performing a deceptive act. 

Travel sickness: Sense of sickness one develops onboard a moving vehicle. Travel sickness is also called motion sickness. 

Trekking: Journeying by foot over mountainous terrain.

Triple room: Room which sleeps three people.

Tropical destination: Destination near the equator, characterized by warm weather and a lack of extreme change in seasons.

Turndown service: Staff of the accommodation prepares the bed early in the evening for the guests to sleep in. Sometimes, the addition of sweets or chocolates on the pillows is complementary.

Twin room: Room which sleeps two people. A twin room has two single beds.

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; an institution that’s been introduced to protect and preserve natural and cultural treasures around the world.

Unlimited mileage: The travelers can drive as many miles as they wish with a rental vehicle, without any additional fees.

Upgrade: Move to improved services or stepping up accommodation.

Voluntourism: A type of tourism in which the traveler is involved in voluntary work.

Voucher: Accounting document with a balance that can be exchanged for products or goods.

Wellness facilities: Health services that improve physical and mental conditions, from skin treatments to sessions aimed at weight-loss. 

Workaway: Online community for volunteering work and cultural exchange.

World Heritage Area: Cultural or natural point of significance that’s listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Worldschooling: Education of children by exposing them to foreign cultures, nature, and history by traveling to these places.

WWOOF: Online community for organic farm work that brings together hosts and volunteers. 

Zoo: Park with wild animals for displaying and/or researching purposes.

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Globetrotter’s Glossary Of Travel Terms

Wanderlust is a concept that underpins many of the other terms on this list. It is defined as “a strong, innate desire to rove or travel about.”

As Vladimir Nabokov alluded to in his first novel Mary , wanderlust often takes hold in the months leading up to summer: “Nostalgia in reverse, the longing for yet another strange land, grew especially strong in spring.”

A wayfarer is someone who travels, especially on foot.

The term entered English in the mid-1400s as a combination of way meaning “a path or course leading from one place to another,” and fare , a verb meaning “to go; travel.”

Ray-Ban borrowed this poetic-sounding word as the name for their classic model of sunglasses, which took the 1980s by storm thanks in part to Tom Cruise, who famously sported them in the iconic 1980s film Risky Business , and Canadian crooner Corey Hart who invited a generation to consider the merits of sporting shades post-nightfall with his hit single “Sunglasses at Night.”

cosmopolitan

As an adjective, cosmopolitan means “at home all over the world,” and as a noun, “a citizen of the world.”

It can be traced to the philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, who first applied the Greek term kosmos to the order of the universe or world. The Stoics of ancient Greece developed an ideology of cosmopolitanism that broke from assumptions of Greek superiority, emphasizing instead a shared morality among all people.

Surprising as it may be, the Stoics are not responsible for the pink cocktail that gained notoriety during the run of Sex and the City ; this potable sense of cosmopolitan arose a couple millennia later in the mid-1980s.

Sometimes a weekend getaway can satisfy one’s wanderlust, but other times a longer stay or sojourn is in order. This word can function as a noun or a verb, with senses of “a temporary stay” and “to stay for a time in a place; live temporarily,” respectively.

It can be traced to the Latin word subdiurnare , which translates roughly as “to spend the day.”

Today’s definition of traipse emphasizes an easygoing manner of travel: “to walk or go aimlessly or idly or without finding or reaching one’s goal.”

But, over the course of its lifetime, traipse has emphasized elements of untidiness, as in the following definition from Oxford English Dictionary : “to walk with the dress trailing or bedraggled.” An association with gender also shows up in the related word trape , a now-obsolete verb meaning “to walk or run about in an ideal or slatternly manner”; slattern is a pejorative term for a slovenly, untidy woman or girl.

globetrotter

In addition to describing a theatrical basketball player who calls Harlem home, the word globetrotter can refer to a person who travels regularly or frequently to countries all over the world.

A trot is a gait of horses that’s in between a walk and a run. By the mid-1500s, the word trotter was being used to refer to a person who moves about briskly and constantly. Globetrotter emerged in English three centuries later, in the late 1800s, as technologies were evolving on land and on sea that facilitated travel of a more frequent and widespread variety.

peregrinate

This term means “to travel or journey, especially to walk on foot.” It can be traced to the Latin peregrinari meaning “to travel abroad.”

By the time peregrinate entered English in the late 1500s, English speakers were already using its adjectival cousin for a migratory bird renowned for its speed, the peregrine falcon .

If you prefer epicurean adventures over pilgrimages, gallivant may be your travel term of choice. This word means “to wander about, seeking pleasure or diversion.”

Etymologists posit that the term could be a humorous variation of the verb gallant . Both of these verbs carry senses involving flirtation, which adds an element of intrigue to any vacation.

Can you guess the definition?

[ ri- myoo -n uh -reyt ]

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Airline Industry Jargon: 17 Terms Every Flyer Should Know

See recent posts by Ricky Radka

When it comes to the airline industry, it seems like they’ve gone and created a language of their own. Filled with slang and acronyms, overhearing an airline employee will make you want to open up a translation app on your phone. And when they do decide on a word, the spelling may throw you for a loop. Is it, roundtrip, round trip, or round-trip? We’ve seen it every way possible. Also, for the record, it’s nonstop not non-stop or non stop, as non is a prefix.

Everyday Airline Lingo Explained

While the list of industry and insider jargon is extensive, I’ve taken some of the more popular and misunderstood terms into account to break down their meanings. While many you’ve heard before, you might find out that you’ve been misusing them all along. Here’s a rundown of some common phrases and idioms that every frequent flyer should be aware of.

Direct Flight

This is one of the most misunderstood words in the industry among flyers. A direct flight is not a nonstop flight. Commonly confused, a direct flight may contain a stop(s) along the way to the final destination to on or offload passengers. The key here is that a direct flight does not change its flight number despite touching down between two points. Therefore, it’s considered one continuous trip. Direct flights are less frequent nowadays with better fuel efficiency on most aircraft; however, a handful of airlines are still marketing flights as direct, especially Southwest .

An open-jaw itinerary or open-jaw flight is a roundtrip ticket in which the origin or destination airport is not the same in both directions. As an example, a roundtrip ticket on a fare from Atlanta (ATL) to Los Angeles (LAX) with the return portion from San Diego (SAN) to Atlanta (ATL) . This itinerary would be considered an open-jaw as the ticket is arriving and departing from two different Californian airports. Open-jaws are generally booked so that a flyer can explore and travel between two destinations without having to backtrack to the arrival airport.

Pitch is the term used to define the legroom between two airline seats. Measured by the distance from the back of one airplane seat to the seat in front of it, seat pitch is generally measured in inches. On U.S. based airlines seat pitch can vary from a measly 28 to a generous 33 inches of pitch. To find out who offers the most real estate for your legs in economy, click here .

Related: Wild Pitch: US Airlines With the Most Legroom in Economy... and the Least

ETOPS is an acronym in the aviation industry for Extended Operations, or technically “extended-range twin-engine operational performance standards." So what does that actually mean? It is the range that airplanes may operate where there are no nearby airports or landing areas. ETOPS leveled certifications are administered to specific models of aircraft that allow them to service long-range routes with a buffer area and time frame to land safely in case of an engine failure. 

IFE is the acronym for In-Flight Entertainment. The term is mostly synonymous with the seat back video monitors on airplanes, but it also includes music channels, wi-fi, moving maps, and maybe even the Southwest flight attendant’s stand-up comedy routine you might be subjected to.

Probably the most well-known phrase on the list, a red-eye is a flight that departs at nighttime and is scheduled to arrive the following morning. Generally, flights are red-eyes when they travel from West to East and the time zone changes don’t allow for a full night’s rest. This leaves some passengers semi-exhausted with the namesake pair of puffy red-eyes.

Record Locator/PNR

Nope, a record locator isn’t a hipster looking for some vinyl at the nearby Goodwill. It’s the alphanumeric codes that are six characters long, created when an airline reservation is made. Often used in conjunction with a PNR (Passenger Name Record), these two terms are what the airlines use to store travelers’ itineraries, names, and flight information into their reservation databases. The codes often look like this: XT4D32, and are displayed on confirmation emails and usually on your boarding pass.

Fifth Freedom

Fifth Freedom refers to the airline right that allows a carrier to fly between two separate foreign countries, as long as the flight originates or terminates in the carrier’s home country. As an example, Emirates operates a flight from New York (JFK) to Dubai (DXB) that heads eastward with a brief stop in Milan (MXP) . With fifth freedom rights, a passenger can fly only the New York to Milan segment of that service without the need to fly onward to Dubai. To find out a list of available fifth freedom flights and how they can benefit you, look here .

Related: What Are Fifth Freedom Flights?

Beyond being a Jerry Garcia fan, a deadhead in the aviation industry refers to an off-duty employee of an airline traveling in a passenger seat. Deadheading is commonly used for an airline to transport its crew to another city so they can be positioned for work assignment at another destination.

Not to be confused with deadheading, a non-rev (non-revenue) passenger is an airline employee or their certified friends and family flying on a deeply discounted airline ticket. These flights are generally on a standby basis and for personal travel needs, non-work-related. Non-rev tickets generate no income for the airline and are subject to availability.

Legacy Carrier

By definition, a legacy carrier is an airline with an established route network before the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. But the term is more commonly used regarding a carrier that provides a higher quality of service than a low-cost carrier. However, the lines are blurring now as traditional legacy carriers mimic business models set out by rival budget companies. Delta , United , and American are often cited as the big three legacy carriers, but Alaska and Hawaiian also fall into the legacy category.

ULCC is the acronym for Ultra-Low-Cost-Carrier. ULCCs like Spirit , Allegiant , and Frontier Airlines rely on a business model that offer rock-bottom fare prices alongside a greater number of ancillaries and add-on fees. Often labeled no-frill airlines, ULCC's often reduce operating cost by flying the same model of aircraft, operate point-to-point routes, and are not members of any airline alliances. Ultra-low-cost-carriers generate non-flight revenue by imposing fees for seat selection, carry-on/checked baggage, and drinks/snacks onboard.

Related: The Best and Worst Low-Cost Airlines in Europe

A codeshare agreement or codesharing refers to a flight in which two or more airlines market and are able to sell tickets a specific flight operated by one carrier. Codeshares allow airlines to sell tickets that extend beyond their route networks in conjunction with their codeshare partner airline. For example, if a flyer based in Chicago (ORD) wanted to fly to Melbourne, Australia (MEL) , where there are no nonstop flight options, they could take advantage of the codeshare agreement between American and Qantas and purchase an itinerary from American Airlines. That prevents travelers from having to buy two separate tickets on each airline. Codeshares are most prevalent amongst the three major worldwide airline alliances which you can learn more about here .

Metal is industry slang for which carrier's aircraft is operating the flight. For example, a nonstop flight from Boston (BOS) to Paris (CDG) can be purchased on the Delta website, and through a codeshare agreement will actually be flown on an Air France airplane. Therefore the flight is ticketed by Delta but flown on Air France "metal."

The abbreviation for Irregular Operations, IROP is industry-speak for when a flight schedule is disrupted. IROP includes flight delays and cancellations due to weather, "acts of God," aircraft service, equipment change, or for crew rest. Either way, if you happen to overhear IROP at the airport, odds are you’re not getting to your destination on time.

Layover vs. Stopover

Don’t get these two terms confused. Despite sounding the same, they have different meanings and your time could be at stake.

A layover is a flight connection ranging from as short as a half an hour upwards to 23 hours and 59 minutes. Anything under the 24-hour mark classifies as a layover. Layovers can last overnight, and depending on the booking site, building in an extended layover shouldn’t change your final flight price if kept under the 24-hour parameter.

A stopover refers to a connection that is over the 24-hour mark and can last multiple days (domestically a stopover is considered a connection of over four hours). Stopovers are generally found on routes that don’t have a daily frequency or if an airline's flight schedule allows for them. Stopovers can be an excellent tool for flyers to take some time to explore a city on the way to their final destination. Over the last few years, we have seen airlines relaxing their stopover policies and even promoting free stopovers to entice travelers to break up their journey using a multi-day stopover. To find out more about how to maximize a free stop on your next trip, click here .

Related: The 9 Easiest Airlines for Booking Free Stopovers

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eBook: The ultimate travel and tourism glossary

By Rezdy — 1 Mar 2023

The ultimate travel and tourism glossary

Harness the latest ‘Language of Travel’ for all modern tour and activity operators

Familiarize yourself with the most commonly used terms and become an expert so you can navigate the complex world of travel. The travel industry is full of jargon and acronyms that we will decipher here for you.

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The ultimate travel tourism glossary that takes you through A-Z of the most commonly used terms in tourism and hospitality.

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Glossary of Travel & Tour Operations Industry Terms

Calling all fellow wanderers! Whether you’re new to globetrotting or just decoding travel jargon, we’ve got you covered. Dive into our ultimate glossary of travel terms. Packed with wisdom from our decades in the industry and a dash of inspiration.

So, keep reading and feel free to share your own travel lingo insights in the comments section. Happy travels!

AAB – Agent Assisted Booking. Primarily Offline booking, but can refer to offline or online booking performed through an agency

Accessible Tourism/Travel – travel that ensures that there is high availability in destinations, accommodations, attractions, products, and services to all people

Accommodation – A hotel, Airbnb, hostel, or any other establishment that rents out rooms

Actual Time of Arrival – the actual time of arrival. As opposed to the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)

Add-on – an option, usually at extra cost, added to travel arrangements

Airport – a complex of runways and buildings for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of civil aircraft, with facilities for passengers

A la carte – referring to meals, an indication that each dish is priced separately ; also that a choice of meals may be available, such as on a tour

A la carte bar – also known as a “Cash Bar,” a bar located within one’s hotel room that is pre-stocked with an assortment of snacks and beverages

All-Inclusive – a vacation that includes all the essentials (usually accommodation, food, and drinks)

Attraction – a man-made or natural facility, location or activity that offers an item or items of specific interest

Availability Dates – available for booking a tourism product

Average rate per room occupied – a very useful statistic that is calculated by dividing total sales of rooms during a set period by the total number of rooms occupied during that period

Backpacker – a traveler or hiker who carries their belongings in a backpack

BAR – b est available rate; the lowest unrestricted rate for a hotel room available to guests on a given day

B&B – bed and breakfast; a small hotel that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast

Bespoke tour – a tour that is customized, personalized and tailor-made for the traveler

Blackout dates – a day that you are not operating your tours

Booking – is a confirmation that the request has been received by the travel service provider, holding the seat on the plane or a room at a hotel

Booking Number – used to refer to a completed sale by a destination, convention centre, facility, hotel or supplier

BV – beach view room

Carriers – recognised transport operators, for example, bus, ship or air

Charter Group – group travel, in which a previously organised group travels together usually on a customised itinerary

Check-in-time – the time required to check if for a flight, or also the earliest time a guest can check into their accommodation (room)

Check-out-time – also known as departure time. The latest time by which a guest must vacate their accommodation (room)

City Guide – a tour operator that only serves in urban areas

Complimentary room – a guest space that is offered without cost. The tour guide or driver normally stays in the complimentary accommodations with the group

Connecting Flight – a journey from Point A to Point B that requires a change of planes en route and connecting time between flights is less than 24 hours

Continental Breakfast – u sually consists of bread, rolls, butter, jam and tea or coffee

Custom or Customized Tour – usually also a private tour. Custom refers to the operator crafting an experience customized to the specific demands of a client. A tour operator might be engaged by a client to design a unique experience, for one person or a large group

CV – city view

Day rate – a discounted cost, given for daytime use of a guest room, not for overnight occupancy

Day visitors – t ravelers who come and depart on the same day, regardless of their reason for traveling

Deposit – money paid to secure a reservation

Destination – a hotel, resort, attraction, city, region or state

Direct bookings – reservations made directly with the tourism operator

Direct Flight – a flight from Point A to Point B that does not require a change of planes

DMC –  or Destination Management Company, is a professional entity that specializes in providing comprehensive travel services and logistical support to individuals, groups, or businesses planning events, meetings, or trips in a specific destination. DMCs have extensive knowledge of their designated region and offer services such as accommodation arrangements, transportation, event planning, tours, and activities. They play a crucial role in ensuring that travelers or event organizers have a seamless and enjoyable experience in their chosen destination by handling all the logistical details.

Documentation – all the tickets and vouchers that are sent to agents

Domestic Travel – travel wholly within any one country

Double Room Rate – t he price per room shared by two persons

Downgrade – to switch to less luxurious accommodations or a lower tier of service

Driver-Guide – p rofessional en­gaged to drive a vehicle and to point out places of interest

ETA – estimated time of arrival

ETD – estimated time of departure

E-Ticket – regarding transportation, especially on airlines, an electronic ticket, or e-ticket, is the digital version of a paper ticket, issued via email

Excursion – a short journey or trip, especially one taken as a leisure activity

Experience – in tour operations, experience refers to a tour, activity or excursion

Extended stay – a hotel stay of seven or more nights

FAM tour – a n abbreviation for familiarization tour, which is frequently a free or heavily discounted travel program for travel agencies, tour operators, travel writers, or other interested parties to familiarize them with a particular location or attraction and assist boost sales

FIT – Free Independent Travel; t hese travelers travel independently, not in a group, usually by rental car or public transportation

FOP – Form of Payment

Full board meals –  refer to a meal plan typically offered by hotels, resorts, and cruise ships, where all three daily meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—are included in the accommodation package. This means that guests can enjoy a complete dining experience without having to worry about additional meal expenses during their stay.

Full house – a hotel that is at 100% occupancy

GIT – Groups Independent Travel; individuals purchase a group package in which they will travel with others along a pre-set itinerary

Globetrotter –   a term used to describe someone who has a penchant for traveling extensively and frequently. These individuals possess a passion for exploring different corners of the world, immersing themselves in diverse cultures, and embarking on journeys to various destinations, making them true adventurers of the globe. They thrive on the thrill of discovery and the experiences that come with traversing the world’s landscapes and cultures.

Group Tour – a prepaid tour usually with a set itinerary and number of travelers

Guest account – an itemized list of a visitor’s fees and credits

GV – garden view room

Heritage Center – a building where tourists and other visitors get information about a place and its people

High season – the time of year when tourist activity and rates charged are generally at their highest

Holiday Resort – a place where a lot of people go on holiday and usually to the hotels, bars, restaurants

Hostel – a budget accommodation offering shared dorms and private rooms. Very popular amongst budget travelers, backpackers and young travelers

Itinerary –  sometimes shortened to “Iti,” is a comprehensive document that outlines a traveler’s entire journey, including details found on their tickets. Additionally, it may encompass information about accommodations and any pre-arranged activities or plans for the trip.

Inbound tour – a group of tourists whose trip’s beginning was in another city or country

Incidentals or Incidental Expenses  –  additional costs that tour participants must cover separately from the tour fee. These are unforeseen expenses that are not part of the initial package and aren’t directly related to the primary services included in the tour. Examples include unplanned meals, souvenir purchases, gratuities for hotel staff, and expenses like newspapers or other incidentals that may arise during your journey

Intermodal tour – a tour employing a variety of modes of transportation, including trains, motorcoaches, cruise ships, and airplanes, to put up a well-rounded and effective trip package

ITO – Inbound Tour Operator; specialises in offering tours to international visitors to a location, either directly or through existing agreements with local vendors

Joiner Tour / Join-in Tour – i n join-in tours, you are grouped together with other travelers who have also signed up for the same tour. You will be guided with a professional tour guide, and follow an itinerary that has already been planned for you

Leisure travel – travel for recreational, sightseeing, relaxation and other purposes. Leisure is the primary motivation

Local Guide – a p rofessional en­gaged to point out places of interest and conduct tours of specific locations and attrac­tions

Low season – the time of year when tourist activity and rates are at their lowest

Luggage – suitcases or other bags in which to pack personal belongings for traveling

LV – land view

Land arrangements – all the details of a land portion of a trip (hotel, car, tours, sightseeing, etc.)

MICE – meetings, incentives, and events

MOP – an abbreviation for “Mode of Payment,” refers to the specific method or way in which a customer or client intends to pay for goods or services. It encompasses various options such as cash, credit card, check, online transfers, or other means by which financial transactions are conducted to settle a payment.

Multi-Day Tour – any type of experience that lasts for more than one day. Often includes hotels, meals, short activities, and a form of transportation

MV – mountain view room

Nature cruise – a trip that takes people out on boats to see natural wonders, including waterfalls, lakes, sunsets, rivers, and jungle regions

Net rate – represents the reduced or discounted rate that travel agencies or tour operators negotiate with hotels, airlines, or other service providers. This rate typically excludes any additional commissions, fees, or markups, and it serves as the base price upon which these agencies calculate their own pricing to customers. Essentially, it’s the cost price for travel services before any additional charges are applied.

Non-refundable – a ticket in which no money will be returned if the customer no longer intends to use the ticket

Non-Stop Flight – a flight from Point A to Point B without ANY stops whatsoever

Non-transferable –  a term used to indicate that a particular item, such as a ticket, pass, or reservation, cannot be reassigned or given to another person. It means that the item is solely intended for the original purchaser or holder and cannot be used by anyone else. This restriction is often applied to maintain control, security, or adherence to specific terms and conditions associated with the item or service.

No show – a visitor or client with scheduled reservations who doesn’t show up but doesn’t cancel

OBT – Online Booking Tool; an online booking tool is an internet-based system that allows you to book flights, rail, hotels and more

Off-peak – a less expensive time to travel as a result of lower consumer volume during these periods

Online booking system – a reservation system that enables customers to make direct online bookings with your business

OTA – Online Travel Agent or Online Travel Agency e.g. TripAdvisor, Viator, Klook, Trip.com, Traveloka and many more

Outbound operator – a business/company that transports groups from one city or country to another

Outbound tour – a ny group excursion that departs from a specific city or state; opposite of an inbound tour

OC – ocean view

Package Tour – a kind of experience (usually multi-day) in which several different components are bundled together: it may or may not include airfare, hotels, guided experiences & meals

Passenger manifest –  a comprehensive list or document that contains the names, details, and other relevant information of all passengers on a particular mode of transportation, such as an airline flight, ferry, boat, or land transfer. It serves as an essential record for the transportation provider, helping them manage and track passenger information, ensure safety, and comply with regulations. The manifest may include details like passenger names, seat or cabin assignments, departure and arrival times, and in some cases, additional information such as passport numbers for international travel. This document is vital for operational and safety purposes, as well as for documentation and compliance with relevant authorities.

PAX –  “PAX” is the official abbreviation for passengers and is frequently used interchangeably with “persons.” For instance, when you encounter a rate such as Php 1,000 per person, it can also be expressed as Php 1,000 per PAX, signifying the cost per individual.

PNR –  which stands for “Passenger Name Record,” is essentially a travel industry term synonymous with reservation. It’s a unique alphanumeric code or reference number assigned to each traveler’s booking. This code serves as a digital fingerprint of the reservation, containing vital information like passenger names, flight details, seat assignments, and itinerary specifics. Travelers and travel providers use PNRs to access and manage reservation details, making it a crucial element in the travel booking process.

PPDO – per person, double occupancy

Private Tour – i n a private tour, you and your traveling party have exclusive access to a tour guide. You may follow the itinerary that has already been planned for you, or, depending on what is offered, have the flexibility to request for customization to your itinerary

P/N – per night in booking accommodation

Public Tour – a tour that’s open to the general public to sign up. The tour therefore consists of a variety of people who don’t already know each other. A public tour is usually offered at a set time and day

PV – pool view

Queue – a list of reservations that require special attention by a travel consultant, typically organized by priority or category, such as pending bookings, waitlisted reservations, ticketing deadlines, or canceled trips

Quote  –  which is a shortened version of “quotation,” represents the estimated cost that a  company provides to a potential customer. This allows the customer to prepare for and plan the expenses associated with the desired services they intend to use during their trip.

Real-time booking –  a convenient feature that allows travelers to make instant travel arrangements. With this option, travelers can secure flights, accommodations, tours, and various travel services immediately, often through online platforms or booking systems. It enables travelers to check availability, compare options, and confirm their plans in real-time, making it a valuable tool for those who prefer spontaneity or need to make last-minute arrangements for their journeys. This technology-driven approach has greatly simplified the travel booking process, offering flexibility and convenience to travelers worldwide.

Red-eye flight – a late-night or overnight light that arrives at its destination in the early morning. It gets its name from the fact that passengers often have red eyes from lack of sleep during the flight

Reservation – the advance booking of a travel product

Res – s hort for reservation

ResTech – short for Reservation Tech or  Reservation Technology. It is often interchangeable with the term “online booking software” reservation technology ” and consists of tools and software that improve your customers’ online experience when interacting with your website, and enhances their ability to book tours and excursions with you.

ROH – Run of House refers to a hotel room that is assigned at the discretion of the hotel shortly before arrival. This means that the guest does not choose the room type or location in the hotel

RT / Round trip –  “RT,” short for round trip, signifies a journey to a destination and back, typically following the same route. This term can apply to various modes of travel, including round trip flights and round trip transfers, indicating a complete excursion with a return to the starting point.

RTO – Receptive Tour Operators; provide tourism products to tour operators in other markets (as a business-to-business relationship)

Seasonal travel – travel industry business cycles, such as high or peak, low or off peak, and shoulder season

SIC / Seat-in-Coach  – s imilar to Join-in Tour, in Seat-in-Coach Tour, you are grouped together with other travelers, follow an itinerary and guided with a professional tour guide. You will be travelling on a van/coach

Service Charges and Taxes – are a fixed per­centage automatically added to room and meal charges. Taxes are set by the city, state or federal government

Showplace – an impressive place that tourists often visits

Sightseeing Tour – short excursions of usually a few hours that focus on sightseeing and/or attraction visits

Single Room – a room with one bed for one person

Single Supplement – an additional charge added to a solo traveler, when prices were originally quoted for dual occupancy

Souvenir – an item that a traveler buys to remember their trip

Split Itinerary – an itinerary in which part of the group does one thing while the other part does something else

Split Ticket – issuing multiple tickets for one round-trip journey. This is done to reduce the total cost of the entire reservation

SSV – sea side view hotel room

Stopover –  a planned interruption or layover in a traveler’s journey to a final destination. During a stopover, the traveler stays in a specific location for a duration longer than a typical connection or transit period, often for more than 24 hours. Stopovers are intentionally built into the travel itinerary, allowing passengers to explore and experience an additional destination before continuing their journey to the final endpoint. It’s an opportunity for travelers to visit and discover new places along the way, turning a mere travel connection into a mini-vacation. Airlines and travel agencies sometimes promote stopover programs to encourage tourists to explore the layover destination.

SV – sea view hotel room

T&E – Travel and Entertainment expenses

Tour – a prearranged, prepaid journey to one or more destinations that generally returns to the point of origin, is usually arranged with an itinerary of leisure activities, and includes at least two travel elements

Tour Company – a tour company or tour operator typically combines tour and travel components to create a packaged vacation. They advertise and produce brochures to promote their products, vacation and itineraries

Tour departure – the date of the start by any individual or group of a tour program or, by extension, the entire operation of that single tour

Tourist – a tourist is someone who leaves their own economic trade area and stays overnight (usually traveling a minimum of 50 to 100 kilometers)

Tour Operator –   refers to a person or a company specializing in organizing and leading tours for visitors. These operators often provide valuable insights into local attractions and address any questions or curiosities that guests may have about the area’s notable landmarks and points of interest.

Tour Vouchers – are coupons provided by tour operators to be redeemed for tour components

Tour Wholesaler – t our wholesalers never make sales to customers directly. Instead, they serve as a conduit between independent tour operators and retailers, offering travel, lodging, and tour options

Transfers – t his refers to transportation arrangements that are pre-arranged, usually from your place of accommodation to the location of your activity. It can be private (i.e. only serving you and your traveling party) or shared with others

Traveler – one who travels

Travel Advisor / Consultant – a travel professional who provides expert advice and guidance on travel arrangements for businesses and their employees

Travel Agency – usually used in the travel industry to refer to an ARC-appointed storefront retailer

Travel Agent – an individual who arranges travel for individuals or groups

Travel Arranger / Booker – s omeone who is responsible for booking business travel on behalf of employees within a company. This can include booking flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel arrangements, as well as managing itineraries and travel expenses

Travel Insurance – p urchased from a private company or the tour operator, this provides coverage for emergencies abroad such as illness, baggage loss, accidental death/dismem­berment. This policy often includes trip cancellation insurance

Travel Manager / Program Manager – a person that’s responsible for managing a company’s travel program, including policies, procedures, and relationships with travel suppliers

Trip Cancellation Insurance – p urchased separately from ei­ther the tour operator or your travel agent, this provides a re­fund if you have to cancel your trip after completing payment. Refunds often vary according to the time frame in which you cancel

Triple Room – a room for three persons, usually consisting of twin beds (or double bed) plus a roll-away cot

TTL – Ticketing Time Limit is the time limit airlines stipulate for a ticket to be purchased and issued to avoid cancellation or expiry of the airfare

TTV – Total Transaction Value. This term is used to describe the total value of all travel-related transactions, such as airline tickets, hotel bookings, and car rentals that are processed by a travel management company (TMC)

Twin Room – a room with two beds for two people

Upgrade – to switch to a better room or level of service

References: https://www.travelwta.com/travel-terms-glossary/ http://flutterbytoursbykylie.weebly.com/-tourism-industry-terminology.html https://www.englishbix.com/travel-vocabulary-words/ https://www.fair-point.com/blog/travel-industry-glossary-from-business-to-leisure-all-the-terms-you-need-to-know/ https://ask.pelago.co/hc/en-us/articles/10016383621401-Travel-Industry-Lingo-A-glossary-of-terminology https://ustoa.com/resources/travel-glossary https://travelyucatan.com/travel-term-glossary/ https://www.travelctm.com/global/corporate-travel/travel-glossary/ https://www.ccra.com/references/travel-definitions/ https://abrokenbackpack.com/travel-glossary/ https://www.flightcentre.ca/window-seat/travel-industry-jargon-explained https://meshpayments.com/blog/business-travel-glossary/ https://besttripgallery.com/practical-travel-guide/common-abbreviations-in-tourism/

https://www.rezgo.com/blog https://www.hostwithindie.com/glossary

Excited to kickstart your next adventure? You can either request a personalized quote from us or dive into our selection of fantastic tours. The choice is yours!

Anne Clarise

Anne Clarise, a proud Cebuana currently residing in Talisay, Cebu, brings a diverse set of passions and experiences to her writing endeavors. Hailing from the enchanting town of Argao, Cebu, Anne's literary journey is deeply influenced by her roots and the cultural tapestry of her homeland.

Anne's hobbies, which include dancing, cooking, and watching movies, reflect her multifaceted personality. She is an avid explorer with an insatiable curiosity for the world. Her travels not only satiate her wanderlust but also provide her with a wealth of diverse experiences that find their way into her writing.

As an aspiring author, Anne embodies the spirit of lifelong learning and creative exploration. Her dedication to her craft and her eagerness to absorb the world around her are the driving forces behind her literary pursuits, promising a future filled with captivating tales and insightful narratives.

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Travel blog

Travel Industry Jargon Explained

4.56min read

Published 22 June 2016

Daniel Nikulin

Have you ever sat in front of a travel agent on the phone with an airline speaking a seemingly new yet familiar language? They were conversing in perfectly coherent English with you just a minute ago! What happened?

Well, what you were probably listening to was just a little ‘ J uliet A lpha R omeo G olf O scar N ovember’, that’s all.

Every industry has its own ‘speak’, and the travel industry is no different. English is the international language of aviation, enabling all pilots, crew, air traffic control personnel, airport support staff and others, including airlines, their reservations departments as well as travel agents, to understand each other using one uniform tongue. Having said that, certain industry terms can still contradict the actual meaning of words. (Um, excuse me, but why is there a stop on this direct flight?)

To help you make sense of it all, below is a quick reference guide to travel industry terminology. No more wondering if your consultant is suddenly fluent in Pig Latin, as now, you’ve got the inside scoop!

The Phonetic Alphabet

Adopted by NATO, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and the IMO (International Maritime Organization), among others, the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet (or Phonetic Alphabet, as it’s commonly called) is a series of 26 code words assigned to each letter of the English alphabet to ensure that critical combinations of letters and numbers can be pronounced and understood by those who exchange voice messages by radio or telephone, regardless of the language barrier or the quality of the communication channel. When spelling out the names of travellers for airlines, the Phonetic Alphabet is used by travel agents to avoid spelling mistakes.

A ‘PNR’, or Passenger Name Record, is basically a term meaning ‘reservation’. Airlines will often ask agents for a ‘PNR locator’, also known as their reservation, booking or confirmation number.

Short for ‘Passenger’ – because no one’s got time for three syllables!

Direct Flight

A direct flight is a flight from Point A to Point B that does not require a change of planes. The flight may touch-down to drop-off and/or pick-up passengers and can even deplane everyone while refuelling en route to its destination but will still be considered a direct flight if no plane change occurs.

Non-Stop Flight

This is the one you want! A flight from Point A to Point B without ANY stops whatsoever.

Connecting Flight

A journey from Point A to Point B that requires a change of planes en route and connecting time between flights is less than 24 hours .

A stay of more than 24 hours in a city en route to or returning back from your destination (your destination is considered the furthest point on your trip from your point of origin).

Open-Jaw Ticket

Huh? No, an open-jaw ticket isn’t a jaw-dropping airfare. An open-jaw ticket at destination  simply means flying into one city and returning from another, where you make your own way between the two, either on a separate airline ticket or by car, rail, tour, cruise or foot.  For example,  flying from Toronto to London and returning to Toronto from Paris, making your own way between London and Paris.

In reverse, an open-jaw ticket at origin means starting your trip in one city and returning to a different from where you started. For example,  flying from Toronto to London and returning from London to Montreal.

To complicate things, the distance of your own (unticketed) travel between the two cities you aren’t flying between can’t be greater than any flown leg. Got it? Good.

Red-Eye Flight

Mainly a North American term, a red-eye flight generally refers to a late night departure from the west coast, arriving on the east coast in the early morning of the next day – an overnighter (thus the red eyes).

Code-share Flight

Have you ever been on a flight that has two different flight numbers? Chances are you have. A key feature of airline alliances, a code-share agreement is an arrangement where two or more carriers share the same flight and both benefit from the profits. Seats are sold by both airlines under their own flight number but only one of the carriers operates the flight using their own equipment.

For example,   Toronto to Frankfurt on Air Canada/Lufthansa - the daily flight can be sold as both, AC872 and LH6789. Generally speaking, the airline showing a one, two or a three digit flight number (as opposed to a four digit one), operates the flight. In the above case, it’s a code-share flight operated by Air Canada.

Both airlines are a part of Star Alliance and frequent flyer points can be accumulated by members of either, Aeroplan (Air Canada’s frequent flyer program), Lufthansa’s Miles & More  or any Star Alliance frequent flyer program . Travellers should always check-in with the operating carrier.

A ‘no show’ designation refers to a ticketed passenger that has failed to check-in for their flight. Once a departure is missed, a ticket can no longer be changed. It can only be (partially or fully) refunded if fare rules allow. Generally speaking, the better the fare, the more restrictive a ticket is and most ‘good’ or low fares are fully non-refundable.

Overbooking

Did you know that most scheduled airlines overbook (and oversell) their flights by up to 20%? After careful study, airlines have realized that overall, they can expect up to a 20% ‘no show’ factor on their flights and have adjusted their sales process to reflect this possible shortfall to operate flights as full as possible.

Have you ever waited to board a flight when the airline began offering guests initiatives such as free frequent flyer points, class upgrades or even monetary credit to take a later flight? When a flight is oversold, this is the airline’s Plan B.

Nope - It’s not about your ability to carry a tune. Seat pitch is the distance from your seat to the seat in front of or behind you. The greater the pitch, the more legroom you have.

Bulkhead Seat

Bulkhead seating refers to the first row in each cabin class. These seats generally have more legroom, and on many plane types, these rows are where infant bassinets attach. For this reason, some bulkhead seats are usually left for allocation by the airline’s airport check-in staff, where a final tally of infants is taken. Note: these are not typically ‘Exit Rows’.

Exit rows are the rows of seats on an aircraft adjacent to an emergency exit window or exit door. These seats have more legroom to accommodate possible evacuations and sitting in them comes with some serious responsibilities. The flight crew briefs each passenger in an exit row prior to take-off to ensure they understand the responsibility associated with sitting where they are – namely, to be able and willing to assist the crew during an evacuation of the aircraft.

In addition to ability and willingness, passengers must also:

• Be of minimum age, ranging from 12 to 18 years old, dependent on the airline and/or local law
• Not be travelling with anyone requiring special assistance in an emergency (infants, a person with a disability or an animal)
• Have no physical or mental impairment that could hinder their quickness and effectiveness in operating the emergency exit
• Be able to lift up to 60lbs
• Speak and read the national language of the operating airline

It is because of these restrictions that some airlines don’t pre-book exit row seats, leaving them for allocation by airport check-in staff that are better able to determine one’s suitability. If after the onboard briefing a flight attendant isn’t confident you meet all of the above requirements, you will be promptly re-seated elsewhere.

And there you have it. Now you can surprise your travel agent, airport personnel and airline staff by using the international language of travel.

Happy travels!

Do you have a question for one of our Airfare Experts? Give us a call at 1-877-967-5302, connect with us online, or visit your nearest Flight Centre location .

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40 Basic Vocabulary Words and Common Phrases for Travel in English

Embarking on a journey to a foreign country can be both exciting and a bit daunting, especially when language barriers come into play. But fear not, we’ve got you covered! This page is dedicated to all the globetrotters out there who are keen on enhancing their English language skills specifically for travel.

We’ve curated a list of 40 essential English words and phrases that will prove to be your best companions on your travels.

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or planning your first overseas trip, mastering these words and phrases will not only boost your confidence but also enrich your travel experiences. So, let’s dive in and start preparing for your next adventure with our comprehensive travel vocabulary guide. Happy learning and safe travels!

40 essential English words and phrases for travel

• Passport – “Don’t forget to bring your passport to the airport.”
• Luggage – “Please make sure your luggage is not left unattended.”
• Reservation – “I have a reservation under the name Smith.”
• Itinerary – “Our itinerary includes stops in Rome, Paris, and London.”
• Destination – “Our final destination is Sydney.”
• Accommodation – “I’ve booked accommodation for three nights in the city center.”
• Sightseeing – “We’re going sightseeing in the old town tomorrow.”
• Currency – “What’s the local currency in Japan?”
• Boarding Pass – “Please have your boarding pass and identification ready.”
• Departure – “Our departure time is 6:00 PM.”
• Arrival – “Our estimated arrival time is 8:00 PM.”
• Customs – “You’ll need to declare any items at customs.”
• Visa – “Do I need a visa to travel to the United States?”
• Tourist – “As a tourist, I love exploring new places.”
• Landmark – “The Eiffel Tower is a famous landmark in Paris.”
• Guidebook – “I bought a guidebook to learn more about the city’s history.”
• Souvenir – “I bought a souvenir from each city we visited.”
• Jet Lag – “I’m feeling a bit of jet lag after the long flight.”
• Travel Agency – “The travel agency arranged all of our accommodations.”
• Backpack – “I prefer to travel with a backpack instead of a suitcase.”
• Could you help me, please? – When you need assistance.
• How much does this cost? – When you want to know the price of something.
• Where is the nearest…? – When you’re looking for something specific, like a bathroom or a subway station.
• I would like to book… – When you want to make a reservation.
• Do you speak English? – When you need to find someone who speaks English.
• I’m lost. Can you help me? – When you need directions.
• Can I have the menu, please? – When you’re at a restaurant and want to see the menu.
• I’m allergic to… – When you need to inform someone of your allergies.
• Can I have the bill, please? – When you’re ready to pay at a restaurant.
• What time does it open/close? – When you want to know the operating hours of a place.
• Can I have a ticket to…, please? – When you’re buying a ticket.
• Where can I catch the bus/train? – When you need to find the bus or train station.
• Is it far from here? – When you want to know the distance to a place.
• Can you recommend a good…? – When you’re looking for recommendations.
• Do you accept credit cards? – When you want to know if you can pay with a credit card.
• What’s the Wi-Fi password? – When you need to connect to the internet.
• I’d like to go to… – When you’re telling a taxi driver your destination.
• Is there a pharmacy nearby? – When you need to find a pharmacy.
• Can I try this on? – When you’re shopping for clothes and want to try something on.
• Could you take a picture of us, please? – When you want someone to take a photo of you and your group.

Wrapping Up Our English Travel Vocabulary Journey

And there you have it! We’ve journeyed through 40 essential English words and phrases that will help make your travels smoother and more enjoyable. Remember, language is a powerful tool that can open doors to understanding new cultures, making new friends, and creating unforgettable experiences.

Don’t worry if you can’t memorize all the words and phrases at once. The beauty of language learning is that it’s a continuous process. Keep practicing, and soon these words will become second nature to you.

But why stop at 40? If you’re eager to expand your travel vocabulary even further, we have an exciting offer for you. Follow us on Instagram and send us a direct message to get your hands on our comprehensive eBook (write “Travel eBook”), which features 200 essential English words and phrases for travel, plus 2 special bonuses!

We hope this guide will be a valuable resource for your travel adventures. Whether you’re exploring bustling cities, tranquil countryside, or exotic beaches, these phrases will help you navigate your way with confidence.

Thank you for joining us on this linguistic journey. We wish you all the best in your English learning and your future travels. Remember, every journey begins with a single step, or in this case, a single word. Happy travels and happy learning!

>> Learn more English vocabulary

Privacy Overview

Travel Industry Terms that Every Agent Should Know

Know your travel industry terms

There are many travel industry terms you should know! Did you know that a nonstop flight and a direct flight are not the same? Or that there is a difference between a layover and a stopover? Knowing your travel lingo is important for clear communication. It increases your professionalism and helps you avoid getting your clients into sticky situations. These are some of the most commonly used travel industry terms that every agent should know in order to communicate with consolidators, airlines, and other travel suppliers.

Important travel industry terms to know

Adm (airline debit memo).

A notice sent by an airline to a travel agent alerting them of a fee charged due to a mistake made in the booking or ticketing process. This fee is only applicable to GDS users, never to agents who book on Centrav.com.

ARC (Airlines Reporting Corporation)

ARC  is A United States-based company that provides ticket transaction settlement services between airlines and travel agencies and travel management companies.

The fare amount for all segments prior to adding taxes, fees, and surcharges.

Blackout Dates

Calendar dates where promotions or specials are not available – usually due to a holiday or special event (such as the Olympics, World Cup, etc).

A bulk fare available to buyers who purchase a large volume of airline seats usually priced lower than published fares.

A pair of cities, origin, and destination, on an itinerary.

An agreement between two or more airlines which allows one carrier to market the flight and collect the payment for a flight operated by another carrier. This allows the carrier to provide service to a wider range of destinations that they typically do not serve.

Direct Flight

Different from a nonstop flight (see below), a passenger flying on a direct flight will not have any connections or change in flight numbers, but they may stop for refueling, to add/disembark other passengers, or to actually change aircraft.

Electronic ticket

A paperless ticket that allows travelers to fly with only a photo ID. Commonly referred to as “e-tickets”, they cannot be lost or stolen because it is an electronic reservation. Almost all air tickets are now e-tickets.

FAM (FAM Trip)

A FAM trip is a free or reduced-price travel experience provided by airlines, resorts, or other travel vendors to offer travel agents an overview of their products so that they can knowledgeably sell them to their clients.

FBC (Fare Basis Code)

An alphanumeric code that references the base fare of an airline ticket and fare rules regarding refunds, changes, pre-assigned seating, baggage allowance, and more.

Flag Carrier

A loose term, referring to an airline registered within a specific country or state which may allow it certain entitlements or privileges.

GDS (Global Distribution System)

An international computerized reservation system which allows buyers to book and view live inventory from a wide range of suppliers such as airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

A city or airport that serves as a main point of transfer for passengers using a given airline.

The International Airlines Travel Agent Network  is a globally recognized network for legitimate, qualified travel agencies. IATAN cardholders can receive special access to industry education and rewards programs.

Different from a stopover (see below), a layover is a short period of time between connecting flights. On domestic flights, this refers to stops of 4 hours or less. For international flights, this refers to stops less than 24 hours.

Maximum Stay

The longest period of time a traveler can stay at a given destination and still qualify for a promotion or discounted fare.

Minimum Connection Time (MCT)

A given minimum amount of time deemed sufficient by airlines and airport authorities for a traveler to make a connection between an arriving and a departing flight. If a connection time is less than the MCT it is considered an illegal connection . An agent may be able to force an illegal connection in a GDS, but airlines are not required to reprotect if the connection is missed.

Also referred to as a consolidator fare or a or a private fare . This fare is contracted between an airline and a consolidator and sold to retail travel agents.

Nonstop Flight

A flight with no stops en route to a passenger’s final destination.

The airlines will mark a ticket “no-show” if a passenger does not show up for a flight. All remaining segments of the itinerary will be canceled and are typically nonrefundable.

An itinerary where the passenger flies into one city and out of another. For example, a ticket originating in JFK to flying into LHR and then returning MAN to JFK.

PNR (Passenger Name Record)

A 6-character alphanumeric code used to reference a passenger or group of passengers in a reservations system. Also called a record locator or confirmation number.

Published Fare

A fare offered for immediate purchase, available through any vendor.

Proof of Affiliation

A document demonstrating a traveler’s eligibility to fly on a specialized fare (such as a student ID for a student fare or a letter from a nonprofit stating involvement for a humanitarian fare).

An overnight or late-night flight that typically arrives at one’s destination in the morning. Travelers usually choose this when they wish to have extra sightseeing time at their destination. These flights are often cheaper than flights during prime travel hours.

The issuance of a brand new ticket/ticket number due to a change in date, times, booking class, routing, etc. This may involve a change fee and possibly a charge for the fare difference.

Round the World Fare

An air ticket that allows travelers to make many stops on an itinerary using codeshare agreements, often at a lower cost. Typically the passenger flies around the world instead of out and back.

Seasons    

        low season.

        The cheapest time to travel to a destination. For example: With travel to Europe, low season is generally November through March, excluding Christmas. It is typically considered the worst time of the year to travel to a given destination, but travelers may opt for a low season ticket to benefit from cheaper fares.

        High Season

        Most expensive time to travel to a destination. For Europe, high season begins around mid-June through the end of August. It is considered the best time to visit a travel destination and airfare is typically highest during this time frame.

        Shoulder Season

         Shoulder seasons occur both in the spring and fall, where travelers may find reduced prices to popular destinations, but a tourist scene that is still a little more active than it is in low season.

A part or leg of an air itinerary, including one takeoff and one landing.

Split Ticketing

Purchasing two separate tickets to build your itinerary, often to obtain a lower price. Travelers do this at their own risk, knowing if there is a missed connection both airlines may elect not to reprotect.

A built-in stop to an international ticket of 24 hours or more (or over 4 hours domestically). This allows passengers to visit an additional city on the outbound or return portion of their trip.

STPC (Stopover Paid by Carrier)

A program an airline might offer in order to encourage travelers to use a bad connection where the airline covers prearranged hotel, ground transportation, and meals during a stopover. This can be a great way for a traveler to experience a new city at no additional cost.

Utilization Date

The deadline to cancel or reduce group space before penalties kick in.

An authorization that is given by an airline to waive a penalty or fee.

Are you feeling confident in your travel lingo? Test your knowledge on our quiz: Are you a travel expert?

Shawna Levet

Shawna is passionate about helping travel agents grow their business and expand their knowledge as travel experts. She has been in the travel industry since 2011, helping agents and travelers alike find the best negotiated airfare and travel coverage to meet their needs.

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13 slang words Gen Zers are using in 2024 and what they really mean

• Just like the generations before them, Gen Z uses an extensive list of slang words.
• "Bussin'," "ick," and "mid" are popular among Gen Zers.
• Social media helps slang spread rapidly, but proper credit is often lost along the way.

Just like fashion, slang goes in and out of style.

Think about it: When was the last time you heard anyone say "YOLO," "da bomb," or "tubular" unironically?

Social media has made it even harder to keep up with the trends, as anyone and everyone can share and adopt others' use of language.

John Baugh , a linguist at Washington University in St. Louis, told Business Insider last year, "Even though slang has always existed, the emergence of social media has created a situation where the potential for slang virality has increased."

While this can be an exciting opportunity for people to connect and bond over language, one major issue is appropriation. Many of the slang words attributed to Gen Z — defined by the Pew Research Center as anyone born between 1997 and 2012 — were created by members of marginalized communities, most notably Black and LGBTQ+ communities, which often aren't credited for their contributions.

The language is shared online in circles of people who understand its nuance, and it's later appropriated by those who don't know where it came from or fully understand how to use it. And it's easy for those who created it to see when it's being used incorrectly.

Brands or publications trying to attract attention from Gen Z, therefore, need to take care when using slang — at best, they could make a cringey mistake; at worst, they could offend people.

Gen Z values authenticity more than older generations did. Chad Kessler, who was then the global brand president at American Eagle, told BI in 2019, "Gen Z wants to support and participate in brands that they believe in and that reflect them."

He added: "They are loyal to brands that they feel understand them and reflect their values."

As slang continues to evolve daily in person and on the internet, all these words and phrases are subject to their respective ends, when they're axed from public use and deemed "uncool."

But at least for now, here are 13 slang terms Gen Z is using in 2024 and what they mean.

If you're told to do something "for the plot," it means to do it for the experience.

Saying "for the plot" is a fun way for Gen Z to encourage each other to do the crazy, fun things that make storytelling fun when you're older.

Urban Dictionary defines "for the plot" as "the conscious decision to see yourself as the main character of the story that is your life," adding: "You maintain the outlook that every moment — good or bad — is merely a plot point for your larger narrative."

Whether you swipe right on Tinder or go out spontaneously on a Tuesday night, it's all about the plot.

Still popular from 2023, someone with "rizz" has charisma.

It's true, Gen Z has an affinity for abbreviations.

A person with "rizz" is confident, charming, and generally successful in romantic endeavors.

An "ick" is a turnoff.

Ah, the ick . The term first gained widespread popularity years ago after the "Love Island" contestant Olivia Attwood (now Olivia Attwood Dack) used it during season three, but "the ick" remains a staple in Gen Z's vocabulary.

If someone gives you "the ick," it means they've turned you off, either through their actions or behaviors or something they said.

BI reported "icks" could come from actions as small as using the "wrong" emoji in conversation to as large as treating a service-industry worker poorly.

It's all about personal preference.

If someone lives "rent-free" in your mind, you think about them a lot.

They're taking up so much space in your mind that they might as well be paying rent.

Though often associated with specific people like a crush or celebrity, the phrase can also apply to events. For example, someone may say "Beychella" (Beyoncé's iconic 2018 Coachella performance) lives rent-free in their mind.

"Mother" is a popular term of endearment for female celebrities that originated in LGBTQ+ communities.

The New York Times reported last year that the term came from the Black and Latino LGBTQ+ ballroom scene, "a queer subculture in which members are organized into so-called houses often led by a 'mother.'"

"Mother" is a woman deserving of your respect who's had a profound influence on your life.

But who is "mother" depends on whom you ask. For some, it's Diana Ross. For others, it's Rihanna. The internet would argue it's also Reneé Rapp, Mariah Carey, Lana Del Rey — the list goes on.

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez played a house mother in the groundbreaking series "Pose" and told The New York Times that "anyone should be able to use a term that is trending" but that it's important to know where it came from.

"The boundaries are knowing where it came from, always letting the world know where the culture came from," she added.

If a person "ate," they executed something flawlessly.

Often associated with fashion and beauty, saying someone "ate" is a way of expressing they look amazing and did a great job.

Look at almost any picture of Zendaya on the red carpet , and it'd be correct to say, "She ate."

"Left no crumbs" is a continuation of "ate" that's used as additional emphasis.

If you hear "she ate," you may often hear "and left no crumbs" immediately after.

The additional phrase helps emphasize how perfect the person's execution was, though it can be used on its own, too.

For example, " Blake Lively ate and left no crumbs at the 2022 Met Gala ." That means she executed the theme perfectly — everything from her dress to her glam to the presentation on the red carpet was flawless.

"Bussin'" or "buss" means it's very good.

Often used to describe food, "bussin'" is a word that originated in the Black community and means extremely good or delicious, per Merriam-Webster .

So if your kid says dinner tonight was "bussin'," just know you did a great job.

Something is "mid" if it falls short of expectations.

Whether it's a dress on the red carpet, a new TV show, or a pasta recipe, something that's "mid" is mediocre.

BI reported that Kaley Cuoco's 2024 Critics Choice Awards gown missed the mark , so it could also be described as mid.

Another way to say focus is "lock in."

You can "lock in" on an assignment, cleaning your apartment, or even a video game.

"Let him cook" means don't stop him from doing his thing.

While NC State ultimately lost to Purdue in the Final Four, DJ Burns Jr. was a standout in the 2024 March Madness tournament.

His coaches clearly saw how impactful his performance was in their tournament run and decided to "let him cook," upping his average minutes from 24.8 a game in the regular season to 28.2 in their five games of the tournament, per ESPN .

Why call yourself delusional when you can say "delulu"?

As we've already established, Gen Z loves abbreviations.

"Delulu" simply means delusional.

Rapp, a 24-year-old Gen Zer, famously told the "Today" show last year that what gave her confidence was delusion. She followed up on her comments in Gem Magazine this year, saying, "It's so interesting because I feel like delusion is cute now. Delusion is becoming slay. It's very funny and silly."

"It's just a weird, innate belief in myself," Rapp added, "and a real hunger to do something that I love so much. So I think delusion is like my little BFF. It's got me where I am right now."

As the kids say, delulu is the solulu.

(Delusion is the solution).

"Sus" is short for suspicious.

"Love Is Blind" fans know that Sarah Ann Bick's and Jeramey Lutinski's behavior on season six was sus.

Like Chelsea Blackwell said in the reunion, who really stays out talking to someone — who's not their fiancé — until 5 a.m.? And can you really trust someone who lies about their location even after they've shared it? Didn't think so.

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U.S. issues travel warning for Israel with Iran attack believed to be imminent and fear Gaza war could spread

By Debora Patta , Tucker Reals

Updated on: April 13, 2024 / 5:25 PM EDT / CBS News

Update: Iran launched drone attacks against Israel on Saturday. Read CBS News'  latest coverage here .

Tel Aviv  — Israel is bracing for a worst-case scenario that U.S. officials believe could materialize within just hours — the possibility of a direct attack on Israeli soil by Iran in retaliation for a strike almost two weeks ago that killed seven Iranian military officers. Iran has vowed to take revenge for Israel killing its commanders, who were hit by an April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital.

Two U.S. officials told CBS News that a major Iranian attack against Israel was expected as soon as Friday, possibly to include more than 100 drones and dozens of missiles aimed at military targets inside the country. Sources have told CBS News the retaliation could include attacks carried out both by Iranian forces, and proxy groups around the region that it has been funneling additional arms to for weeks.  

The officials said it would be challenging for the Israelis to defend against an attack of that magnitude, and while they held out the possibility that the Iranians could opt for a smaller-scale attack to avoid a dramatic escalation, their retaliation was believed to be imminent. 

Asked Friday how imminent he believes an attack is, President Biden responded, "I don't want to get into secure information, but my expectation is sooner than later." The president urged Iran not to move forward, saying his message to Tehran was: "Don't."

Tehran has not indicated publicly how or when it will return fire, so it's unclear how far Iran's leaders will go. If they decide to carry out a direct attack on Israel, there's fear it could blow Israel's ongoing war against Iranian ally Hamas up into a much wider regional conflict.

With the Iranian retaliation expected at any time, the U.S. State Department on Thursday warned Americans in Israel not to travel outside major cities, which are better protected from incoming rocket fire by the country's Iron Dome missile defense system. The latest guidance noted that travel by U.S. government employees in Israel could be further restricted with little notice as things develop in the tinderbox region.

"Whoever harms us, we will harm them," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday as he visited troops at an Israel Defense Forces airbase. "We are prepared … both defensively and offensively."

On Saturday, all U.S. embassies in the Middle East were put on high alert and required to hold emergency action committee meetings. Diplomats in Lebanon and Israel were specifically told not to travel to certain areas within those countries.

Sima Shine, a security expert and former official with Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad, told CBS News it was a dangerous moment for the region, and the "most worried" she has been. She said anxiety over an all-out war was likely just as high "on both sides, in Israel and in Iran."

If Iran does choose to strike Israel directly, it could involve a complex missile and drone attack similar to the one Iranian forces launched against a Saudi oil facility in 2019 .

"They will try to do it on the military or some military asset," Shine predicted. "But the question will be the damage. If there would be many injured people, killed or injured … I think it has the potential for a huge escalation."

Shine stressed, however, that she still believes neither side actually wants a regional conflict.

U.S. "really trying to avoid war"

The U.S. sent a senior general to Israel this week to coordinate with the close American ally on any response it might make to an Iranian attack. Speaking Friday on "CBS Mornings," America's top military officer said, "we're really trying to avoid war."

"This is part of the dialogue that I have with my counterparts within the region, to include the Israeli chief of defense, who I talked to yesterday," said Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., adding that the U.S. military was "doing things not only to prevent a war, but at the same time, one of my primary things is to make sure all the forces in the region are protected."

"My role, as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is to plan and prepare," Brown said. "That's one thing we do very well."

Brown's Israeli counterpart, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, "completed a comprehensive situational assessment on the readiness of the IDF for all scenarios," Israel's military said Friday. 

"The IDF is very strongly prepared, both offensively and defensively, against any threat," Halevi was quoted as saying in the statement. "The IDF continues to monitor closely what is happening in Iran and different arenas, constantly preparing to deal with existing and potential threats in coordination with the United States Armed Forces." 

The IDF said the visiting U.S. general, Central Command chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, was taking part in the IDF's situational assessment.

The dilemma for Iran, said Israeli expert Shine, is to figure out how to deliver its promised response to Israel's attack in Syria, but in a way that does not lead to further escalation. Likewise, Shine said Israel could choose to show restraint when it responds to whatever Iran eventually does.

If either side gets the balance wrong, the consequences for the region, and even the world, could be dire.

Weijia Jiang, David Martin, Margaret Brennan and Olivia Gazis contributed reporting.

• Middle East
• Benjamin Neta​nyahu

Debora Patta is a CBS News foreign correspondent based in Johannesburg. Since joining CBS News in 2013, she has reported on major stories across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Edward R. Murrow and Scripps Howard awards are among the many accolades Patta has received for her work.

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Your last-minute guide to Monday's total solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse will cross North America on Monday , offering millions a rare opportunity to see afternoon skies temporarily darken as the moon blocks the face of the sun.

Tune into NBC News NOW as Lester Holt hosts a two-hour special at 2 p.m. ET Monday from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The eclipse's path fortuitously cuts across Mexico, 15 U.S. states and a small part of eastern Canada. In all other states in the continental U.S., viewers will be treated to a partial solar eclipse, with the moon appearing to take a bite out of the sun and obscuring part of its light.

Here’s everything you need to know about the rare celestial event.

What is a solar eclipse?

Solar eclipses occur when the sun, moon and Earth align. The moon passes between Earth and sun, temporarily blocking the sun’s light and casting a shadow on Earth.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon fully obscures the sun, whereas a partial solar eclipse means it blocks just a portion of the sun’s face.

Solar eclipses occur only with the new moon. Because the moon’s orbit around Earth is tilted, the three bodies don’t always line up in a way that creates an eclipse.

“Imagine if the moon’s orbit were in the plane of Earth’s orbit around the sun — if that were the case, then every new moon, you’d have a total solar eclipse and every full moon, you’d have a lunar eclipse,” Neil DeGrasse Tyson, director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, told NBC News. “So, because things don’t always align, it lends to the rarity of the event and the specialness of the event.”

Where and when will the eclipse be visible?

This year’s eclipse will follow a slightly wider path over more populated areas of the continental U.S. than other total solar eclipses have in the recent past.

NASA estimates that 31.6 million people live within what’s known as the path of totality, where the total solar eclipse will be visible. An additional 150 million people live within 200 miles of the path, according to the agency.

The path travels through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Tiny parts of Michigan and Tennessee will also be able to witness totality if conditions are clear.

After the eclipse crosses into Canada, it will pass over southern Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton, at the eastern end of Nova Scotia.

Those outside the path of totality can still take part in the astronomical event by viewing a partial solar eclipse — visible throughout all 48 states of the contiguous U.S. — or a NASA livestream.

The timing, including how long totality lasts, depends on the location, but some spots will see the moon fully cover the sun for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds.

Below is a list of timings for some cities along the path of totality, as  provided by NASA . A number of other resources, including NationalEclipse.com  and  TimeandDate.com , can also help people plan.

• Dallas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:23 p.m. CT and totality at 1:40 p.m.
• Little Rock, Arkansas: Partial eclipse begins at 12:33 p.m. CT and totality at 1:51 p.m.
• Cleveland: Partial eclipse begins at 1:59 p.m. ET and totality at 3:13 p.m.
• Buffalo, New York: Partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. ET and totality at 3:18 p.m.
• Lancaster, New Hampshire: Partial eclipse begins at 2:16 p.m. ET and totality at 3:27 p.m.

How to safely view a solar eclipse

It is never safe to gaze directly at the sun, even when it is partly or mostly covered by the moon. Special eclipse glasses or  pinhole projectors  are required to safely view solar eclipses and prevent eye damage. Failing to take the proper precautions can result in severe eye injury,  according to NASA .

Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than normal sunglasses and specially made to enable wearers to look at the sun during these kinds of celestial events.

Sky-watchers should also never view any part of the sun through binoculars, telescopes or camera lenses unless they have specific solar filters attached. Eclipse glasses should not be used with these devices, as they will not provide adequate protection.

However, during the few minutes of totality, when the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to look with the naked eye.

Beware of fake eclipse glasses. On legitimate pairs, the lenses should have a silver appearance on the front and be black on the inside. The manufacturer’s name and address should be clearly labeled, and they should not be torn or punctured. Check, as well, for the ISO logo and the code “IS 12312-2” printed on the inside.

If you don’t have eclipse glasses, you can make a homemade pinhole projector, which lets sunlight in through a small hole, focuses it and projects it onto a piece of paper, wall or other surface to create an image of the sun that is safe to look at. 

All you need is two pieces of white cardboard or plain white paper, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack. Cut a 1- to 2-inch square or rectangle out of the center of a piece of white paper or cardboard. Tape aluminum foil over that cut-out shape, then use a pin or thumbtack to poke a tiny hole in the foil.

During the eclipse, place a second piece of white paper or cardboard on the ground as a screen and hold the projector with the foil facing up and your back to the sun. Adjusting how far you hold the projector from the second piece of paper will alter the size of the image on the makeshift screen.

What to look for while viewing the total solar eclipse

For people along the path of totality, there are some fun milestones to keep track of as the total solar eclipse unfolds.

As the eclipse progresses and the sun gets thinner in the sky, it will start to get eerily dark, according to Tyson.

When the last beams of sunlight are about to become obscured, look out for the “diamond ring effect”: The sun’s atmosphere will appear as an illuminated halo, and the last light still visible will look like the diamond of a giant ring.

As the sunlight decreases even further, an effect known as Baily’s beads will be created by the moon’s rugged terrain. Tiny “beads” of light will be visible for only a few seconds around the dark moon, as the last bits of sunlight peer through the moon’s mountains and valleys.

When the moon is fully blocking the sun, it is safe to remove eclipse glasses and look at the total solar eclipse with the naked eye.

Some lucky sky-watchers may even catch a glimpse of a comet .

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks — nicknamed the “ devil comet ” because an eruption last year left it with two distinct trails of gas and ice in the shape of devil horns — is currently visible from the Northern Hemisphere as it swings through the inner solar system.

The comet can be seen in the early evenings by gazing toward the west-northwest horizon. During the eclipse, when skies darken during totality, it may be possible to see the comet near Jupiter, but its visibility will depend on whether it’s in the middle of an outburst and thus brighter than normal.

Most likely, all eyes will be on the alignment of the moon and sun.

“Most people won’t even notice,” Tyson said. “But if you know to look, it’s there.”

When is the next solar eclipse?

The next total solar eclipse will be in 2026, but it will mostly pass over the Arctic Ocean, with some visibility in Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and northern Spain. In 2027, a total solar eclipse will be visible in Spain and a swath of northern Africa.

The next total solar eclipse visible from North America will be in 2033, but only over Alaska. Then in 2044, a total solar eclipse will cross Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, parts of Canada and Greenland.

The next total solar eclipse to cross the continental U.S. coast-to-coast in will occur in 2045. The path of totality for that eclipse will cut through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.

Lucas Thompson is a content producer for the NBC News Climate Unit.

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Israel Faced a Sophisticated Attack From Iran

The weapons Iran employed this weekend travel farther and are more precise than those Hamas and other allies have used against Israel in the past six months.

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By Jin Yu Young

• April 14, 2024

Late Saturday, Iran began firing hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel, including weapons that experts say are more sophisticated than anything Israel had encountered until now in six months of fighting with Hamas and its allies in the region.

Previously, Israel had faced aerial attacks from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, whose rocket arsenal includes short-range (12 to 25 miles) and somewhat inaccurate 122-milimeter rockets of the Grad family, as well as Syrian-made M-302 rockets with a range of about 100 miles. Hamas also has Fajr-5 rockets from Iran and a similar, locally made version of the Fajr-5, both with a range of about 50 miles.

The weapons Iran used on Saturday can travel much farther, and some of them can travel much faster. Still, Israel said that nearly all of the missiles and drones that Iran fired were intercepted, many with help from U.S. forces.

In the attack, 185 drones, 36 cruise missiles and 110 surface-to-surface missiles were fired toward Israel, according to Israeli military officials. Most of the launches were from Iran, though a small portion came from Iraq and Yemen, the officials said.

Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iran’s military at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Berlin, said in a post on X that Iran was probably using a cruise missile developed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Paveh 351. It has a range of more than 1,200 miles — plenty to reach Israel from Iran.

According to his post, different versions of that missile have also been provided to the Houthis in Yemen and to the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces.

And Jeffrey Lewis, a member of the International Security Advisory Board at the U.S. State Department, said in a post on X that Iran was using land-attack cruise missiles that could carry around a ton of explosives.

He also noted that much of Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal has a long enough range to reach Israel. And though Iran’s drones carry much smaller explosive payloads than missiles, they have the advantage of being able to hover and shift targets.

In recent decades, Iran has largely been focused on deterrence, long-range missiles, drones and air defenses. It has one of the largest ballistic missile and drone arsenals across the Middle East, according to weapons experts, and is also becoming a major arms exporter globally.

Last year, after the attack by Hamas in October, Israel asked the United States for more precision-guided munitions for its combat aircraft and more interceptors for its Iron Dome missile defense system. Israel’s weapons arsenal includes Vietnam-era missiles, some of which have a failure rate as high as 15 percent.

Jin Yu Young reports on South Korea, the Asia Pacific region and global breaking news from Seoul. More about Jin Yu Young

This Arizona city is 1 of the 50 best places to live, and it's not in metro Phoenix

Bisbee, a historic copper mining town nestled in the Mule Mountains about 10 miles north of the Mexican border, was named one of the 50 best places to live in the U.S. by the finance magazine Money. It was the only Arizona city to make this year’s list.

The southern Arizona town of just under 5,000 residents spans about five square miles, according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Additionally, a Cochise County Tourism Study conducted from 2019 to 2020 revealed that 62.1% of county visitors went to Bisbee, more than any nearby communities.

The magazine, which has been producing its best places to live list for over 30 years, analyzes the state of the job market, average housing costs, poverty rates, public school quality and reader opinion to measure whether a city or town is deserving of a spot.

“Our final list spotlights 50 places built around thoughtful policy, civic engagement and community spirit — each with its own identity, and each embodying what it means to be a ‘best place to live’ in 2024,” Money said in a description of its methodology.

Bisbee is one of the ‘best-kept secrets’ in the US

Money praised Bisbee for its culture of color, art and slow living. Bisbee started as a mining town and transformed into a place where the creative and unconventional could find refuge, a theme that runs through the town just as much now as it did in the ‘70s.

The finance magazine also looked at some other aspects of Bisbee living, such as housing costs and unemployment rates. According to a Dec. 2023 article from Arizona Public Media , a southern Arizona-based PBS and NPR news affiliate, a local house renovation program makes it so that Bisbee homes can be sold for 20% below market value.

The median price for a house is $290,000 and the unemployment rate hangs at 3.6%, Money reported.

More Bisbee news: The haunted 116-year-old Copper Queen Hotel is up for sale

These cities and towns are the US' 'best kept secret'

• Milford, Connecticut
• Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
• Fruita, Colorado
• Brevard, North Carolina
• Eureka Springs, Arkansas
• Camas, Washington
• Thomasville, Georgia
• La Crosse, Wisconsin
• Babcock Ranch, Florida

What other places made Money's list of best places to live?

Money.com did not rank places numerically. Instead, the cities and towns were divided into five categories: “Suburbs with Soul,” “New Boomtowns,” “Culture Hubs,” “Not Just College Towns” and “Best Kept Secrets.”

These US cities and towns are 'suburbs with soul'

• Prairie Crossing, Illinois
• Metuchen, New Jersey
• Ferndale, Michigan
• Northfield, Minnesota
• Temecula, California
• Covington, Kentucky
• Troy, New York
• Media, Pennsylvania
• Yellow Springs, Ohio
• Pawtucket, Rhode Island

These US cities are 'new boomtowns'

• Buffalo, New York
• Rock Hill, South Carolina
• New Braunfels, Texas
• Port St. Lucie, Florida
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• Clarksville, Tennessee
• Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Rogers, Arkansas
• Frederick, Maryland
• Boise, Idaho

These US cities were ranked as 'culture hubs'

• Detroit, Michigan
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Las Cruces, New Mexico
• Richmond, Virginia
• Sacramento, California
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Portland, Maine
• Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Ybor City (Tampa), Florida

These US cities are 'not just college towns'

• Lawrence, Kansas
• Northampton, Massachusetts
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• Oneonta, New York
• Fayetteville, Arkansas
• Eugene, Oregon
• Lexington, Kentucky
• Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Ogden, Utah
• Durham, North Carolina