глоссарий

Add-on

Special services, arrangements, or accommodations made in addition to the basic service provided by an airline, hotel, or other operator in the travel industry.

Adjoining Rooms

Hotel rooms that are side by side and have interior doors that open into one room or the other without the need to access the public areas of the hotel, such as the hallway.

Advance Purchase Requirement

The reduced ticket price often available when an airline ticket is purchased before arriving at the airport.

Affinity Group

Groups composed of members of an organization who travel together.

Amenities

Services and extras offered by a travel supplier.

Blackout Dates

A period of time during which an airline will not allow certain types of fares or tickets to be sold or honored, such as during peak or holiday travel times.

Blackout Periods

Days or periods of high demand when special rates are not in effect.

Block Bookings

A ‘block' of a tourism supplier's product inventory that is set aside and put under the control of a the tour operator so as to allow them to confirm reservations without recourse to the supplier. Generally this arrangement is established as part of the negotiations between the supplier and the tour operator.

Bulk Contract

A contract between an airline and a travel agent that extends reduced rates to the passengers booked by the travel agent.

Bulk Fare

Reduced fares that are extended to groups who travel together.

Cancellation Penalty

A fee the passenger must pay to the airline if the passenger cancels flight plans after reserving a seat.

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.

Chain

A corporately owned group of product suppliers. Common to the accommodation and restaurant sectors.

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.

Commission

Percentage of sale price that vendors pay to travel agencies for selling their services.

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.

Confirmation

Reservation, acknowledged orally or in writing, verifying a booking has been accepted. Most confirmations are subject to certain conditions.

Corporate Agency

The in-house personnel of a business that schedules travel arrangements for the company’s employees in lieu of using an outside travel agency.

Corporate Rate

Discount rate available to traveling business men and women, customarily 10% below rack (standard) rates.

Coupon

A document offering a saving or other benefit by purchasing a product. In tourism this is usually a saving on an attraction admission, a second meal free at a restaurant, etc.

Courtesy Vehicle

Van or bus which an off-airport vendor uses to pick up customers at the airport.

CRS (Computerized Reservation System)

Interactive electronic system linking individual travel agencies to a central, airline-owned computer.

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.

Denied Boarding Compensation

Compensation (money, free flight, or hotel accommodations) provided to an involuntarily bumped airline passenger with a confirmed reservation.

Double

Hotel room with one double bed, or sometimes a room designed to accommodate two people.

Double/Double

Hotel room with two double beds.

Drop Off Charges

Fees assessed when a traveler picks up a rental car in one location and drops it off in another.

Escorted Group Tour

A prearranged group tour developed and managed by a tour operator, receptive operator or travel agent. A tour guide accompanies the group on the tour and handles all logistical matters.

Exclusive Fare

A highly attractive ticket price that is reserved for special occasions, such as flights booked by a preferred travel agency, corporate client, or other unique situation.

Excursion Fare

Round-trip fare with restrictions such as minimum and maximum stays or advance-purchase requirements.

Extended Stay

Generally, a hotel stay of seven or more nights.

Familiarization or 'fam' tours

A complimentary or reduced-rate travel program for tour operators travel agents or travel writers, designed to improve knowledge about a particular destination or package. The purpose in the first two cases is to encourage active marketing support; in the third it is to encourage favourable media stories about the destination.

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.

Fare Code

The code by which the cost of airline tickets for each individual flight is determined.

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

Written or electronic record of hotel guest’s account of financial transactions within the property.

Franchise Group

A group of independently-owned tourism suppliers affiliated with a central marketing organization. A franchise permits the independent supplier to benefit from sharing a common brand in the marketplace, and from having access to a variety of support services.

Free Sale

The tour operator is free to confirm reservations with clients without recourse to the supplier, for dates and products that have not been closed-out by the supplier. In other words, the tour operator is free to sell product except for dates where they have been informed by the supplier that a particular product is unavailable for ‘free sale', in which case the tour operator must request the inventory prior to confirming the reservation with their client.

Frequent Flyer Program

Airline club in which members accrue points or miles for trips taken, usually redeemable for free travel.

Fuel Charge

Amount charged if car renter does not fill the car’s gas tank.

Fully Commissionable

The commission applies to the total value of the transaction, not just selected portions.

Fully Independent Tour

Packages that are designed for independent travellers and that do not usually involve group activities at any stage of the trip. A typical example is the fly-drive package, offering a saving in air, car rental and perhaps some additional services on a package basis. They may also include accommodations for some or all nights, and/or some meals and/or attractions. (The acronym derives from an airline term from the days of regulated international airfares, for 'foreign independent tour'.)

Global Distribution System

An automated reservation system used by travel agents to synchronize reservations for air travel, car rental, and lodging.

Gratuity

Gift, usually money, given in return for service.

Ground Operator

A company or individual providing services to a tour operator at the destination, such sightseeing tours, local transfers, guides and other local services, but not including transportation to and from the destination. Sometimes called a land operator.

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.

Hospitality Room

Room used for entertaining.

Hosted Group Tour

Like the escorted group tour (above), except that the tour guide only joins the group at key particular times, usually at the hotel, to deal with issues and problems, provide information, etc.

Itinerary

The travel itinerary provided to a client by a travel agent or tour operator.

Land Arrangements

The plans made for a passenger once the plane is landed and the traveler is no longer a part of the airline system; land arrangements can include transportation, sleeping, sightseeing, and dining accommodations.

Last-Room Availability

Electronic reservation system that provides users with current information about a hotel’s available inventory.

Leisure Travel

Travel enjoyed just for fun, such as to a vacation destination, as opposed to work-related business travel.

Liability Coverage

Insurance protection against injury and damage claims by third parties, available as option for car rentals.

Liability Insurance

Insurance that protects a company from legal claims arising out of accidents or losses incurred by customers.

Limited Availability

Limited number of reservations accepted for a certain advertised rate or special offer.

Limited Service Hotel

A hotel that provides a place to sleep but perhaps nothing more, such as meals, airport shuttles, and concierge services.

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.

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.

Marketplace

A travel trade event where tourism suppliers have scheduled appointments with travel trade buyers.

Maximum Stay

Applies to round-trip travel only; the airline honors round-trip tickets and prices as long as the return flight is enough days after arrival to satisfy a maximum stay policy.

Meet and Greet

Service that meets and assists clients upon arrival in a city.

Meeting Fare

Negotiated airline discounts, typically for 10 or more persons traveling to the same event.

Meeting Rate

Negotiated hotel rate offered to a meeting’s attendees.

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.

Minibar

Hotel room cabinet containing snacks and refrigerated beverages. Items consumed are charged to hotel bill.

Motorcoach Tour

A group tour in which the primary mode of transportation is by motorcoach.

Net Fare or Net Rate

Price or fare for a travel service, less an agents commission and without tax.

No Show

Passenger or hotel guest who fails to cancel a reservation not used.

Non-Refundable

A ticket that cannot be returned for cash or credit once its been purchased.

Nonstop

A flight that goes from take-off to landing, Point A to Point B, without stopping anywhere else along the route.

Non-Transferable

A ticket purchased with the understanding that the ticket cannot be used for other destinations or dates once it’s purchased, even if the passenger’s plans are altered at any time before the ticket is used.

Off-Peak

Flights scheduled during times of the day, month, season, or year when there is less general interest in travel. Off-peak travel, which is usually less expensive than flying during peak hours, varies with different circumstances, such as the winter holidays, summer vacations, weekends, and during business hours.

Open Ticket

Ticket that is valid for transportation between certain points but indicates no specific reservation.

Other Group

Groups other than motorcoach tours, including those using other types of transportation vehicles, as well as non-touring groups.

Overbooking

Practice of confirming more seats or rooms than are available, in order to protect against no-shows.

Override

Additional commission paid to agents as a bonus for productivity and/or volume.

Package

Tickets or services bundled together and sold at single all-inclusive price.

Preferred Practices

Policies and practices that are considered beneficial in dealing with tour operators, travel agencies and wholesalers (the travel trade).

Profile

Detailed information about a traveler’s personal preferences kept on file by a travel supplier.

Rack Rate

Official posted rate for a hotel room, published airfares, or noncontracted car rental rates.

Rate Desk

Airline or travel agency department that constructs fares for complicated itineraries, usually international.

Receptive Operator

A person or company that specializes in particular destinations, providing services at the destination to group travel organizers and tour operators. Some limit their services to the community and area in which they are based; others provide services to entire regions.

Reconfirm

To verify a reservation once it’s been made.

Revenue Sharing

Travel agency rebate of commission revenue received on a corporation’s bookings.

Room Tax

State or local tax imposed on hotel room charges.

Sabre

The computerized reservation system preferred by travel agents and airlines around the world.

Segment

Leg or identifiable portion of a route traveled, usually stated in terms of originating and terminating cities.

Self-Drive Itinerary

An itinerary of travel arrangements for an independent traveller on an independent package tour.

Shoulder Season

The period of time between peak travel seasons and off seasons.

Special Fare

Reduced rates offered under special circumstances and for a limited time.

Special Group Rates

A per person discount offered on group bookings.

Special Interest Group

A group built around a common interest in a specific subject or activity.

Suite

Guest quarters in a hotel that include two or more bedrooms; some suites are simply adjoining rooms with a door that can be accessed without going into the public area of the hotel, such as the hallway, but others have living rooms, parlors, and other rooms also.

Supersaver

Low discount airfare available with heavy restrictions.

Supplier

A business entity providing a service or equipment.

Surcharge

Assessment by vendor or governmental entity in addition to published price or contracted rate.

Ticket Stock

The blank paper on which airline tickets will be printed.

Tour Itinerary

The day-by-day, event-by-event itinerary for a tour.

Tour Operator

A tour operator is a business that designs, develops, markets and operates packaged travel and tourism products and tours. Tour operators sell through travel agents and/or directly to consumers.

Tour Operator Rates

Discounts off of retail rates offered to tour operators by tourism suppliers.

Tourism Supplier

A tourism business operator, such as an accommodation property, attraction, etc.

Trade Show

An exhibition of travel and tourism products designed to solicit business from travel trade buyers.

Transferable/Floating Deposit

A paid deposit that may be switched to other dates, other block bookings or other packages if cancellation is necessary. This is normally offered in instances where the deposit is not refundable.

Travel Agency

The business entity that employs travel agents.

Travel Agent

A licensed representative of the travel industry who helps travelers make travel decisions and sees to all the details of the traveler’s needs, including transportation, lodging, dining, sightseeing, and any other situations that need to be planned in advance.

Travel Trade

A term describing the full range of organizations that operate as intermediaries in the travel and tourism industry. These typically include tour operators, wholesalers, receptive operators, group leaders and travel agents.

Unlimited Mileage

Ability to drive a rented car an unlimited number of miles without paying an additional mileage charge.

Voucher

A document having a monetary value, issued to a client by a tour operator or travel agent, to be exchanged at face value for specified products or services. A voucher authorizes the provision of a particular product or service, at a pre-agreed price, with the billing to made to the travel trade company. It is issued following a pre-payment by the customer to the travel trade company. It is commonly used with independent packages and tours.

Waiver

Written proof that a traveler has declined a service offered, such as insurance coverage or penalties.

'Walking' a Tour or Customer

'Bumping' a tour or a customer to another facility, service or product because of a lack of product/service availability.

Wholesale Net Rates

The discounted price off of retail prices offered to the travel trade for booking in volume. Essentially the same as "tour operator rates".

Wholesaler

A company that operates as an intermediary between the travel product supplier and the retail travel agent in the marketplace, generally providing services such as information and reservations to travel agents. (Tour operators often operate as wholesalers, but usually when they are involved in some form of product packaging.)