travel glossary words

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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• 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.

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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Important Things to Keep in Mind While Traveling

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Travel Glossary

Read up on travel terms, acronyms, and the industry jargon you need to know in our Going glossary of travel lingo.

24-Hour Rule

The 24-hour rule is a powerful tool that allows you to snag great deals and cancel for free if needed.

5-Star Airline

A 5-star airline is one that delivers the highest level of service and the best in-flight experience. 

Airline Alliance

An airline alliance is an agreement between airlines to share routes and resources and extend reciprocal benefits.

Airport Code

An airport code is a three- or four-letter code used to identify a particular airport.

Airport Terminal

An airport terminal is a building where passengers depart on a flight or arrive upon landing.

Amenity Kit

An amenity kit is a small bag of personal care items that airlines provide on long-haul or international flights.

Basic Economy

Basic economy is a restrictive airfare class that offers passengers the lowest ticket price available.

Boarding Pass

A boarding pass is a document that gives a passenger permission to board the plane.

Bulkhead Seat

Bulkhead seats are airline seats directly behind the bulkhead, or the interior dividing wall that separates cabins.

Business Class

Business class is an airline class above economy with upgraded amenities and seating.

Carry-On Baggage

A carry-on bag is a piece of luggage that can be brought on board the plane and stowed in the cabin.

When you check in for a flight, you confirm that you intend to get on the plane. 

Checked Baggage

Checked baggage is luggage that goes in the cargo hold under the plane during flight.

A codeshare agreement is an arrangement between two or more airlines to “share” the same flight.

Confirmation Code

A flight confirmation code is an alphanumeric sequence that identifies a specific reservation.

Connecting Flight

When a flight itinerary requires a traveler to change planes, the flights are called connecting flights.

Contract of Carriage

A contract of carriage outlines the rights and obligations of the parties to that contract.

Cookies are tiny data files produced by a website and stored in your web browser for tracking purposes.

Customs and Immigration

Customs and immigration are checkpoints through which international travelers must pass before leaving the airport.

Domestic Flight

A domestic flight is one that takes place entirely within one country.

An e-ticket contains all the same information old-fashioned paper tickets had on them, but with no actual paper.

EU Flight Compensation Rules

Flight Compensation Regulation 261/2004 is an EU law establishing rules for compensating delayed passengers.

Economy Class

Economy class is another term for the airplane’s main cabin and is sometimes referred to as coach.

Excess Baggage

Excess baggage fees are costs charged for checking luggage that exceeds an airline’s standard luggage allowance.

Exit-Row Seats

An exit row is the row of seats on an airplane that is next to the emergency exit.

Fare alerts monitor the price of specific flights or flight routes and notify consumers when the price changes.

Fare Basis Code

A fare basis code is that tells airline staff what contract applies to your ticket.

First Class

First class is a category of luxury seating on a plane that has more space, comfort, and service than other seats.

Flight Attendant

Flight attendants are cabin crew members who make sure your flight is both safe and comfortable.

Flight Itinerary

A flight itinerary is a proposed route for your flight and includes details like the airports, dates and times.

A flight leg maintains the same flight number and aircraft throughout its journey from one airport to another.

A GDS is a computerized network that facilitates transactions between travel service providers and travel agents.

Ghost Fares

A fare “ghosts” when it shows up in search results but when you click to purchase, the fare is no longer available.

Glitch Fare

Glitch fares are Mistake Fares. It's when an airline accidentally discounts a flight by much more than it intended.

Global Entry

Global Entry is a program that gives expedited immigration clearance to pre-approved US travelers.

Goldilocks Window

The Goldilocks Window of cheap flights is that window—not too early or too late—when you are mostly likely to see a great fare.

Greek Islands Trick

The Greek Islands Trick is a travel hack that can result in big savings on airfare.

Hub Airport

Hub airports serve as central transfer points, from which flights come in and go out to other cities.

A layover is a stop between flights, also called a connection.

Legroom is the amount of space your legs have between your seat and the seat in front of you on a plane.

Long-Haul Flight

Any flight longer than seven hours is considered a “long-haul” flight. These are usually international flights.

Low-Cost Carrier

Low-cost carriers are airlines that offer lower fares and fewer amenities than full service airlines.

Multi-City Flights

A multi-city flight doesn’t follow a typical there-and-back itinerary, but goes from Point A to B and on to C.

A no-show is when a ticketed passenger doesn't show up for their flight.

Nonrefundable Ticket

Nonrefundable tickets are “final sale” airline tickets that cannot be returned for a full refund after purchase.

Nonstop Flight

A nonstop flight is a flight without any scheduled stops between the departure and destination cities.

Off season (or low season) is when fewer people are traveling, so prices are lower and crowds are smaller.

One-Way Flight

A one-way flight is booked from the departure airport to the destination airport with no scheduled return.

Open-Jaw Flight

An open-jaw flight is a roundtrip itinerary that arrives in one city but departs from another. 

Overbooking

An overbooked flight is when an airline sells more tickets on the plane than there are seats.

Peak Season

Peak season is the time when more people are traveling, so prices tend to be higher and crowds are bigger.

Positioning Flight

A positioning flight gets you to or from your main gateway city to another city to take a long-haul flight.

Premium Economy

Premium economy is the bridge between economy and business; it’s nicer than economy but not as lofty as business.

Priority Pass

Priority Pass is a membership-based service that offers access to 1,500+ airport lounges in 140 countries.

Roundtrip Flights

A roundtrip flight is an itinerary with one flight to a destination and another flight back from that destination.

A seat’s pitch is the amount of space between one point on a seat to the same point on the seat in front of it.

Shoulder Season

Shoulder season is the travel period between the peak (or high) season and off (or low) season.

Standby is a request to fly on an earlier flight than you're ticketed for if there are empty seats last minute. 

A stopover is a layover during which you leave the airport (and often stay a day or more in the layover city). 

Stopover Paid by Carrier (STPC)

Some airlines make it easy to spend a day or two on a stopover on a “stopover paid by carrier,” or “STPC.”

TSA PreCheck (TSA Pre✓®)

TSA PreCheck is a program that allows approved travelers expedited security screening at certain US airports.

Transit Visa

A transit visa is a document showing a traveler has permission to pass through a country—but not to stay there.

Visa Reciprocity Fees

Visa reciprocity fees are visa fees charged by one country as a counter to fees charged by another.

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 of Terms

To help our readers plan their travels most efficiently, we’ve compiled an exhaustive travel glossary of terms that (hopefully) cover every possible instance of travel planning.

If you find something is missing, please contact us so we can include it!

Types of Travel/Tourism

• Accessible Tourism: Travel that is accessible to all people, regardless of physical limitations, disabilities, or age.
• Adventure Travel: A type of tourism involving exploration or travel to remote or exotic areas, where the traveler should expect the unexpected.
• Agritourism: Travel directed toward experiencing agricultural life, farm activities, or farm stays.
• Ancestry Tourism: Traveling to visit the places your ancestors came from, and learn about their culture and history.
• Archaeological Tourism: Traveling to explore and understand archaeological sites.
• Backpacking: Low-cost, independent travel that may include camping and hiking.
• Bicycle Tourism: Trips made to travel on cycle paths or roads for pleasure, fitness, or tourism.
• Birdwatching Tourism: Traveling to observe birds in their natural habitats as a recreational activity.
• Bleisure Travel: A blend of business and leisure travel where business travelers tack on extra days to their trips for leisure activities.
• Budget Travel: Traveling with the intent to minimize costs, often through cheap accommodation, meals, and transportation.
• Business Travel: Travel undertaken for work or business purposes.
• Cannabis Tourism: Travel to regions where cannabis is legal, often to experience cannabis-related activities or events.
• Coffee Tourism: Traveling to coffee plantations to learn about the coffee-making process from bean to cup.
• Couple’s Travel: Romantic travel with one’s partner, which could include honeymoons, anniversaries, or just shared adventures.
• Cruise Travel: A type of travel that involves a voyage on a cruise ship, visiting multiple destinations.
• Culinary Tourism: Travel planned around tasting, eating, and discovering food and drink from around the world.
• Dance Tourism: Traveling to learn about or participate in different dance styles native to certain countries.
• Dark Tourism: Travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy.
• Disaster Tourism: Travel to disaster zones, either during recovery or after recovery, often for educational or research purposes.
• Eco-Tourism: Sustainable travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people.
• Educational Tourism: Travel undertaken for the purpose of learning, often in a structured program or course.
• Experiential Tourism: A form of tourism in which people focus on experiencing a country, city or particular place by connecting to its history, people, and culture.
• Extreme Tourism: Traveling to dangerous places or participating in dangerous events.
• Family Travel : Traveling with family members, often including activities suitable for all ages.
• Fashion Tourism: Traveling to explore fashion hubs, attend fashion shows, or shop at famous fashion retail stores.
• Festival Tourism: Traveling to attend a festival, which can range from music and film festivals to cultural or religious celebrations.
• Film Tourism: Visiting filming locations, movie-themed amusement parks, or movie sets.
• Gap Year Travel: Travel undertaken during a gap year, typically taken between high school and college or after graduating from college.
• Garden Tourism: Traveling to visit botanical gardens and places famous for plant and flower displays.
• Genealogy Tourism: Traveling to the land of one’s ancestors in search of family roots.
• Glamping: A blend of glamour and camping, where travelers experience nature without sacrificing comfort.
• Golf Tourism: Traveling to play golf and/or experience major golf tournaments around the world.
• Halal Tourism: Traveling by Muslims who only want to use services adhering to Islamic beliefs.
• Health Tourism: Travel for the purpose of receiving medical treatment or improving health or fitness.
• Heritage Tourism: Travel to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past.
• Hiking Tourism: Traveling to hike on trails or mountains, often involving camping in wilderness areas.
• Kid-Friendly: Activities, destinations, or accommodations that cater specifically to families with children. Think playgrounds, kiddie pools, and cartoon-themed restaurants!
• LGBTQ+ Tourism: Travel marketed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning community.
• Luxury Travel: High-quality, premium travel experiences with a focus on comfort, convenience, and personal service.
• Medical Tourism: Traveling to another country for the purpose of obtaining medical treatment.
• Micro Tourism: Exploring and appreciating one’s local area or community, focusing on local attractions, establishments, and experiences.
• Multigenerational Travel: Traveling with three or more generations, like kids, parents, and grandparents . It’s a beautiful way to create shared memories across ages!
• Museum Tourism: Traveling with the purpose of visiting and exploring museums.
• Nautical Tourism: Traveling for activities that involve ships, yachting, boating, sailing, or cruises.
• Nuclear Tourism: Traveling to visit sites where nuclear disasters happened, like Chernobyl, or museums dedicated to nuclear technology.
• Orbitz Travel: Traveling to outer space or planning a vacation in space.
• Photography Travel: Trips focused on capturing the scenery, people, wildlife, or events through photography.
• Pilgrimage: A journey to a place of religious or spiritual significance. It’s a meaningful adventure that can deepen your family’s faith or understanding.
• Pilgrimage: Travel for religious or spiritual purposes, often to a shrine or place of significant meaning.
• Pop Culture Tourism: Travel to locations featured in popular literature, film, music, or any other form of media.
• Rail Tourism: Traveling for the pleasure of experiencing the journey by train.
• Remember to include relevant examples and related keywords for each term to enhance understanding and SEO.
• Responsible Tourism: Travel designed to minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism and enhance the welfare of host communities.
• River Cruise: A voyage along inland waterways, often stopping at multiple ports along the way. It’s a relaxing and scenic way to travel!
• Road Trip : A long distance journey on the road, typically involving a few days or weeks of travel.
• Rural Tourism: Travel to non-urban areas, characterized by low population density, agriculture, or open space.
• Safari Tourism: Traveling to observe and photograph wildlife – typically in Africa.
• Senior Travel: Travel tailored towards senior citizens , with itineraries that are suitable for their pace and interests.
• Shopping Tourism: Traveling to shop for items not found in one’s home area, often in famous shopping cities like New York, Paris, or Dubai.
• Slow Travel: An approach to travel that emphasizes connection to local people, cultures, food, and music, often involving longer-duration stays in one location.
• Space Tourism: Space travel for recreational, leisure, or business purposes.
• Spiritual Tourism: Traveling for spiritual growth, self-discovery, and enlightenment.
• Sports Tourism: Travel to watch or participate in a sporting event.
• Stadium Tourism: Traveling to visit famous sports stadiums around the world, either during a game or off-season.
• Staycation: A vacation spent at home or nearby, often involving day trips to local attractions.
• Supernatural Tourism: Traveling to places rumored to be haunted or have paranormal activity.
• Tea Tourism: Traveling to tea plantations and factories, usually in countries like India, China, or Japan.
• Textile Tourism: Traveling to places known for their unique textiles and weaving traditions, often involves visiting local weavers or textile markets.
• Tombstone Tourism (also known as Taphophilia): Traveling to cemeteries and graveyards for enjoyment.
• Virtual Tourism: Exploring different countries and cultures virtually through digital platforms from the comfort of one’s home.
• Volcano Tourism: Traveling to active volcanoes or regions known for their volcanic activity.
• Voluntourism: A form of tourism where travelers participate in voluntary work, typically for a charity or non-profit organization.
• War Tourism: Traveling to war sites for historical and educational purposes.
• Waterfall Tourism: Traveling to see and enjoy famous waterfalls around the world.
• Wellness Tourism: Traveling for the purpose of promoting health and well-being through physical, psychological, or spiritual activities.
• Whale Watching Tourism: Traveling to spots known for their whale sightings, usually involves a boat trip.
• Wildlife Tourism: Observing wild animals in their natural habitat as the main reason for a vacation.
• Wine Tourism: Travel with the purpose to taste, consume, or purchase wine, often at or near the source.
• Yoga Tourism: Traveling to attend yoga retreats or workshops, often in places like India or Bali.
• Zoo Tourism: Traveling to visit zoos, animal sanctuaries, or wildlife parks.

Accommodation

• Airbnb: An online marketplace that connects people who want to rent out their homes with people who are looking for accommodations in that locale.
• Airport Hotel: A hotel within the vicinity of an airport, often offering shuttle services to and from the terminals.
• Albergue: A type of inexpensive accommodation, often in shared dormitories, found in Spain and Portugal. Common along the Camino de Santiago.
• Aparthotel: A serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel-style booking system.
• Art Hotel: A hotel that exhibits art in common areas of the property and often in individual rooms, targeting art enthusiasts.
• Ashram: In India, a spiritual hermitage or a monastery.
• Bed and Breakfast (B&B): A small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast. Example: Many travelers prefer B&Bs for their homely atmosphere.
• Bed Types: Hotels offer different types of beds – King, Queen, Double, Twin, etc. It’s the key to a good night’s sleep for everyone!
• Boat House: A house built on or near a boat, often available for tourists to rent.
• Boutique Hotel: Small, stylish hotels, typically situated in a fashionable urban location.
• Cabana: A small, simple building or tent offering shelter and privacy, often found by the pool or beach at resorts. It’s your own private oasis for the day!
• Cabin: A small, simple house, often made of wood and located in a wild or remote area.
• Camping Barn: A simple stone building, on a farm or in the countryside, which provides basic accommodation for visitors.
• Capsule Hotel: A type of hotel developed in Japan that features many small bed-sized capsules.
• Caravan Park/Campground: A place where people with caravans can stay overnight, or where people can stay in cabins or tents.
• Casino Hotel: A commercial hotel with a casino on the premises.
• Castle Hotel: A large fortified building or group of buildings converted into a hotel.
• Cave Hotel: A hotel that is built into natural cave formations, usually in semi-arid regions.
• Chalet: A type of accommodation in mountain areas, made of wood, with a heavy, gently sloping roof.
• Chateau: A manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions.
• Comp Rooms: Complimentary rooms which a lodging facility provides without charge based on total number of sleeping rooms occupied by a group.
• Concierge: Individual in a hotel responsible for attending to guests’ special needs and services.
• Condo Hotel: A building used both as a condominium and a hotel.
• Couchsurfing: A service that allows travelers to stay with locals in every country around the world.
• Country House Hotel: A rural hotel based in a grand homestead or manor.
• Cruise Ship Cabin: Accommodation on a cruise ship during the duration of the cruise.
• Cruise Ship: A trip on a ship or boat taken for pleasure or as a vacation. It’s like a floating hotel that takes you to new places every day!
• Dome House: A partially spherical structure providing unusual accommodation.
• Dude Ranch: Also known as a guest ranch, it’s a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism.
• Eco Lodge: A type of tourist accommodation designed to have the least possible impact on the natural environment in which it is situated.
• Extended Stay Hotel: A service apartment complex where occupants can stay for a period of weeks or even months.
• Farm Stay: Accommodation on a working farm, where guests can participate in farm activities if they wish.
• Floating Hotel (Floatel): A water-based hotel, situated on a river or a sea, offering unique accommodation experience.
• Garden Inn: Hotels that are usually surrounded by beautiful gardens.
• Glamping Pod: A form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than traditional camping.
• Guesthouse: A private house offering accommodation to paying guests.
• Hacienda: A large estate or plantation with a dwelling house, often converted into a hotel, especially in Latin America.
• Haunted Hotel: A hotel rumored to be haunted and often visited by those interested in the paranormal.
• Health Farm/Spa Hotel: A kind of hotel where people can go to lose weight or improve their fitness while they stay.
• Heritage Hotel: A hotel that has traditional architecture and has distinctive qualities that mirror the area’s way of life.
• Hobbit House: An eco-friendly house that’s built into the landscape, inspired by the homes featured in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings.”
• Holiday Home: Also known as a vacation rental , is a home rented out to tourists as an alternative to a hotel.
• Homestay: A type of lodging where travelers stay in a person’s home while they are visiting the area.
• Hostel: Budget-oriented, shared-room (“dormitory”) accommodation that accepts individual travelers or groups for short-term stays.
• Hotel: A commercial establishment providing lodging, meals, and other guest services.
• Ice Hotel: A temporary hotel made up of snow and sculpted blocks of ice, most are rebuilt every year.
• Inn: Similar to hotels but are usually in rural locations and are often historic buildings, they provide meals and often have a pub attached.
• Jungle Lodge: Accommodation located in a jungle environment for tourists wanting to experience nature up close.
• Kasbah: A type of medina or fortress (citadel), seen mainly in the middle east and North Africa.
• Kid’s Club: A service offered by some resorts and hotels that provides supervised activities for children. It’s a chance for parents to relax and kids to have fun!
• Kitchenette: A small cooking area often found in motel and hotel rooms. It’s perfect for whipping up snacks or light meals!
• Last-Room Availability: Electronic reservation system that provides users with current information about a hotel’s available inventory.
• Last-Seat Availability: Similar to Last-Room Availability, but applicable to airline seat availability.
• Lighthouse Stay: Accommodation within a functioning or decommissioned lighthouse.
• Lodge: A cottage or house that is used for people on holiday or vacation in a recreational area.
• Love Hotel: A type of short-stay hotel found around the world operated primarily for the purpose of allowing guests privacy for sexual activities.
• Monastery Stay: Accommodation within a functioning monastery.
• Motel: A roadside hotel designed primarily for motorists, typically having the rooms arranged in a low building with parking directly outside.
• Overwater Bungalow: A type of beach house common in Maldives and other tropical resorts.
• Palace Hotel: A luxury hotel in a city, often housed in a historic palace building.
• Parador: In Spain, a hotel created from a historic building, or in a significant location.
• Pension: A type of guesthouse or boarding house in many European countries.
• Penthouse Suite: The top floor, most extravagant, high-end suite of a hotel. It typically includes some sort of VIP treatment.
• Pet-Friendly: Accommodations that allow pets. It’s like a home away from home for your furry family members!
• Pop-up Hotel: Temporary accommodation which ‘pops up’ for events, festivals, or peak seasons.
• Poshtel: A portmanteau of ‘posh’ and ‘hostel’, indicating a more upmarket or luxurious hostel.
• Pousada: Accommodations in Portugal, ranging from luxury hotels to country inns.
• Quinta: In Portugal and Spanish-speaking countries , an estate or large farm.
• Rack Rate: Official posted rate for a hotel room, published airfares, or noncontracted car rental rates.
• Resort Fee: An additional charge by some hotels that covers the use of certain facilities. It’s worth checking what’s included before you book.
• Resort: A full-service lodging facility, intended primarily for vacationers and usually located in places frequented for relaxation or recreation.
• Riad: A traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior garden or courtyard.
• Room Service: A service in a hotel that allows guests to order food and drinks to be brought to their room. It’s like having a private restaurant!
• Room Tax: State or local tax imposed on hotel room charges.
• Ryokan: A type of traditional Japanese inn that features tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata.
• Safari Lodge: A type of tourist accommodation in the wilderness, usually in Africa.
• Self-Catering: Accommodation with cooking facilities that allow you to prepare your own meals. It’s your chance to play MasterChef on vacation!
• Serviced Apartment: A fully furnished apartment available for both short-term and long-term stays, providing hotel-like amenities such as room service.
• Shepherd’s Hut: A small, portable, wood-clad building used traditionally by shepherds, now often used as cozy holiday accommodation.
• Ski Chalet: A type of home or holiday accommodation that one might find in ski resorts.
• Skyscraper Hotel: Hotels that are located in a tall building that has over 40-50 floors.
• Sleeper Train : A train with sleeping facilities for passengers. It’s a hotel on wheels!
• Station Inn: A type of guest house located near a railway station, often catering to railroad enthusiasts.
• Suite: A set of connected rooms at a hotel. It’s a homey space for your family to relax and recharge!
• Tent: Portable shelter made of cloth, supported by one or more poles and stretched tight by cords or loops attached to pegs driven into the ground.
• Timeshare: A property with a divided form of ownership or use rights, owners purchase the right to use the same property for a specific week each year.
• Timeshare: A property with shared ownership, usually in a vacation destination. It’s like having a second home in your favorite holiday spot!
• Tipi: A cone-shaped tent traditionally made of animal skins or birch bark and popular with indigenous people of the Plains in the United States and Canada.
• Train Inn: Accommodation onboard a train, often on long-distance routes.
• Tree House: A house built in or around a tree. It’s a childhood dream come true!
• Treehouse: An accommodation unit constructed amongst the branches of a tree or trees.
• Trulli: Traditional Apulian dry stone huts with a conical roof, specific to Itria Valley, in the Murge area of the Italian region of Apulia.
• Turf House: A house type characterized by their turf construction, common in Iceland.
• Underground Hotel: A hotel built below ground level, often found in desert areas. It’s a unique and cool (literally!) experience!
• Underground Hotel: A hotel that’s built underground, often in regions where temperatures are extreme, like in Coober Pedy, Australia.
• Vacation Home: A fully furnished house rented for a temporary period. It’s your home away from home!
• Vacation Rental: Renting a furnished apartment, house, or villa on a temporary basis. It’s a homely option, especially for longer stays!
• Villa: A large, often luxurious, country house in its own grounds.
• Villa: A large, often luxurious, holiday home typically on lavish, large grounds.
• Water Bungalow: A type of lodge suspended over water, typically found in tropical resorts. It’s a magical over-the-water adventure!
• Windmill Stay: Accommodation within a converted windmill.
• Yurt: A portable, round tent covered with skins or felt and used as a dwelling by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.

Bookings & Reservations

• Advance Purchase Rate: A discounted rate offered when a guest books and pays for their stay in advance.
• Airport Transfer: A service that takes you from the airport to your accommodation and vice versa. It’s like having a chauffeur for your suitcases!
• All-Inclusive: A rate that includes the room, meals, drinks, and often other services.
• American Plan (AP): A type of hotel rate that includes three meals a day along with the room charge.
• Baggage Check: Official receipt issued by a carrier for luggage.
• Baggage Tag: Personal identification that must be attached to luggage checked by an airline.
• Base Fare/Rate: Price of a travel service before taxes and add-on charges.
• Billing Instructions: Guidelines provided by a guest or a company regarding how the payment will be settled.
• Blackout Dates: Specific dates when special discounts or promotions do not apply, often during peak seasons or major holidays.
• Booking Confirmation: A document provided by the hotel after the end of the booking process, usually via email, confirming the details of the stay.
• Booking Pace: The speed at which reservations are made for a particular date.
• Booking Window: The period during which a guest can book rooms for a particular period of stay.
• Bumping: Practice of removing confirmed passengers from overbooked flights.
• Cancellation Fee: A fee charged when a guest cancels their booking after the cancellation deadline.
• Cancellation Policy: The rules a hotel applies if a guest cancels their booking.
• Check-In: The process of reporting one’s arrival at a hotel.
• Check-Out: The process of departing from the hotel and settling one’s account.
• Comp Room: Complimentary room provided free of charge.
• Confirmation: Reservation, acknowledged orally or in writing, verifying a booking has been accepted. Most confirmations are subject to certain conditions.
• Consolidator: Business that buys international tickets at deep discounts from airlines seating inventory that is expected to remain unsold. Consolidators resell tickets at a markup to travel agencies or travelers directly. (Travelers should understand terms for repayment are not favorable, should a consolidator cancel a flight. If you have not done business with a particular consolidator in the past, purchasing trip insurance may be a worthwhile option.
• Continental Plan (CP): A type of hotel rate that includes accommodation and continental breakfast.
• Corporate Rate: Discount rate available to traveling business men and women, customarily 10% below rack (standard) rates.
• CRS (Computerized Reservation System): Interactive electronic system linking individual travel agencies to a central, airline-owned computer.
• Cut-Off Date: The date when a hotel releases unsold rooms back to the general inventory.
• Day-Use Rate: A discounted rate for using the room for less than a full day.
• Deposit: An amount paid in advance to secure a reservation.
• Direct Booking: A booking made directly with the hotel, not through a third party.
• Discount Fares: Short-term promotional fares or other discounted fares of varied duration.
• Double Occupancy: A term used by accommodations to denote two guests sharing a room.
• Drop Off Charges: Fees assessed when a traveler picks up a rental car in one location and drops it off in another.
• Dynamic Pricing: Fluctuating prices based on current market demand.
• E-Ticket: This is a digital version of your paper ticket. It’s handy, eco-friendly, and hard to lose.
• Early Bird Rate: A lower rate offered for bookings made well in advance of the stay.
• Early Bird Special: Discounts offered when you book well in advance. The early bird really does catch the worm (or in this case, the bargain)!
• Early Check-In: When a guest checks into a hotel before the standard check-in time.
• European Plan (EP): A type of hotel rate that only includes the cost of the room.
• Extended Stay Hotel: A hotel designed for guests to stay for a long period. It’s like a home away from home!
• Extended Stay: Generally, a stay somewhere of seven or more nights.
• Extra Bed: An additional bed provided in a hotel room. It’s a flexible solution for families!
• Extra Person Charge: An additional charge for each person in a room over the standard occupancy level.
• Extra Person Fee: Some hotels charge an additional fee for more than a certain number of guests in a room. It’s something to keep in mind when budgeting!
• Family Room: A larger hotel room equipped to accommodate families. It’s your base camp for family fun!
• Family Suite: A larger hotel room designed to accommodate families. It typically has multiple rooms.
• Fare basis: Conditions, including service class and ticketing provisions, that determine a fare. Fare basis is designated by identifying letters and/or numbers on a ticket.
• Fee-Based Pricing: Compensation to a travel agency by corporate clients from commission revenues generated by the corporations business.
• Flat Rate: Specific room rate negotiated by a group and a hotel.
• Folio: A statement of all transactions that have occurred in a guest’s account during their stay.
• Folio: Written or electronic record of hotel guest’s account of financial transactions within the property.
• Fully Booked/ Sold Out: When the hotel has no rooms available for booking.
• Group Rate: A discounted rate offered to a large group of guests.
• Group Rate: Room rate charged by a hotel for a group of 10 or more guests.
• Guaranteed Reservation: Advance hotel booking where payment is guaranteed even if traveler does not arrive. Room will be held all night for a late-arriving guest.
• High Season: The busiest and most expensive time of year to visit a destination.
• Inclusive Tour: A tour program that includes a variety of features for one price such as accommodations, meals, sightseeing, and a guide.
• Interline Ticket: A ticket that allows you to change from one airline to another without having to check-in your luggage again. It’s a time-saver for families on the move!
• Inventory: The total number of rooms available for sale at a hotel.
• Late Check-Out: When a guest checks out of the hotel after the standard check-out time.
• Low Season: The least busy and least expensive time of year to visit a destination.
• Master Account: An account set up at the beginning of an event to which all charges approved by the group coordinator are posted.
• Meet and Greet: Service that meets and assists clients upon arrival in a city.
• Meeting Rate: Negotiated hotel rate offered to a meeting’s attendees.
• MICE: An acronym for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions.
• Minimum Stay Requirement: The minimum number of nights a guest must book for certain times of the year or room types.
• Modified American Plan (MAP): A type of hotel rate that includes accommodation, breakfast, and one major meal (either lunch or dinner).
• No Show: Passenger or hotel guest who fails to cancel a reservation not used.
• No-Show Fee: A fee charged when a guest does not arrive for their booked reservation without canceling.
• No-Show: A guest who made a room reservation but did not register or check-in.
• Non-Refundable Deposit: A down payment that cannot be returned if the guest cancels the booking.
• Non-Refundable: A term used for bookings that can’t be refunded if you cancel. It’s usually cheaper, but less flexible.
• Non-Smoking Room: A hotel room where smoking is not allowed. It’s a breath of fresh air for your family stay!
• Occupancy Rate: The percentage of all rental units (in a hotel, etc.) that are occupied or rented at a given time. It’s a good indicator of how busy your accommodation will be!
• Oceanfront Room: A hotel room that faces the ocean. It’s like having the beach on your doorstep!
• Off-Peak: Times outside of the most popular and busiest periods to visit a destination.
• OTA (Online Travel Agency): Companies that sell travel services online , such as flights, hotels, and car rentals. Example: Expedia and Booking.com are popular OTAs.
• Overbooking: Practice of confirming more seats or rooms than are available, in order to protect against no-shows. When more seats are sold than are available on a flight. But don’t worry – airlines usually offer compensation if you’re affected.
• Package Deal: A combination of services bundled together and sold for a single price, often including airfare, hotel, and car rental.
• Peak Season: The busiest time of the year for a hotel or destination when prices are usually the highest.
• Pet Deposit: An additional refundable fee charged by a hotel if a guest wishes to bring a pet, meant to cover potential damage caused by the pet.
• PMS (Property Management System): Software used by hotels and other property types to manage their business operations. Example: A hotel might use a PMS to manage reservations, guest check-in/check-out, room assignment, and billing.
• Prepaid Booking: A reservation that requires payment at the time of booking.
• Profile: Detailed information about a traveler’s personal preferences kept on file by a travel supplier.
• Rack Rate: The standard, non-discounted price that a hotel charges for a room.
• Rate Desk: Airline or travel agency department that constructs fares for complicated itineraries, usually international.
• Rate: The price of a hotel room for a particular length of time.
• Refundable Rate: A rate that allows the guest to receive a refund if they need to cancel their reservation within the hotel’s cancellation policy.
• Registration Card: A document that serves as a record of a guest’s stay containing details like name, arrival and departure dates, rate to be charged, etc.
• Reservation Date: The day on which the booking is made.
• Rollaway Bed: An extra bed provided by the hotel that can be folded and stored away.
• Room Block: A set of rooms reserved for a specific group of guests.
• Rooming List: A list provided by a group prior to arrival, outlining all guests and their room assignments.
• Run of House (ROH): A type of room rate that allows a hotel to assign any room category, based on availability at check-in.
• Seasonal Rate: Different prices for rooms depending on the time of year.
• Shoulder Season: The period between peak and off-peak seasons.
• Single Occupancy: A single individual occupying a room.
• Site Inspection: A visit to a hotel or venue by a meeting planner or client prior to booking an event.
• Space Only: A term used in exhibition industry where only floor space is rented to the exhibitor.
• Split Rate: When different nightly rates are applied within a single reservation.
• Stayover: The act of staying an additional night beyond the original booking.
• Turnaway: A situation when a hotel cannot accept any more bookings because it is fully booked.
• Twin Occupancy: Two individuals occupying a room with two separate beds.
• Understay: Leaving the hotel before the expected departure date.
• Upgrade: Moving a guest to a better, more expensive room category.
• Voucher: A document detailing services that have been paid in advance.
• Waitlist: A list that allows people to wait for availability in case of cancellations.
• Walk-In Rate: The rate charged to a guest who arrives without a reservation.
• Walk-In: A guest who arrives at a hotel without a reservation.
• Walk-In: A guest who arrives at a hotel without a reservation. It’s a spontaneous adventure – just make sure they have room!
• Wholesaler: A company that purchases rooms in bulk then sells them to travelers at a markup.
• Yield Management: A pricing strategy that allows the hotel to sell the right product to the right customer at the right time for the right price.

Transportation

• Aircraft Carrier: A large warship that serves as a seagoing airbase.
• Airfare: The cost of a flight ticket.
• Airport Code: Three-letter codes used to identify airports.
• Aisle Seat: A seat next to the aisle in an airplane, train, or other forms of public transportation.
• APEX (“Advance Purchase Excursion”) Fare: Generally the lowest and most heavily restricted airfare.
• ARC (Airlines Reporting Corp.): Airline-owned corporation which accredits travel agents and sets regulation governing airline-agency relations.
• Back-to-Back Ticketing: Booking two overlapping round trips with opposite origin and destination points, where both bookings meet restrictions required to obtain a discount fare (such as a Saturday-night stayover); then using one segment from each round trip for each direction of a single journey in order to get a lower overall fare.
• Baggage Claim: The area where passengers collect their checked-in luggage after a flight.
• Berth: A bed on a boat or train; also refers to the docking place for a ship.
• Bicycle Lane: A designated traffic lane for bicyclists.
• Black Box: A device that records flight data; used for incident investigations.
• Boarding Gate: The area in an airport where passengers board their flight.
• Boarding Pass: A document issued by an airline that gives a passenger permission to board the aircraft.
• Bullet Train: A high-speed train, especially the ones in Japan.
• Bus Stop: A designated place where buses stop for passengers to board or leave a bus.
• Cabin Crew: The staff working on an aircraft responsible for the safety and comfort of passengers.
• Cabin: Private room or compartment on a train or boat.
• Capacity Controlled: Limitation on number of airline seats, hotel rooms, or rental cars available under a particular rate or promotional offer.
• Car Class: Size and type of rental car. Classes differ from vendor to vendor, and are stated usually as economy, mid-size, full-size, luxury, and specialty.
• Car Rental Agreement: Contract between car rental vendor and customer.
• Car Rental: A company that rents automobiles for short periods.
• Cargo Ship: A ship designed to carry cargo from one place to another.
• Carriage: A vehicle, often horse-drawn, for transporting people.
• Carrier: Company that transports passengers or freight.
• Catamaran: A type of boat with two parallel hulls.
• Charter Flight: A flight rented for specific group travel or cargo, not part of regular airline routing.
• Charter: Aircraft, motorcoach, or other mode of transportation reserved entirely for use by a group.
• “City Pair: Origin and destination points of a flight segment. “
• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): Daily insurance fee paid by a car renter to cover liability for accident damages to a rented car.
• Commuter Carrier: Regional airline operating from small locales to larger cities, often under an affiliate relationship with a major carrier.
• Commuter Train: A passenger train that runs between a city center and surrounding suburbs or small towns.
• Companion Fare: Promotional airfare whereby a second ticket may be purchased at a discount, provided two people are traveling together.
• Compass: A navigational instrument for finding directions.
• Conductor: A crew member who is responsible for operational and safety duties on a train.
• Connecting Flight: Flight on which passenger must change aircraft at some point, referred to as the Connecting Point.
• Convertible: A car with a roof that can be removed or folded down.
• Coupon: Part of an airline ticket. The flight coupon is surrendered by the passenger at check-in. Coupons contain the formal contract of carriage.
• Courtesy Vehicle: Van or bus which an off-airport vendor uses to pick up customers at the airport.
• Crosswalk: A designated point on the road where pedestrians can cross safely.
• Cruise Ship: A large ship designed for passengers on vacation.
• Deck: The floor of a ship, either indoor or outdoor.
• Denied Boarding Compensation: Compensation (money, free flight, or hotel accommodations) provided to an involuntarily bumped airline passenger with a confirmed reservation.
• Departure Time: The time at which a flight or other mode of transportation leaves. It’s the starting whistle for your journey!
• Detour: A longer, less direct way to get somewhere, often used when the usual route is blocked.
• Dinghy: A small inflatable rubber boat.
• Direct Flight: A flight that does not require passengers to change planes, but may make one or more stops en route.
• Disembarkation: The process of leaving a vehicle after a journey.
• Domestic Flight: A flight within the same country. It’s a great way to explore your own backyard!
• Economy Class: The most basic class of airplane seats, also known as coach class.
• Embarkation: The process of boarding a vehicle for a journey, such as a ship, airplane, or train.
• Express Bus: A bus service that travels directly to a destination without stopping. It’s the fast lane of road travel!
• Express Train: A train that only stops at major stations. It’s the fast lane of railway travel!
• Ferry: A boat service transporting people, and often vehicles, across a body of water.
• First Class: The highest quality and most expensive class of seats on a plane.
• Fuel Charge: Amount charged if car renter does not fill the car’s gas tank.
• Galley: The kitchen on a ship or airplane.
• Gate: Designated area in airport terminal where passengers for a specific flight board or deplane the aircraft.
• Hatchback: A car with a door across the full width at the back end that opens upward to provide easy access for loading.
• Highway: A main road intended for travel by the public between important cities and towns.
• Hovercraft: A vehicle that travels over land or water on a cushion of air.
• Hub: Airport at which an airline has major operations and connecting flights to smaller destinations.
• In-flight Entertainment: The entertainment available to aircraft passengers during a flight.
• Interchange: A road junction designed to reroute traffic without requiring any vehicles to stop.
• Jet Bridge: The corridor that connects the airport gate to the airplane. It’s the final step before your family adventure takes off!
• Jet Lag: Physical distress due to travelling across several time zones quickly.
• Joint Fare: Special fare for travel on two or more airlines to a destination.
• Kiosk Check-In: Checking in for your flight at a self-service machine at the airport. It’s a timesaver, giving you more time for pre-flight ice cream !
• Layover: A break between parts of a journey when traveling by air. Example: Having a 5-hour layover in New York before flying to London.
• Layover: A period of rest or waiting before a further stage in a journey. Long layovers can be the perfect time to explore an extra city or catch up on rest!
• Liability Coverage: Insurance protection against injury and damage claims by third parties, available as option for car rentals.
• Lifeboat: A small boat carried by ships for emergency use.
• Light Rail: A form of urban rail public transportation.
• Limited Availability: Limited number of reservations accepted for a certain advertised rate or special offer.
• Limousine: A luxury vehicle driven by a chauffeur with a partition between the driver’s compartment and the passenger’s compartment.
• Locomotive: A powered rail vehicle used for pulling trains.
• Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): Variation of Collision Damage Waiver employed by some car rental vendors. Renters are advised to buy LDW to avoid liability for collision, theft, vandalism, loss of car, and other noncollision damages.
• Low-Cost Carrier: An airline that offers cheap flights with fewer amenities. It’s a budget-friendly way to get your family from A to B!
• Lowest Fare Guarantee: Travel agency’s promise to provide clients the lowest fare available when reservation is confirmed.
• Lowest Logical Airfare: Lowest airfare found within the parameters of a corporation’s travel policy.
• Luggage Allowance: The amount of luggage you’re allowed to bring on a flight. It’s a puzzle getting everything to fit, but oh-so satisfying when it does!
• Marina: A dock or harbor for yachts and small boats.
• Meeting Fare: Negotiated airline discounts, typically for 10 or more persons traveling to the same event.
• Mileage Allowance/Mileage Cap: Number of miles a rented car is driven beyond the mileage allowance.
• Mileage Charge: Charge assessed for each mile a rental car is driven beyond an established threshold.
• Monorail: A railway system in which the track consists of a single rail.
• Motorcoach: A large, comfortable bus used for long-distance travel.
• Navigation: The process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another.
• Net Fare or Net Rate: Price or fare for a travel service, less an agents commission and without tax.
• Non-Stop Flight: A flight that goes directly from one city to another without any stops. It’s the quickest route to your destination!
• Off-Ramp: A deceleration lane that allows vehicles to leave a highway and join a different road.
• Open Ticket: Ticket that is valid for transportation between certain points but indicates no specific reservation.
• Pedestrian: A person traveling on foot, whether walking or running.
• Platform: An area at a railway station where passengers board and alight from trains.
• Port of Call: An intermediate stop for a ship on its sailing itinerary.
• Prepaid Ticket: Ticketing method in which a person or company purchases an airline ticket in one location for a traveler in another. The traveler picks up the prepaid ticket from the airline ticket counter.
• Quiet Car: A train car where noise is kept to a minimum. It’s a peaceful haven for families needing a break from holiday excitement!
• Red-Eye Flight: A flight departing late at night and arriving early the next morning.
• Rickshaw: A light, two-wheeled hooded vehicle drawn by one or more people, used chiefly in Asian countries.
• Roadway: The portion of a road intended for vehicles, as distinguished from a sidewalk, bike path, etc.
• Round Trip: A ticket that includes both going to a destination and returning. It’s like a boomerang, but for your vacation!
• Roundabout: A type of circular intersection in which traffic flows continuously in one direction around a central island.
• RV (Recreational Vehicle): A motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.
• Sedan: A passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for engine, passenger, and cargo.
• Segment: Leg or identifiable portion of a route traveled, usually stated in terms of originating and terminating cities.
• Segway: A two-wheeled self-balancing personal transporter.
• Sextant: An instrument used to measure the angle between any two visible objects, used primarily in navigation.
• Sleeper Car: A railway car with sleeping facilities for passengers.
• Split Ticketing: Issuing two one-way tickets instead of a round-trip ticket, usually for purpose of obtaining a lower fare.
• Standby: Class of air passengers who hold tickets that do not allow for advanced reservations (standby fares), or are waiting for available seats.
• Submarine: A watercraft capable of independent operation underwater.
• Supersaver: Low discount airfare available with heavy restrictions.
• SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle): A rugged automotive vehicle similar to a station wagon but built on a light-truck chassis.
• Taxi Rank: A designated area where taxis park to wait for passengers.
• Terminal: The area in an airport where passengers depart or arrive.
• Traffic Light: A set of automatically operated colored lights controlling traffic at road intersections and crosswalks.
• Tram: A trolley car that runs on tracks along public streets.
• Tuk-tuk: A motorized development of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw, common in many Asian countries.
• Turbulence: Sudden, violent movements of air or water that can affect an airplane or ship.
• U-Turn: A 180-degree turn to reverse the direction of travel .
• Unaccompanied Minor: A child traveling without an adult. Airlines provide special services to ensure their safety and comfort.
• Underage Passenger: A traveler who is under the legal age. Different airlines have different rules, so it’s important to check!
• Unlimited Mileage: Ability to drive a rented car an unlimited number of miles without paying an additional mileage charge.
• Vanpool: A group of people who commute together in a van.
• Waitlist: List of travelers waiting for people to cancel reservations for a flight that is sold out.
• Window of Convenience: Two hours on either side of ideal departure or arrival time.
• Window Seat: The seat next to the window on a plane or a train. It’s the best spot for daydreamers and cloud watchers!
• Yacht Charter: Renting a yacht for a sailing vacation. It’s a luxurious way to explore coastal destinations!
• Yacht: A medium-sized sailboat or ship for cruising or racing.
• Yield: To allow other road users to go first, often marked by a sign at intersections.
• Youth Fare: Discounted rates for young people on transport and attractions. It’s like a VIP pass for your kids, but cheaper!
• Zebra Crossing: A type of pedestrian crossing marked by black and white stripes.

Geography & Destinations

• Altitude Sickness (Acute Mountain Sickness): An illness that can affect mountain climbers, hikers, skiers, or travelers at high altitude, typically above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters).
• Archipelago: A group or chain of islands clustered together in a sea or ocean. Example: The Maldives is a famous archipelago located in the Indian Ocean.
• Atoll: A ring-shaped coral reef, island, or series of islets.
• Bay: A body of water partially enclosed by land but with a wide mouth, affording access to the sea.
• Biosphere Reserve: An ecosystem with plants and animals of unusual scientific and natural interest. It is a label given by UNESCO to help protect the sites.
• Canyon: A deep, narrow valley with steep sides, often with a stream flowing through it.
• Cape: A point or extension of land jutting out into water as a peninsula or a projecting point.
• Cliff: A high, steep face of rock or earth.
• Conservation Area: A location which is afforded protection to enhance and preserve its natural, cultural or historical value.
• Continent: One of the world’s main continuous expanses of land (Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America , South America).
• Coral Reef: A type of marine ecosystem, known for its rich biodiversity.
• Cultural Landscape: A geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals therein, associated with a historic event, activity, or person or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values.
• Delta: Landform at the mouth of a river created by sediment deposits.
• Desert: A barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs.
• Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
• Elevation: The height above a geographical point, such as sea level.
• Endemic Species: Species that are native to or restricted to a certain country, region or area.
• Equator: An imaginary line drawn around the earth equally distant from both poles, dividing the earth into the northern and southern hemisphere and constituting the parallel of latitude 0°.
• Estuary: The tidal mouth of a large river, where it meets the sea.
• Fauna: The animal life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.
• Fjord: A long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, typically formed by submergence of a glaciated valley.
• Flora: The plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.
• Geocache: A hidden item that GPS users seek as part of a game.
• Ghost Town: A deserted town with few or no remaining inhabitants.
• Glacier: A slowly moving mass of ice formed by accumulation and compaction of snow.
• Gulf: A deep inlet of the sea almost surrounded by land, with a narrow mouth.
• Highlands: An area of high or mountainous land.
• Historic Site: An official location where pieces of political, military, cultural, or social history have been preserved.
• Hotspot (Biodiversity Hotspot): A biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.
• Indigenous Territory: A region inhabited by indigenous peoples, who are groups protected in international or national legislation as having a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory.
• International Date Line: An imaginary line on the Earth’s surface, mostly following the 180° longitude, where the new day starts.
• Island: A piece of land surrounded by water.
• Isthmus: A narrow strip of land connecting two larger bodies of land, bordered by water on both sides. Example: Panama is an isthmus connecting North and South America.
• Lagoon: A stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a low sandbank or coral reef.
• Lake: A large body of water surrounded by land.
• Landlocked: A country or region that is encircled by land, with no access to the open sea.
• Landmark: An object or feature of a landscape or town that is easily seen and recognized, especially one of historical or cultural interest. Sometimes, it can be seen easily from a distance.
• Latitude: The measurement of distance north or south of the Equator.
• Longitude: The measurement of distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.
• Megacity: A very large city, typically with a population of over 10 million people.
• Mesa: An isolated flat-topped hill with steep sides.
• Metropolis: A very large and densely populated city.
• Migration (Animal Migration): The regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds by animals.
• Mountain Range: A series of connected mountains.
• National Park : A scenic or historically important area of countryside protected by the federal government for the enjoyment of the general public or the preservation of wildlife.
• Oasis: A fertile spot in a desert where water is found.
• Ocean: The vast body of salt water that covers almost three fourths of the earth’s surface.
• Off the Beaten Path: Referring to places, attractions, and experiences that are unique, less crowded and often unknown to most tourists.
• Peninsula: A piece of land almost surrounded by water or projecting out into a body of water.
• Plateau: An area of relatively level high ground.
• Polar Circle: Either of the two circles of latitude 66°33′39″ north (Arctic Circle) and south (Antarctic Circle) of the Equator.
• Prairie: A large open area of grassland.
• Prime Meridian: The meridian (line of longitude) that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole through Greenwich, London, UK. It is considered as 0 degrees longitude.
• Protected Area: A clearly defined geographical space, recognized, dedicated, and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values.
• Rainforest: A luxuriant, dense forest rich in biodiversity, found typically in tropical areas with consistently heavy rainfall.
• Reef: A ridge of jagged rock, coral, or sand just above or below the surface of the sea.
• Resort: A place that is a popular destination for vacations or recreation, or which is frequented for a particular purpose.
• River: A large natural stream of water flowing in a channel to the sea, a lake, or another river.
• Rural: In, relating to, or characteristic of the countryside rather than the town.
• Savannah: A grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions, with few trees.
• Sea: The expanse of salt water that covers most of the earth’s surface and surrounds its landmasses.
• Strait: A narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.
• Swamp: An area of low-lying, uncultivated ground where water collects.
• Time Zone: A region of the globe that observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial, and social purposes .
• Topography: The arrangement of the natural and artificial physical features of an area.
• Tourist Trap: A place that has been created to attract tourists and their money.
• Tropic of Cancer: An imaginary line encircling the earth at the parallel of 23 degrees 30 minutes north latitude, the most northerly point at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon.
• Tropic of Capricorn: An imaginary line encircling the earth at the parallel of 23 degrees 30 minutes south latitude, the most southerly point at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon.
• Tundra: A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region where the subsoil is permanently frozen.
• Urban: In, relating to, or characteristic of a city or town.
• Valley: A low area of land between hills or mountains, typically with a river or stream flowing through it.
• Volcano: A mountain or hill, having a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are being or have been erupted from the earth’s crust.
• Waterfall: A cascade of water falling from a height, often forming a pool at its base.
• Wetland: Land consisting of marshes or swamps; saturated land.
• Wilderness: An uncultivated, uninhabited, and inhospitable region.
• World Heritage Site: A landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Dining & Cuisine

• À la Carte: Menu items priced and ordered separately.
• Al Fresco: Dining outside, typically in a restaurant’s outdoor seating area.
• Amuse-Bouche: A bite-sized appetizer served complimentary at some restaurants.
• Bento: A single-portion take-out or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine.
• Bistro: A small, casual restaurant often serving simple, hearty meals.
• Brunch: A meal eaten in the late morning, combining breakfast and lunch.
• Buffet: A meal where guests serve themselves from a variety of dishes set out on a table or sideboard.
• Cafeteria: A restaurant in which customers select their food at a counter then carry it on a tray to a table.
• Chef’s Table: A table located in the kitchen of a restaurant, reserved for VIPs and special guests.
• Chopsticks: A pair of small tapered sticks used for eating East Asian food.
• Communal Dining: Dining with large groups on shared tables.
• Crudités: A French appetizer consisting of sliced or whole raw vegetables which are typically dipped in a vinaigrette or other dipping sauce.
• Cuisine: A style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment.
• Degustation: A culinary event presenting a series of small, intricate dishes.
• Deli (Delicatessen): A store selling cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or foreign prepared foods.
• Dessert: The course that concludes a meal.
• Dim Sum: A style of Chinese cuisine involving small bite-sized portions of food served in small steamer baskets or on small plates.
• Diner: A small, inexpensive restaurant with a long counter and booths.
• Entrée: The main course of a meal.
• Espresso: A strong, concentrated form of coffee, often served in small amounts.
• Ethnic Food: Traditional food that originates from a specific region or country.
• Family Style: A type of dining where food is served on large platters for communal sharing.
• Farm-to-Table: A movement focused on serving local food through direct acquisition from the producer.
• Fast Casual: A style of dining that does not offer full table service, but promises higher quality food than fast food.
• Flatware: Eating utensils like forks, knives, and spoons.
• Food Court: An area in a shopping center where fast-food outlets are located.
• Food Truck: A large vehicle equipped to cook and sell food.
• Fusion Cuisine: Cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions.
• Gastropub: A bar that serves high-quality meals.
• Gourmet: Fine food or drink that is high in quality, flavor, or sophistication.
• Grill: A restaurant that serves grilled food, such as steak and chicken.
• Halal: Foods that are permissible according to Islamic law. It’s important for Muslim travelers to know! When traveling in Muslim countries, vacation rentals may not permit cooking of non-Halal foods in their kitchens. Read the fine print before booking!
• Happy Hour: A period of the day when drinks are sold at reduced prices in a bar or restaurant. It’s a fun way to try new beverages!
• Haute Cuisine: An elaborate and refined system of food preparation.
• High Tea: A meal eaten in the late afternoon or early evening, typically consisting of a cooked dish, bread and butter, and tea.
• Hors d’oeuvre: A small dish served before or at the beginning of a meal.
• Izakaya: A type of informal Japanese pub, casual places for after-work drinking and eating.
• Jambalaya: A Louisiana-origin dish of meat and vegetables mixed with rice.
• Kebab: A dish of pieces of meat, fish, or vegetables roasted or grilled on a skewer or spit.
• Kosher: Food that satisfies the requirements of Jewish dietary law.
• Locavore: A person who makes an effort to eat food that is grown, raised, or produced locally.
• Meal Prep: The act of preparing meals in advance for convenience or portion control.
• Michelin Star: A rating system used by the red Michelin Guide to grade restaurants on their quality.
• Molecular Gastronomy: A subdiscipline of food science that seeks to investigate the physical and chemical transformations of ingredients that occur while cooking.
• Nouvelle Cuisine: A style of cooking that emphasizes lighter dishes with fresh, high-quality ingredients.
• Omakase: A Japanese phrase, used when ordering sushi in restaurants, that means “I’ll leave it up to you” (from Japanese “to entrust”).
• Omnivore: A person or animal that eats both plants and meat.
• Organic Food: Food produced without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents.
• Paella: A Spanish rice dish originally from Valencia.
• Pescatarian: A person who does not eat meat but does eat fish.
• Pop-Up Restaurant: A temporary restaurant, often operating from a private home, former factory, or similar and during a special event.
• Prix Fixe: A type of menu featuring a pre-set list of dishes at a fixed price.
• Quick Service Restaurant (QSR): Also known as fast-food restaurants, these establishments serve food quickly and in a minimal service format. It’s a speedy solution for hungry tummies!
• Ramen: A Japanese dish with Chinese origins, it consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed, menma, and green onions.
• Raw Foodism: The dietary practice of eating only uncooked, unprocessed foods.
• Seafood: Sea animals served as food, like fish and shellfish.
• Sommelier: A wine steward.
• Street Food: Ready-to-eat food or drink sold by a vendor in a street or other public place.
• Takeout: Food prepared in a restaurant and eaten off the premises. It’s also called Take Away or Carry Out.
• Tapas: A Spanish tradition of serving a small dish of food with a drink.
• Teppanyaki: A style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food.
• Umami: One of the five basic tastes, it’s described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats. It’s the ‘je ne sais quoi’ of flavor!
• Vegan: A diet excluding all animal products.
• Vegetarian: A diet excluding meat.
• Vineyard: A plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking.
• Viticulture: The science, production, and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard.
• Waitstaff: The staff of a restaurant or bar who wait on tables.
• Wine Pairing: The process of pairing wine with food to enhance the dining experience .
• Wok: A versatile round-bottomed cooking pot, originating from China.
• Xacuti: A curry prepared in India from chicken or lamb.
• XO Sauce: A spicy, seafood-based sauce from Guangdong, China, often used in southern Chinese cooking.
• Yakitori: A Japanese type of skewered chicken.
• Yum Cha: A Chinese style morning or afternoon meal featuring Chinese tea and dim sum dishes.
• Zero-Kilometer Meal: A meal in which ingredients are all sourced within a very small radius, promoting local food consumption.
• Zest: A food ingredient that is prepared by scraping or cutting from the outer, colorful skin of unwaxed citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, citron, and lime.
• Zomato: An Indian restaurant search and discovery service.

Travel Lingo

• Amenities: These are the facilities and services provided by a travel supplier, hotel, or resort. It’s like the icing on the cake of your stay!
• Backpacker: A person who travels with their belongings in a backpack. Example: Many young people become backpackers to explore the world inexpensively.
• Beachcombing: The act of searching for valuable or interesting items on the beach. It’s a treasure hunt by the sea!
• Bucket List: A list of experiences or destinations you want to visit in your lifetime. Maybe it’s seeing the pyramids in Egypt or going on a safari in Africa!
• City Break: A short holiday spent in a city.
• City Tour: A guided tour around a city visiting its highlights. It’s a crash course in culture, history, and local life!
• Commission: Percentage of sale price that vendors pay to travel agencies for selling their services.
• CTC (Certified Travel Counselor): Designation of professional competence attesting to a travel agent’s successful completion of a study program developed and administered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents.
• Day Trip : This is a journey or excursion completed in one day. It’s a mini-adventure without needing to pack a suitcase!
• Day Tripper: A person who visits a tourist destination or site from his/her home and returns home on the same day.
• Digital Nomad : Individuals who leverage technology to work remotely and live an independent and nomadic lifestyle.
• Diving: The sport or activity of swimming underwater with special breathing equipment. It’s like exploring another world beneath the waves!
• Duty-Free: Goods that are exempt from national and/or local taxes and duties, often found in international airports, ports, or on board international flights.
• Expat (Expatriate): A person who lives outside their native country.
• Flashpacking: A style of travel that is more comfortable and luxurious than backpacking but still budget-conscious.
• Frequent Flyer: A person who travels frequently by air, often for business purposes.
• Gratuity: Gift, usually money, given in return for service.
• Green Travel: Traveling in ways that promote environmental sustainability.
• Guided Tour: A tour led by a professional guide who provides detailed information about the destination. It’s a great way to learn while exploring!
• Jet Lag: A temporary disruption of the body’s normal biological rhythms after high-speed air travel across several time zones. It’s like a time travel hangover!
• Jetsetter: A person who travels frequently. With all these trips, you’re well on your way to becoming a jetsetter!
• Journey: The act of traveling from one place to another, or a long trip. Every journey brings new experiences and memories!
• Management Report: Data summary (from travel agencies, travel suppliers, and/or credit-card vendors) documenting usage patterns for air travel, hotel stays, or car rental.
• Non-Stop Flight: A flight by an aircraft with no intermediate stops.
• Off the Beaten Path: Visiting less-known or touristy places. These hidden gems can offer unique experiences!
• Overlanding: Self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal.
• Override: Additional commission paid to agents as a bonus for productivity and/or volume.
• Packing List: A list of items to pack for your trip. It’s a lifesaver for organized families (and those who aspire to be)!
• Provenance: The place of origin or earliest known history of something, often used in the context of food and drink.
• Revenue Sharing: Travel agency rebate of commission revenue received on a corporation’s bookings.
• Road Warrior: A person who travels frequently as part of their job and does much work while traveling .
• Sabbatical: A period of paid leave granted to a university teacher or other worker for study or travel, traditionally one year for every seven years worked.
• Self-Guided Tour: A tour you do on your own, often with a map or audio guide. It’s a flexible way to explore at your own pace!
• Sightseeing: Visiting and seeing attractions and places of interest. It’s like a scavenger hunt, but with landmarks instead of treasure!
• Soft-Dollar Savings: Savings on travel realized through cost avoidance, such as rate discounts or free upgrades.
• Surcharge: Assessment by vendor or governmental entity in addition to published price or contracted rate.
• Third Culture Kid (TCK): A child that is raised outside of the culture of their birth and outside the culture in which their parents were raised.
• Tip: An amount of money given to someone as a reward for their services, such as waiters, bellhops, etc. It’s a small way to show big appreciation!
• Travel Advisory: Official advice provided by a government to its citizens regarding the safety of travel to specific foreign countries or regions.
• Travel Hacking: The practice of collecting frequent flier points and miles to get free flights, hotels, tours, and more.
• Travel Insurance: Insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses, trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling.
• Travelogue: A film or book about someone’s travel experiences. It’s a way to share your adventures and inspire others (and yourselves) for future trips!
• Travelogue: A movie, book, or illustrated lecture about the places visited by or experiences of a traveler.
• Umbrella Rate: A pricing method that includes a bundle of services under one price. It’s an easy and often cheaper way to book your trip!
• UNESCO: Acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It is a specialized agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education , the sciences, and culture.
• Upscale Dining: High-end restaurants that focus on quality ingredients, exceptional service, and beautiful presentation. It’s a special treat for special occasions!
• Vineyard Tour: A guided tour of a place where wine grapes are grown. It’s a delightful experience for wine lovers (and grape juice for the kids)!
• Visa: A conditional authorization granted by a country to a foreigner, allowing them to enter, remain within, or to leave that country.
• Walking Tour: A guided tour of a city or attraction done on foot. It’s a healthy and immersive way to explore!
• Wanderlust: A strong desire or impulse to travel and explore the world.
• Water Park : An amusement park featuring water play areas like swimming pools, water slides, and splash pads. It’s a splashtastic day out for the whole family!
• Wildlife Safari: A trip to observe wild animals in their natural habitat. It’s like stepping into a nature documentary!
• Workation: A working vacation where one combines work with relaxation or vacation.
• Worldschooling: Also known as “world schooling”, is an educational movement and lifestyle that emphasizes learning through travel and real-world experiences.
• Xenophile: A person who is attracted to foreign peoples, cultures, or customs. It’s a love for the world that inspires us to travel !
• Xenophobia: Fear or dislike of people from other countries. As travelers, it’s important to promote understanding and respect for all cultures.

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Today’s Travel Quote

"If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears..” – Cesare Pavese

Welcome to the Travel Industry Dictionary: 4,000 Terms and Counting...

We are proud to present what we believe to be the most extensive dictionary of travel industry terms, abbreviations, acronyms, slang, and nicknames available anywhere. And if we’ve missed one, let us know. We’ll research it, define it, and post the definition here for everyone’s benefit.

Today’s Travel Term

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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.

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.

All Family Destination Regions

• Mediterranean
• Middle East
• South America
• Southeast Asia
• Switzerland
• Theme Parks

• Learn English
• Infographics

• English Vocabulary

100 + Travel Words explained 🛫🏝❤️ Best Free Lesson

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Booking a Holiday

Travelling to your destination, arriving at your destination, places to visit, describing places, asking for help.

Whether you are going on a short holiday for a few days or planning to travel around various countries for a few months, having a basic understanding of the vocabulary and phrases you might need to use for communication is quite important.

English is a widely spoken language in the majority of countries that welcome tourism, so it would be beneficial to familiarise yourself with some useful phrases before departing.

In addition, if you could find out how to say some basic phrases in the country’s native language, I’m sure the local people there would appreciate your efforts!

Basic phrases in English that you should translate and try to use in the native language of your destination:

Book:  as opposed to the noun (reading material), this verb means to arrange and confirm a place on a flight, a room in a hotel or a ticket for an event in the future.

Depart:  to go away or leave, especially on a journey.

Arrive:  to reach a place, especially at the end of a journey.

Reservation:  an arrangement in which something like a seat on a plane or a table in a restaurant is kept for you.

Destination:  the place where someone is going, or something is being sent or taken.

Complimentary:  if tickets books or any other items are complimentary, it means they are given free, especially by a business.

All-Inclusive:  Including everyone or everything. In holiday terms, this would refer to a hotel deal where the price usually includes accommodation, meals and drinks (any extra activities or facilities would be charged separately).

Travel Agency:  a company or shop that makes travel arrangements for people.

Ticket:  a small piece of paper or card given to someone, usually to show that they have paid for an event, journey or activity.

Brochure:  a type of small magazine that contains pictures and information about a product or a company.

Leaflet:  a small piece of paper that gives you information or advertises something.

Last Minute Deals:  these are promotions that are advertised at the latest possible time for those who are more spontaneous!

Promotion:  publicising a product to increase sales or public awareness.

Package Deal:  an offer or agreement involving a number of related items or the acceptance of one being dependent on acceptance of another.

Half-Board:  if you request ‘half-board’ at a hotel, breakfast and dinner would be included in the hotel price (as part of the package).

Full-Board:  if you request ‘full-board’ at a hotel, that would include all three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) in the price of your accommodation.

Self-Catering:  if you stay in self-catering accommodation, you would be in a place where you are provided with the facilities to prepare and cook your own meals.

Accommodation:  a room or building in which someone may live or stay. Different types of accommodation include apartments, hotels, guesthouses and backpacking hostels.

Vacation:  the American term for ‘holiday’.

Camping:  the activity of spending a holiday (vacation) living in a tent or campervan.

Backpacking:  to travel or hike carrying one’s belongings in a backpack.

Transfer:  the act of moving someone or something from one place to another.

Budget Holiday:  (adjective) meaning inexpensive. Planning a trip using a minimal amount of money. (Budget – noun) Having a limited amount of money for expenditure:

• ‘We have to keep within the household budget).

Travel Documents:  all the necessary documents you would need to take with you on a holiday i.e. passport or ID card, driving license, flight/bus/ train tickets, visa confirmation etc.

Outbound:  travelling away from a particular place, usually the first half of a journey.

Inbound:  travelling towards a particular place, especially when returning to the original point of departure.

Two-way, Return Ticket (UK), Round Trip (US):  a ticket that allows someone to travel to a place and back again.

One-way, Single Ticket:  a ticket that allows a passenger to travel only to his/her destination, without returning.

Transport:  (verb  trans-PORT ) to take or carry goods or people from one place to another. (noun  TRANS-port ) A system or means of conveying people or goods from place to place by means of a vehicle, aircraft or ship.

Splash out:  a phrasal verb (mainly used in British English) meaning to spend money freely

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Sample Conversation about Booking a Holiday: Travel Agent = TA, Customer = C

TA:  Good afternoon madam, how can I help you today? C:  Good afternoon, I would like to book a trip to Italy for 2 people and a 6 year old child please.

TA:  Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go? C:  I can’t decide between Venice or Rome, whichever is cheaper as we’re on a budget this year!

TA:  Okay, and when would you like to go? C:  We have two weeks of holiday between 18 th June and 2 nd July, and we’d like to go for at least 10 days during that period.

TA:  No problem, I’ll just check to see which destination would be cheaper…. We have a special promotion on at the moment, if you book a package deal to Venice, you get free transfer to and from your hotel to the airport, plus one free meal each day. Would you be interested in that? C:  Yes, that sounds great!

TA:  And would you like full-board or half-board ? C:  Well, seeing as we will get one free meal each anyway, I think self-catering would be better. I’ll have a little bit of extra money to splash out in a nice restaurant somewhere!

TA:  Okay, that’s fine. We have a hotel that offers self-catering facilities and is right in the centre of Rome. They also have special facilities for children such as meal deals, extra beds, a play area in the lobby and a crèche. C:  Perfect! I won’t need to spend too much money on transport and our son will surely have fun too!

TA:  Exactly. Your outbound flight will be on the 19 th June, departing from London Gatwick Airport at 11:30am , and your return flight will be on the 30 th June at 10:30pm. That gives you 11 and a half days in Rome, does that suit you? C:  Yes, that’s excellent, and we’ll still have a couple of days to recover before going back to work! How much will that be?

TA:  Well, the promotion is £200 per adult, and your child can go for free because he is under 8 years old. That includes the return flights , accommodation for 11 nights, airport transfer and a complimentary meal each per day. Shall we go ahead and book it ? C:  Wow, that is a fabulous deal! Yes please.

TA:  Okay. How would you like to pay? C: Credit card please. Here you go.

TA:  Thank you. Could I also see your passports please? C:  Sure, here you go.

TA:  Thank you. Here are your tickets and everything else you’ll need to know about your package holiday. Remember to keep all your travel documents safe throughout the whole trip. C:  Thank you so much for your help!

TA:  You’re welcome. Enjoy the rest of your day and please contact us if you have any queries before you set off on your holiday !

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NEXT: Packing Vocabulary

Suitcase:  a case with a handle and hinged lid, used for carrying clothes and other personal possessions.

Backpack (US), Rucksack (UK):  a bag with shoulder straps that allow it to be carried on one’s back.

Currency:  a system of money in general use in a particular country.

Appropriate Clothing:  suitable or fitting for a particular purpose, person or occasion.

Seasonal:  relating to a particular season of the year (Autumn, Winter, Spring or Summer).

Swimwear, Bikini:   clothing worn for swimming (bikinis are specifically for women).

Fanny Pack (US), Bum Bag (UK):  a small bag used to safely store small valuable items when on holiday. This is usually worn around the waist and can be concealed under one’s clothing.

Sample Conversation about Packing:

A: Sarah, I’ve managed to book the flights and the train tickets for our vacation to Switzerland! B: Wow, that’s so exciting! So, are we leaving next month on the date we wanted?

A: No, we’re leaving next week! The travel agency gave us a great package deal and we’ve saved a lot of money, but it meant changing the dates to go earlier. We don’t have to work anyway, so I thought it would be nice! B: Oh, I see! Okay, that means we’ll have to start packing very soon. What will the weather be like?

A: Well, it’ll be spring but we’re going for 3 weeks, so I would say it’s safer to take clothing for hot and cold weather. We’ll probably go skiing too, so let’s pack our snow gear . B: Sure. I’m going to pack a few bikinis too, just in case we find a small beach!

A: It might be easier to take our backpacks , as we can fit more into them. B: I agree, they’re a lot bigger than the suitcases . Have you got all our travel documents together?

A: I just need to print off the flight confirmation details and the train tickets . B: Great. I’ll get some dollars exchanged to Swiss franc for the first few days. A: Okay, so you’re in charge of getting the currency sorted and I’ll keep all the travel documents together.  Now, let’s start packing!

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NEXT: Traveling to your destination

Check-In:  the act of reporting one’s presence and registering, typically at an airport or hotel.

Departure Gate:  gate where passengers embark.

Airport Terminal:   this is a building at an airport, where passengers transfer between ground transportation and the facilities that allow them to board or disembark from an aircraft.

Departure Lounge:  a seating area in an airport where passengers wait to board an aircraft or vehicle.

Duty-Free:  Items available for purchase that are free of duty or tax charges in a particular country, generally sold at airports.

Ferry:  a boat or ship for conveying passengers or goods, especially over a relatively short distance and as a regular service.

Take Off:  (of an aircraft or bird) becoming airborne.

Board:  to get on or into (a ship, aircraft or other vehicle).

Passport Check, Security Checkpoint:  a barrier or manned entrance typically at a border of a country where travellers are subject to security checks.

Overweight:  baggage weighing in excess of the allowed amount.

Destination:  the place to which someone or something is going or being sent.

Window Seat:  a seat positioned next to a window on a large vehicle or aircraft.

Aisle Seat :  a seat positioned beside the walkway on a large vehicle or aircraft.

Sample Conversation about Checking-in at the Airport: Airport Attendant = AA, Passenger = P

AA: Next please! P: Hi. Good Afternoon.

AA: Good Afternoon sir. May I see your passport please? P: Yes, here you go.

AA: Thank you. Please place your luggage on the belt. P: (Places suitcase on the conveyor belt)

AA: I’m afraid this suitcase is 7kg overweight . You are allowed a maximum of 30kg and this suitcase weighs 37kg. You will need to remove some items or pay an additional fee for the extra weight. P: Oh no! I see. Okay, I’m happy to pay the fee.

AA: Is this your bag sir? P: Yes, of course it is.

AA: Did you pack it yourself? P: Yes.

AA: Were you given anything by someone else to take on the flight? P: No, definitely not.

AA: Do you have any of the following items in your luggage ? (points to images of dangerous objects) P: No, I’m certain.

AA: Okay, that’ll be 56 euros for the overweight case please. P: Okay, here is the right amount in cash. Also, could I please have a window seat ?

AA: I’ll just see if there is one available…. Okay, you’ll be seated in 25A. Here is your passport and boarding pass , please keep all your documents safe. Enjoy your flight. P: Thank you very much.

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Landing:  an instance of coming or bringing something to land, either from the air or from water.

Customs:  the place at a seaport, airport or frontier where officials check incoming goods, travellers or luggage.

Baggage Collection Point, Baggage Reclaim, Baggage Claim Area:  an area where arriving passengers claim checked-in baggage after disembarking from an airline flight.

Nothing to Declare:  exiting the airport at a gate where you state that you do not have any goods where duty is payable or that need checking whether entry into the country is permitted.

Credit Card:  a small plastic card provided by a bank or company which gives you access to money that you will need to pay back within an agreed time limit.

Debit Card:  a small plastic card provided by your bank which gives you access to money that you already have in your bank account.

Porter:  a member of staff in a hotel who assists guests with carrying their luggage.

Alarm:  something to help you wake up at an appropriate time, this could be a sound notification on your smartphone or a telephone call from staff if you are staying in a hotel.

Room Service:  requesting food, drinks or other services to be delivered to your hotel room.

Sample Conversation about Checking-in at the Hotel: Hotel Receptionist = HR, Guest = G, Porter = P

P: Good morning Sir, welcome to The Royal Pavilion Hotel. May I take your bags please? G: Oh, that’s very kind of you! Thank you. I am quite tired after that journey.

P: Please follow me this way to the check-in desk. HR: Good morning Sir, do you have a reservation ?

G: Yes, I booked online. HR: Which name was it booked in?

G: Mr. Graham Watts HR: Yes, I have it here. Could I see the credit card you paid with please?

G: Yes, here you go. HR: Thank you. Would you like an alarm call to wake you up?

G: Yes please. If you could call me around 11am, that’d be great. I would like to rest for a few hours before my meeting. HR: No problem. The complimentary breakfast is served until 11:30 and you can call for room service at anytime.

G: I will most probably do that! Thanks. HR: Your room is number 237 on the third floor and here’s the key. Our porter will help you with your bags and show you to your room.

G: That’s wonderful, thank you. Is there a Wi-Fi connection available in my room? HR: Yes, you’ll find the password in you room beside the TV. We hope you enjoy your stay with us. P: Okay Mr. Watts, if you please come this way, I’ll show you to your room…

• Kitesurfing 
• Rock Climbing 
• Windsurfing 
• Wakeboarding 
• Paddleboarding 
• Sunbathing 
• Sightseeing 
• Amusement Park
• Art Gallery
• Miniature Golf, Crazy Golf
• Animal Sanctuary
• National Park
• Invigorating
• Enervating 
• Fascinating 
• Old-Fashioned 
• Picturesque 
• Over-Priced
• Cosmopolitan 
• Metropolitan 
• Neopolitan 

NEXT: Asking for help

Catching someone’s attention:

• Excuse me, could I ask you a quick question please?
• Excuse me, sorry to bother you but could you help me please?
• Hello sir/miss, …
• Sorry sir/miss, …
• Excuse me, do you speak English?

Asking for information:

• You wouldn’t happen to know where … is, would you?
• I’m trying to find the …
• I need to get to the …
• How can I get to the …?
• Do you know where the … is?
• Where is the nearest …?
• I’m a little lost, where is the …?

If you miss a flight, bus, transfer, train:

• It seems I have missed my … could you please book me onto the next available one?
• I’ve missed my … is there any way of getting a refund?
• I’ve missed my … could you please give me information about the next one?
• Could you please help me to rearrange my …?

When you’re feeling unwell:

• Excuse me, is there a first aid room here?
• I feel really unwell, is there someone who can help me?
• I’m suffering from … do you have medical staff here?
• Do you have a first aid kit I could use please?
• I’ve injured my … could you please help me?

If there is something wrong with your luggage:

• My suitcase has not arrived yet, where can I get it from?
• My luggage is missing, could you help me please?
• My rucksack has been damaged, what can I do about this?
• I cannot find my suitcase, where can I check please?

Asking someone to translate:

• Could you tell me what it says on that sign please?
• Could you translate this message for me please?
• Could you please ask this person to …?

Prepositions and giving directions:

• (Turn) Right
• (Turn) Left
• Straight On
• Opposite the …
• Next to the …
• The … is on your (right, left)
• Before, After the traffic lights 
• Take the first, second, third exit at the roundabout 

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Travel Vocabulary for English-Language Learners

With a follow-up quiz for extra practice

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The travel-related words below are the most important terms to know when talking about travel or taking vacations . Words are categorized into different sections depending on the type of travel. You'll find example sentences for each word to help provide context for learning, as well as a short quiz at the end to test your knowledge.

Air Travel Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Airport : I went to the airport to catch a flight to San Francisco. Check in : Make sure to get to the airport two hours early to check in. Fly : I like to fly on the same airline to get mileage points. Land : The airplane will land in two hours. Landing : The landing took place during a storm. It was very scary! Plane : The plane is packed with 300 passengers. Take off : The airplane is scheduled to take off at 3:30 p.m.

Vacation Travel Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Camp : Do you like to camp in the woods? Destination : What is your final destination? Excursion : I'd like to take an excursion to the wine country while we're in Tuscany. Go camping : Let's go to the beach and go camping next weekend. Go sightseeing : Did you go sightseeing while you were in France? Hostel : Staying in a youth hostel is a great way to save money on vacation. Hotel : I'll book a hotel for two nights. Journey : The journey will take four weeks and we'll visit four countries. Luggage : Can you carry the luggage upstairs? Motel : We stayed in a convenient motel on our way to Chicago. Package holiday : I prefer to buy package holidays , so I don't have to worry about anything. Passenger : The passenger felt ill during the voyage. Route : Our route will take us through Germany and on to Poland. Sightseeing : The sightseeing in this town is rather boring. Let's go shopping . Suitcase : Let me unpack my suitcase and then we can go swimming. Tour : Peter went on a tour of the vineyard. Tourism : Tourism is becoming an important industry in almost every country. Tourist : Every May, many tourists from around the world come to see the flower festival. Travel : Travel is one of his favorite free time activities. Travel agent : The travel agent found us a great deal. Trip : The trip to New York was lovely and interesting. Vacation : I'd love to take a nice long vacation on the beach.

Overland Travel Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Bicycle : One of the best ways to see the countryside is to ride a bicycle. Bike : We rode a bike from shop to shop. Bus : You can catch a bus for Seattle at the bus station. Bus station : The bus station is three blocks from here. Car : You might want to rent a car when you go on vacation. Lane : Make sure to get into the left lane when you want to pass. Motorcycle : Riding a motorcycle can be fun and exciting, but it's also dangerous. Freeway : We'll have to take the freeway to Los Angeles. Highway : The highway between the two cities is quite lovely. Rail : Have you ever traveled by rail? Go by rail : Going by rail offers the opportunity to get up and walk around as you travel. Railway : The railway station is down this street. Road: There are three roads to Denver. Main road : Take the main road into town and turn left at 5th Street. Taxi : I got in a taxi and went to the train station. Traffic : There's a lot of traffic today on the road! Train : I like riding on trains. It's a very relaxing way to travel. Tube : You can take the tube in London. Underground : You can take the underground in many cities throughout Europe. Subway : You can take the subway in New York.

Sea / Ocean Travel Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Boat: Have you ever piloted a boat? Cruise: We will stop at three destinations during our cruise through the Mediterranean. Cruise ship: It's the most elegant cruise ship in the world! Ferry: Ferries allow passengers to take their cars with them to their destination. Ocean: The Atlantic Ocean takes four days to cross. Port: There are all kinds of commercial ships in the port. Sailboat: The sailboat requires nothing but the wind. Sea: The sea is very calm today. Set sail: We set sail for the exotic island. Ship: Have you ever been a passenger on a ship? Voyage: The voyage to the Bahamas took three days.

Travel Vocabulary Quiz

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

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Glossary of tourism terms

Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which involve tourism expenditure.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Activity/activities : In tourism statistics, the term activities represent the actions and behaviors of people in preparation for and during a trip in their capacity as consumers ( IRTS 2008, 1.2 ).

Activity (principal): The principal activity of a producer unit is the activity whose value added exceeds that of any other activity carried out within the same unit ( SNA 2008, 5.8 ).

Activity (productive): The (productive) activity carried out by a statistical unit is the type of production in which it engages. It has to be understood as a process, i.e. the combination of actions that result in a certain set of products. The classification of productive activities is determined by their principal output.

Administrative data : Administrative data is the set of units and data derived from an administrative source. This is a data holding information collected and maintained for the purpose of implementing one or more administrative regulations.

Adventure tourism : Adventure tourism is a type of tourism which usually takes place in destinations with specific geographic features and landscape and tends to be associated with a physical activity, cultural exchange, interaction and engagement with nature. This experience may involve some kind of real or perceived risk and may require significant physical and/or mental effort. Adventure tourism generally includes outdoor activities such as mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, rock climbing, rafting, canoeing, kayaking, canyoning, mountain biking, bush walking, scuba diving. Likewise, some indoor adventure tourism activities may also be practiced.

Aggregated data : The result of transforming unit level data into quantitative measures for a set of characteristics of a population.

Aggregation : A process that transforms microdata into aggregate-level information by using an aggregation function such as count, sum average, standard deviation, etc.

Analytical unit : Entity created by statisticians, by splitting or combining observation units with the help of estimations and imputations.

Balance of payments : The balance of payments is a statistical statement that summarizes transactions between residents and non-residents during a period. It consists of the goods and services account, the primary income account, the secondary income account, the capital account, and the financial account ( BPM6, 2.12 ).

Bias : An effect which deprives a statistical result of representativeness by systematically distorting it, as distinct from a random error which may distort on any one occasion but balances out on the average.

Business and professional purpose (of a tourism trip): The business and professional purpose of a tourism trip includes the activities of the self-employed and employees, as long as they do not correspond to an implicit or explicit employer-employee relationship with a resident producer in the country or place visited, those of investors, businessmen, etc. ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Business tourism : Business tourism is a type of tourism activity in which visitors travel for a specific professional and/or business purpose to a place outside their workplace and residence with the aim of attending a meeting, an activity or an event. The key components of business tourism are meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. The term "meetings industry" within the context of business tourism recognizes the industrial nature of such activities. Business tourism can be combined with any other tourism type during the same trip.

Business visitor : A business visitor is a visitor whose main purpose for a tourism trip corresponds to the business and professional category of purpose ( IRTS 2008, 3.17.2 ).

Central Product Classification : The Central Product Classification (CPC) constitutes a complete product classification covering goods and services. It is intended to serve as an international standard for assembling and tabulating all kinds of data requiring product detail, including industrial production, national accounts, service industries, domestic and foreign commodity trade, international trade in services, balance of payments, consumption and price statistics. Other basic aims are to provide a framework for international comparison and promote harmonization of various types of statistics dealing with goods and services.

Census : A census is the complete enumeration of a population or groups at a point in time with respect to well defined characteristics: for example, Population, Production, Traffic on particular roads.

Coastal, maritime and inland water tourism : Coastal tourism refers to land-based tourism activities such as swimming, surfing, sunbathing and other coastal leisure, recreation and sports activities which take place on the shore of a sea, lake or river. Proximity to the coast is also a condition for services and facilities that support coastal tourism. Maritime tourism refers to sea-based activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports and includes their respective land-based services and infrastructure. Inland water tourism refers to tourism activities such as cruising, yachting, boating and nautical sports which take place in aquatic- influenced environments located within land boundaries and include lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, groundwater, springs, cave waters and others traditionally grouped as inland wetlands.

Coherence : Adequacy of statistics to be combined in different ways and for various uses.

Competitiveness of a tourism destination : The competitiveness of a tourism destination is the ability of the destination to use its natural, cultural, human, man-made and capital resources efficiently to develop and deliver quality, innovative, ethical and attractive tourism products and services in order to achieve a sustainable growth within its overall vision and strategic goals, increase the added value of the tourism sector, improve and diversify its market components and optimize its attractiveness and benefits both for visitors and the local community in a sustainable perspective.

Consistency : Logical and numerical coherence.

Country of reference : The country of reference refers to the country for which the measurement is done. ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Country of residence : The country of residence of a household is determined according to the centre of predominant economic interest of its members. If a person resides (or intends to reside) for more than one year in a given country and has there his/her centre of economic interest (for example, where the predominant amount of time is spent), he/she is considered as a resident of this country.

Country-specific tourism characteristic products and activities : To be determined by each country by applying the criteria of IRTS 2008, 5.10 in their own context; for these products, the activities producing them will be considered as tourism characteristic, and the industries in which the principal activity is tourism-characteristic will be called tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 5.16 ).

Cultural tourism : Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Data checking : Activity whereby the correctness conditions of the data are verified. It also includes the specification of the type of error or of the condition not met, and the qualification of the data and their division into "error-free data" and "erroneous data".

Data collection : Systematic process of gathering data for official statistics.

Data compilation : Operations performed on data to derive new information according to a given set of rules.

Data confrontation : The process of comparing data that has generally been derived from different surveys or other sources, especially those of different frequencies, in order to assess and possibly improve their coherency, and identify the reasons for any differences.

Data processing : Data processing is the operation performed on data by the organization, institute, agency, etc., responsible for undertaking the collection, tabulation, manipulation and preparation of data and metadata output.

Data reconciliation : The process of adjusting data derived from two different sources to remove, or at least reduce, the impact of differences identified.

Destination (main destination of a trip): The main destination of a tourism trip is defined as the place visited that is central to the decision to take the trip. See also purpose of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.31 ).

Destination management / marketing organization (DMO) : A destination management/marketing organization (DMO) is the leading organizational entity which may encompass the various authorities, stakeholders and professionals and facilitates tourism sector partnerships towards a collective destination vision. The governance structures of DMOs vary from a single public authority to a public/ private partnership model with the key role of initiating, coordinating and managing certain activities such as implementation of tourism policies, strategic planning, product development, promotion and marketing and convention bureau activities. The functions of the DMOs may vary from national to regional and local levels depending on the current and potential needs as well as on the decentralization level of public administration. Not every tourism destination has a DMO.

Documentation: Processes and procedures for imputation,  weighting,  confidentiality  and suppression rules, outlier treatment and data capture should be fully documented by the  survey provider.  Such documentation should be made available to at least  the body financing the survey.

Domestic tourism : Domestic tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor within the country of reference, either as part of a domestic tourism trip or part of an outbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Domestic tourism consumption : Domestic tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Domestic tourism expenditure : Domestic tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor within the economy of reference, (IRTS 2008, 4.15(a)).

Domestic tourism trip : A domestic tourism trip is one with a main destination within the country of residence of the visitor (IRTS 2008, 2.32).

Domestic visitor : As a visitor travels within his/her country of residence, he/she is a domestic visitor and his/her activities are part of domestic tourism.

Durable consumer goods : Durable consumer goods are goods that may be used repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more, assuming a normal or average rate of physical usage. When acquired by producers, these are considered to be capital goods used for production processes, as is the case of vehicles, computers, etc. When acquired by households, they are considered to be consumer durable goods ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.39 ). This definition is identical to the definition of SNA 2008, 9.42 : A consumer durable is a goodthat may be used for purposes of consumption repeatedly or continuously over a period of a year or more.

Dwellings : Each household has a principal dwelling (sometimes also designated as main or primary home), usually defined with reference to time spent there, whose location defines the country of residence and place of usual residence of this household and of all its members. All other dwellings (owned or leased by the household) are considered secondary dwellings ( IRTS 2008, 2.26 ).

Ecotourism : Ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism activity in which the visitor's essential motivation is to observe, learn, discover, experience and appreciate biological and cultural diversity with a responsible attitude to protect the integrity of the ecosystem and enhance the well-being of the local community. Ecotourism increases awareness towards the conservation of biodiversity, natural environment and cultural assets both among locals and the visitors and requires special management processes to minimize the negative impact on the ecosystem.

Economic analysis : Tourism generates directly and indirectly an increase in economic activity in the places visited (and beyond), mainly due to demand for goods and services thatneed to be produced and provided. In the economic analysis of tourism, one may distinguish between tourism's 'economic contribution' which refers to the direct effect of tourism and is measurable by means of the TSA, and tourism's 'economic impact' which is a much broader concept encapsulating the direct, indirect and induced effects of tourism and which must be estimated by applying models. Economic impact studies aim to quantify economic benefits, that is, the net increase in the wealth of residents resulting from tourism, measured in monetary terms, over and above the levels that would prevail in its absence.

Economic territory : The term "economic territory" is a geographical reference and points to the country for which the measurement is done (country of reference) ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Economically active population : The economically active population or labour force comprises all persons of either sex who furnish the supply of labour for the production of goods and services as defined by the system of national accounts during a specified time-reference period (ILO, Thirteenth ICLS, 6.18).

Economy (of reference): "Economy" (or "economy of reference") is an economic reference defined in the same way as in the balance of payments and in the system of national accounts: it refers to the economic agents that are resident in the country of reference ( IRTS 2008, 2.15 ).

Education tourism : Education tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation the tourist's engagement and experience in learning, self-improvement, intellectual growth and skills development. Education Tourism represents a broad range of products and services related to academic studies, skill enhancement holidays, school trips, sports training, career development courses and language courses, among others.

Employees : Employees are all those workers who hold the type of job defined as "paid employment" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employer-employee relationship : An employer-employee relationship exists when there is an agreement, which may be formal or informal, between an entity and an individual, normally entered into voluntarily by both parties, whereby the individual works for the entity in return for remuneration in cash or in kind ( BPM6, 11.11 ).

Employers : Employers are those workers who, working on their own account with one or more partners, hold the type of job defined as a "self-employment job" and, in this capacity, on a continuous basis (including the reference period) have engaged one or more persons to work for them in their business as "employee(s)" (ILO, Fifteenth ICLS, pp. 20-22).

Employment : Persons in employment are all persons above a specified age who, during a specified brief period, either one week or one day, were in paid employment or self-employment (OECD GST, p. 170).

Employment in tourism industries : Employment in tourism industries may be measured as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in any of their jobs, as a count of the persons employed in tourism industries in their main job, or as a count of the jobs in tourism industries ( IRTS 2008, 7.9 ).

Enterprise : An enterprise is an institutional unit engaged in production of goods and/or services. It may be a corporation, a non-profit institution, or an unincorporated enterprise. Corporate enterprises and non-profit institutions are complete institutional units. An unincorporated enterprise, however, refers to an institutional unit —a household or government unit —only in its capacity as a producer of goods and services (OECD BD4, p. 232)

Establishment : An establishment is an enterprise, or part of an enterprise, that is situated in a single location and in which only a single productive activity is carried out or in which the principal productive activity accounts for most of the value added ( SNA 2008, 5.14 ).

Estimation : Estimation is concerned with inference about the numerical value of unknown population values from incomplete data such as a sample. If a single figure is calculated for each unknown parameter the process is called "point estimation". If an interval is calculated within which the parameter is likely, in some sense, to lie, the process is called "interval estimation".

Exports of goods and services : Exports of goods and services consist of sales, barter, or gifts or grants, of goods and services from residents to non-residents (OECD GST, p. 194)

Frame : A list, map or other specification of the units which define a population to be completely enumerated or sampled.

Forms of tourism : There are three basic forms of tourism: domestic tourism, inbound tourism, and outbound tourism. These can be combined in various ways to derive the following additional forms of tourism: internal tourism, national tourism and international tourism.

Gastronomy tourism :  Gastronomy tourism is a type of tourism activity which is characterized by the visitor's experience linked with food and related products and activities while travelling. Along with authentic, traditional, and/or innovative culinary experiences, Gastronomy Tourism may also involve other related activities such as visiting the local producers, participating in food festivals and attending cooking classes. Eno-tourism (wine tourism), as a sub-type of gastronomy tourism, refers to tourism whose purpose is visiting vineyards, wineries, tasting, consuming and/or purchasing wine, often at or near the source.

Goods : Goods are physical, produced objects for which a demand exists, over which ownership rights can be established and whose ownership can be transferred from one institutional unit to another by engaging in transactions on markets ( SNA 2008, p. 623 ).

Gross fixed capital formation : Gross fixed capital formation is defined as the value of institutional units' acquisitions less disposals of fixed assets. Fixed assets are produced assets (such as machinery, equipment, buildings or other structures) that are used repeatedly or continuously in production over several accounting periods (more than one year) ( SNA 2008, 1.52 ).

Gross margin : The gross margin of a provider of reservation services is the difference between the value at which the intermediated service is sold and the value accrued to the provider of reservation services for this intermediated service.

Gross value added : Gross value added is the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 3.32 ).

Gross value added of tourism industries : Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI) is the total gross value added of all establishments belonging to tourism industries, regardless of whether all their output is provided to visitors and the degree of specialization of their production process ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.86 ).

Grossing up : Activity aimed at transforming, based on statistical methodology, micro-data from samples into aggregate-level information representative of the target population.

Health tourism : Health tourism covers those types of tourism which have as a primary motivation, the contribution to physical, mental and/or spiritual health through medical and wellness-based activities which increase the capacity of individuals to satisfy their own needs and function better as individuals in their environment and society. Health tourism is the umbrella term for the subtypes wellness tourism and medical tourism.

Imputation : Procedure for entering a value for a specific data item where the response is missing or unusable.

Inbound tourism : Inbound tourism comprises the activities of a non-resident visitor within the country of reference on an inbound tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39 ).

Inbound tourism consumption : Inbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Inbound tourism expenditure : Inbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a non-resident visitor within the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(b) ).

Innovation in tourism : Innovation in tourism is the introduction of a new or improved component which intends to bring tangible and intangible benefits to tourism stakeholders and the local community, improve the value of the tourism experience and the core competencies of the tourism sector and hence enhance tourism competitiveness and /or sustainability. Innovation in tourism may cover potential areas, such as tourism destinations, tourism products, technology, processes, organizations and business models, skills, architecture, services, tools and/or practices for management, marketing, communication, operation, quality assurance and pricing.

Institutional sector : An aggregation of institutional units on the basis of the type of producer and depending on their principal activity and function, which are considered to be indicative of their economic behaviour.

Institutional unit : The elementary economic decision-making centre characterised by uniformity of behaviour and decision-making autonomy in the exercise of its principal function.

Intermediate consumption : Intermediate consumption consists of the value of the goods and services consumed as inputs by a process of production, excluding fixed assets whose consumption is recorded as consumption of fixed capital ( SNA 2008, 6.213 ).

Internal tourism : Internal tourism comprises domestic tourism and inbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country of reference as part of domestic or international tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(a) ).

Internal tourism consumption : Internal tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of both resident and non-resident visitors within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and inbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Internal tourism expenditure : Internal tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of visitors, both resident and non-resident, within the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and inbound tourism expenditure. It includes acquisition of goods and services imported into the country of reference and sold to visitors. This indicator provides the most comprehensive measurement of tourism expenditure in the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(a) ).

International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities : The International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) consists of a coherent and consistent classification structure of economic activities based on a set of internationally agreed concepts, definitions, principles and classification rules. It provides a comprehensive framework within which economic data can be collected and reported in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking. The classification structure represents a standard format to organize detailed information about the state of an economy according to economic principles and perceptions (ISIC, Rev.4, 1).

International tourism : International tourism comprises inbound tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips and the activities of non-resident visitors within the country of reference on inbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(c) ).

International visitor : An international traveller qualifies as an international visitor with respect to the country of reference if: (a) he/she is on a tourism trip and (b) he/she is a non-resident travelling in the country of reference or a resident travelling outside of it ( IRTS 2008, 2.42 ).

Job : The agreement between an employee and the employer defines a job and each self-employed person has a job ( SNA 2008, 19.30 ).

Measurement error : Error in reading, calculating or recording numerical value.

Medical tourism : Medical tourism is a type of tourism activity which involves the use of evidence-based medical healing resources and services (both invasive and non-invasive). This may include diagnosis, treatment, cure, prevention and rehabilitation.

Meetings industry : To highlight purposes relevant to the meetings industry, if a trip's main purpose is business/professional, it can be further subdivided into "attending meetings, conferences or congresses, trade fairs and exhibitions" and "other business and professional purposes". The term meetings industry is preferred by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and Reed Travel over the acronym MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) which does not recognize the industrial nature of such activities.

Metadata : Data that defines and describes other data and processes.

MICE : See meetings industry.

Microdata : Non-aggregated observations, or measurements of characteristics of individual units.

Mirror statistics : Mirror statistics are used to conduct bilateral comparisons of two basic measures of a trade flow and are a traditional tool for detecting the causes of asymmetries in statistics (OECD GST, p. 335).

Mountain tourism : Mountain tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in a defined and limited geographical space such as hills or mountains with distinctive characteristics and attributes that are inherent to a specific landscape, topography, climate, biodiversity (flora and fauna) and local community. It encompasses a broad range of outdoor leisure and sports activities.

National tourism : National tourism comprises domestic tourism and outbound tourism, that is to say, the activities of resident visitors within and outside the country of reference, either as part of domestic or outbound tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.40(b) ).

National tourism consumption : National tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of resident visitors, within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism consumption and outbound tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

National tourism expenditure : National tourism expenditure comprises all tourism expenditure of resident visitors within and outside the economy of reference. It is the sum of domestic tourism expenditure and outbound tourism expenditure ( IRTS 2008, 4.20(b) ).

Nationality : The concept of "country of residence" of a traveller is different from that of his/her nationality or citizenship ( IRTS 2008, 2.19 ).

Non-monetary indicators : Data measured in physical or other non-monetary units should not be considered a secondary part of a satellite account. They are essential components, both for the information they provide directly and in order to analyse the monetary data adequately ( SNA 2008, 29.84 ).

Observation unit : entity on which information is received and statistics are compiled.

Outbound tourism : Outbound tourism comprises the activities of a resident visitor outside the country of reference, either as part of an outbound tourism trip or as part of a domestic tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.39(c) ).

Outbound tourism consumption : Outbound tourism consumption is the tourism consumption of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( TSA:RMF 2008, figure 2.1 ).

Outbound tourism expenditure : Outbound tourism expenditure is the tourism expenditure of a resident visitor outside the economy of reference ( IRTS 2008, 4.15(c) ).

Output : Output is defined as the goods and services produced by an establishment, a) excluding the value of any goods and services used in an activity for which the establishment does not assume the risk of using the products in production, and b) excluding the value of goods and services consumed by the same establishment except for goods and services used for capital formation (fixed capital or changes in inventories) or own final consumption ( SNA 2008, 6.89 ).

Output (main): The main output of a (productive) activity should be determined by reference to the value added of the goods sold or services rendered (ISIC rev.4, 114).

Pilot survey : The aim of a pilot survey is to test the questionnaire (pertinence of the questions, understanding of questions by those being interviewed, duration of the interview) and to check various potential sources for sampling and non-sampling errors: for instance, the place in which the surveys are carried out and the method used, the identification of any omitted answers and the reason for the omission, problems of communicating in various languages, translation, the mechanics of data collection, the organization of field work, etc.

Place of usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides, and is defined by the location of his/her principal dwelling (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.20 to 2.24).

Probability sample : A sample selected by a method based on the theory of probability (random process), that is, by a method involving knowledge of the likelihood of any unit being selected.

Production account : The production account records the activity of producing goods and services as defined within the SNA. Its balancing item, gross value added, is defined as the value of output less the value of intermediate consumption and is a measure of the contribution to GDP made by an individual producer, industry or sector. Gross value added is the source from which the primary incomes of the SNA are generated and is therefore carried forward into the primary distribution of income account. Value added and GDP may also be measured net by deducting consumption of fixed capital, a figure representing the decline in value during the period of the fixed capital used in a production process ( SNA 2008, 1.17 ).

Production : Economic production may be defined as an activity carried out under the control and responsibility of an institutional unit that uses inputs of labour, capital, and goods and services to produce outputs of goods or services ( SNA 2008, 6.24. ).

Purpose of a tourism trip (main): The main purpose of a tourism trip is defined as the purpose in the absence of which the trip would not have taken place ( IRTS 2008, 3.10. ). Classification of tourism trips according to the main purpose refers to nine categories: this typology allows the identification of different subsets of visitors (business visitors, transit visitors, etc.) See also destination of a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 3.14 ).

Quality of a tourism destination : Quality of a tourism destination is the result of a process which implies the satisfaction of all tourism product and service needs, requirements and expectations of the consumer at an acceptable price, in conformity with mutually accepted contractual conditions and the implicit underlying factors such as safety and security, hygiene, accessibility, communication, infrastructure and public amenities and services. It also involves aspects of ethics, transparency and respect towards the human, natural and cultural environment. Quality, as one of the key drivers of tourism competitiveness, is also a professional tool for organizational, operational and perception purposes for tourism suppliers.

Questionnaire and Questionnaire design : Questionnaire is a group or sequence of questions designed to elicit information on a subject, or sequence of subjects, from a reporting unit or from another producer of official statistics. Questionnaire design is the design (text, order, and conditions for skipping) of the questions used to obtain the data needed for the survey.

Reference period : The period of time or point in time to which the measured observation is intended to refer.

Relevance : The degree to which statistics meet current and potential users' needs.

Reliability : Closeness of the initial estimated value to the subsequent estimated value.

Reporting unit : Unit that supplies the data for a given survey instance, like a questionnaire or interview. Reporting units may, or may not, be the same as the observation unit.

Residents/non-residents : The residents of a country are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located in its economic territory. For a country, the non-residents are individuals whose centre of predominant economic interest is located outside its economic territory.

Response and non-response : Response and non-response to various elements of a survey entail potential errors.

Response error : Response errors may be defined as those arising from the interviewing process. Such errors may be due to a number of circumstances, such as inadequate concepts or questions; inadequate training; interviewer failures; respondent failures.

Rural tourism : Rural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor's experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle / culture, angling and sightseeing. Rural tourism activities take place in non-urban (rural) areas with the following characteristics:

• Low population density;
• Landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry; and
• Traditional social structure and lifestyle

Same-day visitor (or excursionist): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Sample : A subset of a frame where elements are selected based on a process with a known probability of selection.

Sample survey : A survey which is carried out using a sampling method.

Sampling error : That part of the difference between a population value and an estimate thereof, derived from a random sample, which is due to the fact that only a subset of the population is enumerated.

Satellite accounts : There are two types of satellite accounts, serving two different functions. The first type, sometimes called an internal satellite, takes the full set of accounting rules and conventions of the SNA but focuses on a particular aspect of interest by moving away from the standard classifications and hierarchies. Examples are tourism, coffee production and environmental protection expenditure. The second type, called an external satellite, may add non-economic data or vary some of the accounting conventions or both. It is a particularly suitable way to explore new areas in a research context. An example may be the role of volunteer labour in the economy ( SNA 2008, 29.85 ).

SDMX, Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange : Set of technical standards and content-oriented guidelines, together with an IT architecture and tools, to be used for the efficient exchange and sharing of statistical data and metadata (SDMX).

Seasonal adjustment : Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique to remove the effects of seasonal calendar influences on a series. Seasonal effects usually reflect the influence of the seasons themselves, either directly or through production series related to them, or social conventions. Other types of calendar variation occur as a result of influences such as number of days in the calendar period, the accounting or recording practices adopted or the incidence of moving holidays.

Self-employment job : Self-employment jobs are those jobs where remuneration is directly dependent upon the profits (or the potential of profits) derived from the goods or services produced.

Self-employed with paid employees : Self-employed with paid employees are classified as employers.

Self-employed without employees : Self-employed without employees are classified as own-account workers.

Services : Services are the result of a production activity that changes the conditions of the consuming units, or facilitates the exchange of products or financial assets. They cannot be traded separately from their production. By the time their production is completed, they must have been provided to the consumers ( SNA 2008, 6.17 ).

Social transfers in kind : A special case of transfers in kind is that of social transfers in kind. These consist of goods and services provided by general government and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISHs) that are delivered to individual households. Health and education services are the prime examples. Rather than provide a specified amount of money to be used to purchase medical and educational services, the services are often provided in kind to make sure that the need for the services is met. (Sometimes the recipient purchases the service and is reimbursed by the insurance or assistance scheme. Such a transaction is still treated as being in kind because the recipient is merely acting as the agent of the insurance scheme) (SNA 2008, 3.83).

Sports tourism : Sports tourism is a type of tourism activity which refers to the travel experience of the tourist who either observes as a spectator or actively participates in a sporting event generally involving commercial and non-commercial activities of a competitive nature.

Standard classification : Classifications that follow prescribed rules and are generally recommended and accepted.

Statistical error : The unknown difference between the retained value and the true value.

Statistical indicator : A data element that represents statistical data for a specified time, place, and other characteristics, and is corrected for at least one dimension (usually size) to allow for meaningful comparisons.

Statistical metadata : Data about statistical data.

Statistical unit : Entity about which information is sought and about which statistics are compiled. Statistical units may be identifiable legal or physical entities or statistical constructs.

Survey : An investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic use of statistical methodology.

System of National Accounts : The System of National Accounts (SNA) is the internationally agreed standard set of recommendations on how to compile measures of economic activity in accordance with strict accounting conventions based on economic principles. The recommendations are expressed in terms of a set of concepts, definitions, classifications and accounting rules that comprise the internationally agreed standard for measuring indicators of economic performance. The accounting framework of the SNA allows economic data to be compiled and presented in a format that is designed for purposes of economic analysis, decision-taking and policymaking ( SNA 2008, 1.1 ).

Total tourism internal demand : Total tourism internal demand, is the sum of internal tourism consumption, tourism gross fixed capital formation and tourism collective consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.114 ). It does not include outbound tourism consumption.

Tourism : Tourism refers to the activity of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ).

Tourism characteristic activities : Tourism characteristic activities are the activities that typically produce tourism characteristic products. As the industrial origin of a product (the ISIC industry that produces it) is not a criterion for the aggregation of products within a similar CPC category, there is no strict one-to-one relationship between products and the industries producing them as their principal outputs ( IRTS 2008, 5.11 ).

Tourism characteristic products : Tourism characteristic products are those that satisfy one or both of the following criteria: a) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share total tourism expenditure (share-of-expenditure/demand condition); b) Tourism expenditure on the product should represent a significant share of the supply of the product in the economy (share-of-supply condition). This criterion implies that the supply of a tourism characteristic product would cease to exist in meaningful quantity in the absence of visitors ( IRTS 2008, 5.10 ).

Tourism connected products : Their significance within tourism analysis for the economy of reference is recognized although their link to tourism is very limited worldwide. Consequently, lists of such products will be country-specific ( IRTS 2008, 5.12 ).

Tourism consumption : Tourism consumption has the same formal definition as tourism expenditure. Nevertheless, the concept of tourism consumption used in the Tourism Satellite Account goes beyond that of tourism expenditure. Besides the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips, which corresponds to monetary transactions (the focus of tourism expenditure), it also includes services associated with vacation accommodation on own account, tourism social transfers in kind and other imputed consumption. These transactions need to be estimated using sources different from information collected directly from the visitors, such as reports on home exchanges, estimations of rents associated with vacation homes, calculations of financial intermediation services indirectly measured (FISIM), etc. ( TSA:RMF 2008, 2.25 ).

Tourism destination : A tourism destination is a physical space with or without administrative and/or analytical boundaries in which a visitor can spend an overnight. It is the cluster (co-location) of products and services, and of activities and experiences along the tourism value chain and a basic unit of analysis of tourism. A destination incorporates various stakeholders and can network to form larger destinations. It is also intangible with its image and identity which may influence its market competitiveness.

Tourism direct gross domestic product : Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP) is the sum of the part of gross value added (at basic prices) generated by all industries in response to internal tourism consumption plus the amount of net taxes on products and imports included within the value of this expenditure at purchasers' prices ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.96 ).

Tourism direct gross value added : Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA) is the part of gross value added generated by tourism industries and other industries of the economy that directly serve visitors in response to internal tourism consumption ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.88 ).

Tourism expenditure : Tourism expenditure refers to the amount paid for the acquisition of consumption goods and services, as well as valuables, for own use or to give away, for and during tourism trips. It includes expenditures by visitors themselves, as well as expenses that are paid for or reimbursed by others ( IRTS 2008, 4.2 ).

Tourism industries : The tourism industries comprise all establishments for which the principal activity is a tourism characteristic activity. Tourism industries (also referred to as tourism activities) are the activities that typically producetourism characteristic products. The term tourism industries is equivalent to tourism characteristic activities and the two terms are sometimes used synonymously in the IRTS 2008, 5.10, 5.11 and figure 5.1 .

Tourism product : A tourism product is a combination of tangible and intangible elements, such as natural, cultural and man-made resources, attractions, facilities, services and activities around a specific center of interest which represents the core of the destination marketing mix and creates an overall visitor experience including emotional aspects for the potential customers. A tourism product is priced and sold through distribution channels and it has a life-cycle.

Tourism ratio : For each variable of supply in the Tourism Satellite Account, the tourism ratiois the ratio between the total value of tourism share and total value of the corresponding variable in the Tourism Satellite Account expressed in percentage form ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.56 ). (See also Tourism share).

Tourism Satellite Account : The Tourism Satellite Account is the second international standard on tourism statistics (Tourism Satellite Account: Recommended Methodological Framework 2008 –TSA:RMF 2008) that has been developed in order to present economic data relative to tourism within a framework of internal and external consistency with the rest of the statistical system through its link to the System of National Accounts. It is the basic reconciliation framework of tourism statistics. As a statistical tool for the economic accounting of tourism, the TSA can be seen as a set of 10 summary tables, each with their underlying data and representing a different aspect of the economic data relative to tourism: inbound, domestic tourism and outbound tourism expenditure, internal tourism expenditure, production accounts of tourism industries, the Gross Value Added (GVA) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) attributable to tourism demand, employment, investment, government consumption, and non-monetary indicators.

Tourism Satellite Account aggregates : The compilation of the following aggregates, which represent a set of relevant indicators of the size of tourism in an economy is recommended ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.81 ):

• Internal tourism expenditure;
• Internal tourism consumption;
• Gross value added of tourism industries (GVATI);
• Tourism direct gross value added (TDGVA);
• Tourism direct gross domestic product (TDGDP).

Tourism sector : The tourism sector, as contemplated in the TSA, is the cluster of production units in different industries that provide consumption goods and services demanded by visitors. Such industries are called tourism industries because visitor acquisition represents such a significant share of their supply that, in the absence of visitors, their production of these would cease to exist in meaningful quantity.

Tourism share : Tourism share is the share of the corresponding fraction of internal tourism consumption in each component of supply ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.51 ). For each industry, the tourism share of output (in value), is the sum of the tourism share corresponding to each product component of its output ( TSA:RMF 2008, 4.55 ). (See also Tourism ratio ).

Tourism single-purpose consumer durable goods : Tourism single-purpose consumer durables is a specific category of consumer durable goods that include durable goods that are used exclusively, or almost exclusively, by individuals while on tourism trips ( TSA:RMF 2008 , 2.41 and Annex 5 ).

Tourism trip : Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips ( IRTS 2008, 2.29 ).

Tourist (or overnight visitor): A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Tourism value chain : The tourism value chain is the sequence of primary and support activities which are strategically fundamental for the performance of the tourism sector. Linked processes such as policy making and integrated planning, product development and packaging, promotion and marketing, distribution and sales and destination operations and services are the key primary activities of the tourism value chain. Support activities involve transport and infrastructure, human resource development, technology and systems development and other complementary goods and services which may not be related to core tourism businesses but have a high impact on the value of tourism.

Travel / traveller : Travel refers to the activity of travellers. A traveller is someone who moves between different geographic locations, for any purpose and any duration ( IRTS 2008, 2.4 ). The visitor is a particular type of traveller and consequently tourism is a subset of travel.

Travel group : A travel group is made up of individuals or travel parties travelling together: examples are people travelling on the same package tour or youngsters attending a summer camp ( IRTS 2008, 3.5 ).

Travel item (in balance of payments): Travel is an item of the goods and services account of the balance of payments: travel credits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from an economy by non-residents during visits to that economy. Travel debits cover goods and services for own use or to give away acquired from other economies by residents during visits to other economies ( BPM6, 10.86 ).

Travel party : A travel party is defined as visitors travelling together on a trip and whose expenditures are pooled ( IRTS 2008, 3.2 ).

Trip : A trip refers to the travel by a person from the time of departure from his/her usual residence until he/she returns: it thus refers to a round trip. Trips taken by visitors are tourism trips.

Urban/city tourism : Urban/city tourism is a type of tourism activity which takes place in an urban space with its inherent attributes characterized by non-agricultural based economy such as administration, manufacturing, trade and services and by being nodal points of transport. Urban/city destinations offer a broad and heterogeneous range of cultural, architectural, technological, social and natural experiences and products for leisure and business.

Usual environment: The usual environment of an individual, a key concept in tourism, is defined as the geographical area (though not necessarily a contiguous one) within which an individual conducts his/her regular life routines ( IRTS 2008, 2.21 ).

Usual residence : The place of usual residence is the geographical place where the enumerated person usually resides (Principles and recommendations for population and housing censuses of the United Nations, 2.16 to 2.18).

Vacation home : A vacation home (sometimes also designated as a holiday home) is a secondary dwelling that is visited by the members of the household mostly for purposes of recreation, vacation or any other form of leisure ( IRTS 2008, 2.27 ).

Valuables : Valuables are produced goods of considerable value that are not used primarily for purposes of production or consumption but are held as stores of value over time ( SNA 2008, 10.13 ).

Visit : A trip is made up of visits to different places.The term "tourism visit" refers to a stay in a place visited during a tourism trip ( IRTS 2008, 2.7 and 2.33 ).

Visitor : A visitor is a traveller taking a trip to a main destination outside his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any main purpose (business, leisure or other personal purpose) other than to be employed by a resident entity in the country or place visited ( IRTS 2008, 2.9 ). A visitor (domestic, inbound or outbound) is classified as a tourist (or overnight visitor), if his/her trip includes an overnight stay, or as a same-day visitor (or excursionist) otherwise ( IRTS 2008, 2.13 ).

Wellness tourism : Wellness tourism is a type of tourism activity which aims to improve and balance all of the main domains of human life including physical, mental, emotional, occupational, intellectual and spiritual. The primary motivation for the wellness tourist is to engage in preventive, proactive, lifestyle-enhancing activities such as fitness, healthy eating, relaxation, pampering and healing treatments.

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Travel and Leisure Vocabulary Word List (363)

Synonyms of travel

• as in to trek
• as in to traverse
• as in to fly
• as in to associate
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Thesaurus Definition of travel

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• peregrinate
• road - trip
• knock (about)
• perambulate
• pass (over)
• cut (across)
• proceed (along)
• get a move on
• make tracks
• shake a leg
• hotfoot (it)
• fast - forward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hang (around or out)
• slow (down or up)
• collaborate
• take up with
• keep company (with)
• rub shoulders (with)
• fall in with
• pal (around)
• rub elbows (with)
• mess around
• be friends with
• interrelate
• confederate
• cold - shoulder

Thesaurus Definition of travel  (Entry 2 of 2)

• peregrination
• commutation

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Cite this entry.

“Travel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/travel. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on travel

Nglish: Translation of travel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of travel for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about travel

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Columbia prez misled Congress about required orientation on woke DEI terms ‘Ashkenormativity,’ ‘folx’: GOP rep

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A Republican lawmaker torched Columbia University President Minouche Shafik in a Thursday letter for misleading Congress about a seemingly mandatory orientation document that included “ shockingly offensive ” DEI terms such as “Ashkenormativity.”

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) accused Shafik of offering contradictory testimony about the bizarre woke glossary, which he said had been sent his way by a former student.

“Multiple pieces of evidence contradict your suggestion that Columbia University had no relation to the DEI glossary,” Banks wrote.

“As I stated at last week’s hearing, the DEI glossary perfectly expresses the radical, left-wing sentiments and worldview that have fostered antisemitism on your campus,” Banks added.

“Antisemitism at Columbia is now so pervasive, and anti-Israel protestors have made the campus so dangerous for Jewish students, that, for the rest of this semester, Columbia is offering a remote option for all its courses.

“This is a complete failure by Columbia to fulfill its basic obligations as a publicly funded university. 

The “Review the DEI Glossary Terms” orientation document had been featured on the Columbia School of Social Work’s website — but was taken down shortly after a scathing New York Times article highlighting it.

“The student who emailed me [these pre-orientation materials] was paid to be in this position as a [Professional Development and Self Awareness] orientation leader,” the ex-Columbia undergrad wrote to Banks in an email reviewed by The Post.

“The glossary is clearly not some student-made term book. It was sanctioned by CSSW,” the alum told the congressman.

Banks quizzed Shafik and members of the Columbia University Board of Trustees during a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing on April 17.

“President Shafik, I understand you’re very proud of the Columbia University School of Social Work,” Banks asked. “Can you define for us the word ‘Ashkenormativity’?”

“I don’t use that term. I don’t know that term,” Shafik said, suggesting it was “something that a group of students produced.

“I don’t think it’s a product of the School of Social Work,” she added.

“Let me read to you how ‘Ashkenormativity’ is defined,” Banks interrupted, “a system of oppression that favors white Jewish ‘folx,’ based on the assumption that all Jewish ‘folx’ are Ashkenazi, or from Western Europe.”

“Is that appropriate?” he pressed. “It is handed out to your students.”

“I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it’s very useful,” Shafik replied. “I don’t condone it.”

Board of Trustees co-chair David Greenwald, when asked the same question, declared it was a “shockingly offensive” term, and fellow trustee board chair Claire Shipman called it “outrageous.”

“Can you help me understand something else, I didn’t go to an Ivy League school admittedly,” Banks, an Indiana University graduate, went on. “Can you explain why the word ‘folx’ is spelled ‘f-o-l-x’ throughout this guide book. What does that mean?”

“They don’t know how to spell?” Shafik offered weakly, prompting laughter from some Columbia undergrads seated behind her.

“I’m not familiar with that spelling.”

“I don’t find it a laughing matter,” Banks shot back.

“You are aware that it’s handed out to all of your students — and you’re not doing anything to stop it.”

House Education and Workforce chairwoman Virginia Foxx accused Shafik of also giving “false testimony” about a faculty member, Professor Joseph Massad, being under investigation for antisemitic conduct.

No such investigation has occurred, Foxx (R-NC) said during a press conference at the Morningside Heights school on Wednesday.

The Education panel is probing Columbia and other schools over their harboring of antisemitism in recent years.

Banks has asked Shafik to clarify by May 16 whether the DEI glossary “was sanctioned by CSSW,” whether Columbia paid for it, and who prepared the document.

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AI has a lot of terms. We've got a glossary for what you need to know

Ai has a lot of terms. we've got a glossary for what you need to know, gpu tpu llm all the important ai vocabulary to know.

When people unfamiliar with AI envision artificial intelligence , they may imagine Will Smith’s blockbuster I, Robot, the sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, or the Disney movie Smart House — nightmarish scenarios where intelligent robots take over to the doom of their human counterparts.

Today’s generative AI technologies aren’t quite all-powerful yet. Sure, they may be capable of sowing disinformation to disrupt elections or sharing trade secrets . But the tech is still in its early stages, and chatbots are still making big mistakes .

Still, the newness of the technology is also bringing new terms into play. What makes a semiconductor, anyway? How is generative AI different from all the other kinds of artificial intelligence? And should you really know the nuances between a GPU, a CPU, and a TPU?

If you’re looking to keep up with the new jargon the sector is slinging around, Quartz has your guide to its core terms.

What is Generative AI?

Let’s start with the basics for a refresher. Generative artificial intelligence is a category of AI that uses data to create original content. In contrast, classic AI could only offer predictions based on data inputs, not brand new and unique answers using machine learning. But generative AI uses “ deep learning ,” a form of machine learning that uses artificial neural networks (software programs) resembling the human brain, so computers can perform human-like analysis.

Generative AI isn’t grabbing answers out of thin air, though. It’s generating answers based on data it’s trained on, which can include text, video, audio, and lines of code. Imagine, say, waking up from a coma, blindfolded, and all you can remember is 10 Wikipedia articles. All of your conversations with another person about what you know are based on those 10 Wikipedia articles. It’s kind of like that — except generative AI uses millions of such articles and a whole lot more.

What is a chatbot?

AI chatbots are computer programs that generate human-like conversations with users , giving unique, original answers to their queries. Chatbots were popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and since then, a bunch more have debuted: Google Gemini, Microsoft CoPilot, and Salesforce’s Einstein lead the pack, among others.

Chatbots don’t just generate text responses — they can also build websites, create data visualizations, help with coding, make images, and analyze documents. To be sure, AI chatbots aren’t foolproof yet — they’ve made a lot of mistakes already . But as AI technology rapidly advances, so will the quality of these chatbots.

What is a Large Language Model (LLM)?

Large language models (LLMs) are a type of generative artificial intelligence. They are trained on large amounts of data and text, including from news articles and e-books, to understand and generate content, including natural language text. Basically, they are trained on a ton of text so they can predict what word comes next. Take this explanation from Google:

“If you started to type the phrase, “Mary kicked a…,” a language model trained on enough data could predict, “Mary kicked a ball.” Without enough training, it may only come up with a “round object” or only its color “yellow.” — Google’s explainer

Popular chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, which have capabilities such as summarizing and translating text, are examples of LLMs.

What is a semiconductor?

No, it’s not an 18-wheeler driver. Semiconductors, also known as AI chips , are used in electrical circuits of devices such as phones and computers. Electronic devices wouldn’t exist without semiconductors, which are made from pure elements like silicon or compounds like gallium arsenide, to conduct electricity. The name “semi” comes from the fact that the material can conduct more electricity than an insulator, but less electricity than a pure conductor like copper .

The world’s largest semiconductor foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), makes an estimated 90% of advanced chips in the world, and counts top chip designers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) as customers.

Even though semiconductors were invented in the U.S. , it now produces about 10% of the world’s chips, not including advanced ones needed for larger AI models. President Joe Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022 to bring chipmaking back to the U.S. , and the Biden administration has already invested billions into semiconductor companies including Intel and TSMC to build factories throughout the country. Part of that effort also has to do with countering China’s advancements in chipmaking and AI development.

What are GPUs & CPUs?

A GPU is a graphics processing unit, an advanced chip (or semiconductor) that powers the large language models behind AI chatbots like ChatGPT. It was traditionally used to make video games with higher quality visuals .

Then a Ukrainian-Canadian computer scientist, Alex Krizhevsky , showed how using a GPU could power deep learning models a whole lot faster than a CPU — a central processing unit, or the main hardware that powers computers.

CPUs are the “brain” of a computer, carrying out instructions for that computer to work . A CPU is a processor , which reads and interprets software instructions to control the computer’s functions. But a GPU is an accelerator, a piece of hardware designed to advance a specific function of a processor.

Nvidia is the leading GPU designer, with its H100 and H200 chips used in major tech companies’ data centers to power AI software. Other companies are aiming to compete with Nvidia’s accelerators , including Intel with its Gaudi 3 accelerator, and Microsoft’s Azure Maia 100 GPU.

What is a TPU?

TPU stands for “tensor processing unit.” Google’s chips, unlike those of Microsoft and Nvidia, are TPUs — custom-designed chips made specifically for training large AI models (whereas GPUs were initially made for gaming, not AI).

While CPUs are general-purpose processors and GPUs are an additional processor that run high-end tasks, TPUs are custom-built accelerators to run AI services — making them all the more powerful.

What is a hallucination?

As mentioned before, AI chatbots are capable of a lot of tasks, but they also slip up a lot. When LLMs like ChatGPT make up fake or nonsensical information , that’s called a hallucination .

Chatbots “hallucinate” when they don’t have the necessary training data to answer a question, but still generate a response that looks like a fact. Hallucinations can be caused by different factors such as inaccurate or biased training data and overfitting, which is when an algorithm can’t make predictions or conclusions from other data than what it was trained on.

Hallucinations are currently one of the biggest issues with generative AI models — and they’re not exactly easy to solve for. Because AI models are trained on massive sets of data, it can make it difficult to find specific problems in the data. Sometimes, the data used to train AI models is inaccurate anyway, because it comes from places like Reddit . Although AI models are trained to not answer questions they don’t know the answer to, they sometimes don’t refuse these questions, and instead generate answers that are inaccurate.

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Word of the Day

Word of the day.

the state of being no longer used or practiced.

Why Dictionary.com chose desuetude

More about desuetude.

• First recorded in 1425–75.
• Comes via late Middle English from the Latin word dēsuētūdo , equivalent to the base of dēsuēscere , “to become disaccustomed to, unlearn.”
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EXAMPLES OF DESUETUDE

• Over time, the once bustling marketplace fell into desuetude as modern shopping centers took over.
• As technology advanced, many manual skills and crafts fell into desuetude , replaced by automation and machinery.

a small wooden vessel or tub for butter, lard, etc.

Why Dictionary.com chose firkin

More about firkin.

• First recorded around 1400–50.
• Comes from the late Middle English word ferdkyn or firdekyn .
• This is formed from a variant of ferthe , meaning “fourth,” and the diminutive suffix – kin .

EXAMPLES OF FIRKIN

• The antique store had a collection of quaint firkins on display, each with its own unique design.
• After the harvest festival, the townspeople gathered around to share stories over slices of bread from a firkin of butter.

It’s National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Today’s the last day to submit!

gallimaufry

a hodgepodge; confused medley; jumble.

Why Dictionary.com chose gallimaufry

More about gallimaufry.

• First recorded in 1545–55.
• Comes from the Middle French word galimafree , “kind of sauce or stew.”
• Galimafree is probably a conflation of galer , “to amuse oneself.”
• Related to gallant , “brave, spirited, noble-minded, or chivalrous.”

EXAMPLES OF GALLIMAUFRY

• The artist’s studio was a gallimaufry of colorful paints, brushes, and unfinished canvases.
• Walking through the crowded market, he couldn’t help but notice the gallimaufry of sights, sounds, and smells that surrounded him.

It’s National Poetry Month, and we’ve created a challenge that really is for everyone. Submit now!

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What is a fortnight? Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department' lyrical dictionary

An artist long characterized by her knack for lyricism, Taylor Swift indulges fans and critics alike in her latest work, a double album titled " The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology ."

The work, released on April 19, consists of a whopping 31 tracks , including songs with appearances from Post Malone and Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine.

With a smattering of lyrical references that some are calling "uncharacteristically juvenile, shallow and pedestrian" and others, such as The Guardian , liken to "songwriting gold," the 14-time Grammy winner's newest project has attracted mixed reviews.

Despite how it's received, critics and fans alike seem to agree on one thing about the album: "The Tortured Poets Department" is incredibly lyrically dense.

Put simply, there are a lot of sophisticated words in the album — so many that searches for title tracks like "What is a fortnight?" exploded over 800% after the album's release, according to Google search data analysis by QR Code Generator.

So, we enter into evidence definitions for some of the album's most tortured word choices.

A dictionary for Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' album

All definitions have been taken from Merriam-Webster's Dictionary . Words are listed chronologically in the order they appear on the album.

1. Fortnight

• Appears in "Fortnight (ft. Post Malone)"
• "And for a fortnight there we were, forever running."
• Defined as "a period of 14 days or two weeks."
• Appears in "My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys"
• "There was a litany of reasons why / We could've played for keeps this time."
• Defined as "a usually lengthy recitation or enumeration; a sizable series or set."

3. Petulance

• Appears in "Down Bad"
• "Now I'm down bad, cryin' at the gym / Everything comes out teenage petulance ."
• Defined as "insolent or rude in speech or behavior."

4. Sanctimoniously

• Appears in "But Daddy I Love Him"
• "God save the most judgmental creeps / Who say they want what's best for me / Sanctimoniously performing soliloquies I'll never see."
• Defined as "hypocritically pious or devout."

5. Propriety

• Appears in "Guilty as Sin?"
• "If long-suffering propriety / Is what they want from me / They don't know how you've haunted me / So stunningly."
• Defined as "conformity to what is socially acceptable in conduct or speech."
• Appears in "The Alchemy"
• "Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy? "
• Defined as "a power or process that changes or transforms something in a mysterious or impressive way."

7. Esoteric

• Appears in "The Black Dog"
• "Were you making fun of me with some esoteric joke?"
• Defined as "requiring or exhibiting knowledge that is restricted to a small group."

8. Albatross

• Appears in "The Albatross"
• "She's the albatross / She is here to destroy you."
• Defined as "something that causes persistent deep concern or anxiety; something that greatly hinders accomplishment."

9. Persona non grata

• "And when that sky rains fire on you / And you're persona non grata / I'll tell you how I've been there too / And that none of it matters."
• Defined as "a person who is unacceptable or unwelcome."

10. Maladies

• Appears in "How Did It End?"
• "Our maladies were such we could not cure them / And so a touch that was my birthright became foreign."
• Defined as "an unwholesome or disordered condition."
• "The deflation of our dreaming / Leaving me bereft and reeling."
• Defined as "deprived or robbed of the possession or use of something."

12. Throttle

• Appears in "The Prophecy"
• "Hand on the throttle / Thought I caught lightning in a bottle / Oh, but it's gone again."
• Defined as "to regulate and especially to reduce the speed of (something, such as an engine) by such means."
• Appears in "The Manuscript"
• "Now and then she rereads the manuscript / Of the entire torrid affair."
• Defined as "ardent, passionate."