The travel industry is a vast and dynamic realm that encompasses various sectors and caters to diverse needs and preferences. Whether you are a tourist or business traveller, navigating through the extensive jargon of the travel industry can often feel like deciphering a foreign language. From travel agencies to airlines and hotels to tour operators, understanding the specific terminology used within the sector is essential for making informed decisions and maximising your travel experiences.

That is why we have created this carefully curated glossary of travel industry terms to serve as your indispensable guide. We will unravel the mysteries behind the frequently used terms and phrases, shedding light on their meanings, contexts, and significance. Whether planning a business trip or dreaming of a leisurely vacation, this glossary will equip you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the travel landscape.

A

Accommodation - A hotel, Airbnb, hostel, or any other establishment that rents out rooms.

Activity provider - A local that works in a tourist area and offers a special holiday activity that is only available there. These activities include, among others, kayaking, biking, and arts & crafts.

Add-on - Optional service that customers can purchase at the time of booking.

Adventure industry - Tour companies specialised in outdoor pursuits, including hiking, white water rafting, mountain biking, and more.

Adventure tour - A trip planned around a risky activity like rafting or hiking.

Adventure tourism - A type of nature-based tourism that involves a level of risk, greater physical engagement, and the requirement for specialised knowledge.

Agent - A company that mostly focuses on reselling excursions, tours and other activities for commissions.

After-departure charge - Costs not displayed on the guest's account upon check-out, including phone charges.

Airline classes of service - Classes are identified by a rate code on the ticket and differ in terms of the types of compartments, seating comfort, and facilities, as well as between domestic and international flights.

Airline fare - Ticket price charged by an airline. The following are a few of the categories: - advance purchase excursion (APEX): On many international routes, excursion fares are available at significant discounts. Reservations and payment must be made well in advance of departure, and cancellation fees may apply; - excursion: specific prices that must be booked in advance, are cheaper than coach rates, and have a limited number of seats available; - group: Group discounts from ordinary prices; - regular or normal: any unrestricted fare.

Airline reporting conference (ARC) - A group of airline companies that, through an agreement, offer a way to approve authorised agency locations for the sale of transportation, as well as efficient ways to process records and pay carriers. Not every airline operates as an ARC.

Air-sea - A cruise or trip itinerary that incorporates both land and marine travel. For pre/post stays, local hotel arrangements are frequently used.

All-inclusive - A type of package vacation where the majority of the extras (such as beverages, excursions, amenities, and gratuities) are paid for before you leave the airport.

Alternative tourism - Tourism-related development or activities are essentially seen as non-traditional. It is frequently used to refer to small-scale, sustainable tourist developments that are opposed to widespread, mass tourism. Additionally, AT is promoted as an "ideal type," or a better model of tourism development that addresses the drawbacks of conventional, mass tourism.

American plan - Pricing that covers the cost of the hotel accommodation, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The standard abbreviation is AP.

Attraction - An attraction is a natural or artificial facility, site, or activity that provides goods of particular interest to travellers. It can be a place, activity, building, or area that draws tourists.

Average room rate - The difference between the total guest room revenue for a particular time and the number of occupied rooms for the same period. This statistic is typically used to assess the economic viability of a project because it can be tied to investment.

B

Back to back - A term used to characterise tours that operate continuously, frequently without breaks.

Backpacker - A guest who stays in a hostel or backpackers lodge on vacation or for a special occasion.

Bargain site - On this website, you may get deals on travel-related events like concert and tour tickets.

Bed and breakfast (B&B) - Bed and breakfasts are modest, frequent neighbourhood businesses. They provide guests with a feeling of home away from home and are run by innkeepers. You may anticipate comfortable lodging and homemade meals.

Blackout dates - A day that you are not operating your tours. Modern booking software should allow you to quickly and visually update your calendar if necessary, so your visitors cannot book online for the day.

Bleisure - A combination of both business and pleasure travel is referred to as bleisure travel. It often manifests as business travellers extending their vacation to participate in leisure pursuits. These pursuits can include sightseeing, relaxation, hiking, visiting amusement parks, or attending events.

Block - Several rooms, seats, or spaces have been reserved in advance. Usually, wholesalers, tour operators, or receptive operators do this to sell the reservations as parts of tour packages.

Booking - A booking in the travel and tourism sector denotes a profitable transaction. The accompanying payment may be made in full, in part, or in full upon fulfilment of the reservation.

Booking fee - An additional charge over and above an online purchase is known as a booking fee. This fee typically pays for administrative costs, credit card processing fees, customer service expenses, and more.

Booking form - A form that tour buyers must fill out and submit to the operator that includes detailed information about the person purchasing the tour. It must be signed as confirmation that the responsibility agreement has been read and understood because it outlines exactly what is being purchased (along with any alternatives).

Border restrictions - Governments around the world closed their internal and external borders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to stop the virus from spreading.

Bubble travel - An exclusive agreement between neighbouring nations that permits travel across each other's borders during the COVID-19 epidemic is known as "bubble travel".

Bulk fare - A fare that is only offered to tour operators or organisers who buy a certain block of seats from a carrier for a low, commission-free price and are then responsible for selling the seats while adding a commission to their marked-up price.

Business accommodation - Hotel rooms, guesthouses, shared houses/hostels, and apartments are used for business travel. When an employee needs a stay that is less than four weeks, these options may be practical.

Business travel - Travel for purposes of business as opposed to pleasure. Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (more commonly referred to as "MICE") markets are typically included under the umbrella term "business travel".

Business travel agency - Business travel agencies, often known as travel management businesses, offer discounted travel services and benefits that can be tailored to the company's travel policy and duty of care for business travellers.

C

Cancellation policy - A cancellation policy is a set of guidelines that specify the conditions under which guests may change their reservations. Terms of cancellation should be reasonable for both the customer and the company.

Charter - A person or group is considered to be chartering a tour, bus, boat, or other service when they book it once for their exclusive use. Daily excursions are offered by several tour operators and can be reserved for a specific cost and a maximum number of participants.

Circle trip - A route with stops that circles back to the starting point.

City Guide - A tour operator that only serves in urban areas.

Closeout - When a tour, cruise, or other comparable group travel endeavour is completed, no further clients can be taken on.

Coach tour - A planned itinerary-driven guided bus excursion for a group of tourists.

Commercial rate - A unique pricing that a business and a hotel have agreed upon. For corporate clients, the hotel typically promises to provide rooms of a certain standard or better at a specific price.

Complimentary room - A guest space that is offered without cost. The tour guide or driver normally stays in the complimentary accommodations with the group.

Computer reservation systems (CRS) - Airlines, hotels, and other facilities manage their inventory with the help of computerised reservation systems. CRSs can give intermediaries direct access through terminals, so they can check inventory, book reservations, and print tickets.

Concierge - A staff member whose responsibility it is to serve guests by scheduling excursions, theatre and dining reservations, etc.

Confidential tariff - A list of wholesale prices that are confidentially supplied to travel brokers and distributors. A net rate is more commonly used.

Confirmed reservation - A supplier's verbal or written acknowledgement that they have received and will honour a reservation. Oral affirmations are not legally binding. Even telegraphed or written confirmations contain explicit or implied restrictions. For instance, a hotel can refuse to honour a reservation after 6 o'clock unless a guaranteed late arrival has been made.

Consolidation - Passengers are transferred to another charter tour or flight that will depart on the same day or close to it if a charter tour operator cancels one or more tours or flights linked to a particular charter departure or departure date.

Consolidator - A person or business that organises groups to fly on air charters or at discounted prices on regularly scheduled flights to boost sales, collect override commissions, or lower the likelihood of tour cancellations.

Continental breakfast - A drink (coffee, tea, or milk) and buns or toast are a must. Fruit juice is frequently included.

Continental plan - A hotel fare for an overnight stay that includes a continental breakfast.

Convenience fee - A fee is assessed for the right to pay with a different payment method than the merchant's accepted one, such as an alternative payment.

Co-op tour - A trip that is offered through a variety of cooperatives, wholesalers, or other outlets to boost sales and lower the likelihood of cancellations.

Cultural tourism - Travelling to discover different cultures or cultural features.

Customs - The common name for a government body tasked with levying taxes on certain goods imported into that nation. Additionally, the organisation limits the admission of individuals and prohibited products without valid travel documentation.

Custom tour - A tour or trip that is specifically catered to your needs.

Cut-off date - The deadline on which the purchaser must cancel or make additions to their event or tour.

D

Day rate - A discounted cost, given for daytime use of a guest room, not for overnight occupancy. Frequently used when someone wants an office, or showroom, or is in transit as a result of unusual airline timetables.

Day visitors - Travellers who come and depart on the same day, regardless of their reason for travelling

Deposit policy - A predetermined amount or a percentage of the total, due on the day before you arrive.

Deposit - A down payment, necessary to reserve a place/room.

Destination - The location that someone is travelling to - a locale, region, or tourist destination. Destinations are often planned by reputable private and public organisations.

Destination management company (DMC) - A company that specialises in marketing and frequently reselling travel and lodging options relevant to the region they operate from. They provide in-depth expertise on a location.

Destination management organisation (DMO) - Governmental or non-profit organisation, created to advertise a destination.

Dine-around plan - A programme that allows visitors to use coupons and vouchers to eat at a variety of eateries while on a trip.

Direct spending - A tourist's direct financial contribution to the local economy

Domestic escorted tour - A pre-packaged, pre-planned itinerary that includes an escorted tour of the traveller's home country.

Domestic tourism - Travel within your own country of residence.

Double-occupancy rate - The amount paid per person to share a room with another person; sometimes referred to as "ppdo" in the industry.

Double-room rate - The total cost of a double room (twice the double occupancy rate).

Downgrade - To switch to less luxurious accommodations or a lower tier of service.

Dwell time - The time a visitor spends at a place of interest or travel. When determining entry prices, dwell time is frequently taken into account to ensure perceived value for money.

E

Economy fares or services - In the U.S., passenger transportation on domestic flights at a level below coach service; In international operations, a level below first class.

Eco tour - A tour focused on protecting the environment in environmentally vulnerable locations.

Eco tourism - Tourism that is environmentally friendly and emphasises visiting natural areas to promote awareness, appreciation, and preservation of the environment and culture.

Educational tour - A trip focused on education, such as learning about art.

Escorted tour - A planned itinerary that involves a group and is accompanied by a tour manager or leader. A fully supervised tour will also include constant guiding assistance from the escort.

Ethnic tour - A trip created for travellers who are often of the same ethnicity travelling to their home country or a location with ethnic significance.

European plan - A tariff structure where meals are not included and only the cost of the room is charged.

Event organiser - A person that has the knowledge and credentials to plan a specific event for a neighbourhood, business, or hotel.

Excursion - Voyage in which the traveller goes back to where they started.

Extensions - An organised side trip that can be taken before or after a tour or cruise and costs extra.

F

Famil - A famil, which stands for "familiarisation tour," is a pre-arranged trip that allows members of the media and trade industries to sample the tourist goods, attractions, and experiences that a place markets.

Free/Frequent Independent Traveller (FIT) - A single person or a couple that is not part of a group.

FAM tour - An abbreviation for familiarisation tour, which is frequently a free or heavily discounted travel programme for travel agencies, tour operators, travel writers, or other interested parties to familiarise them with a particular location or attraction and assist boost sales.

Fixed expense - A tour-related cost that does not change according to the number of passengers, such as a meal or an attraction entrance fee per person.

Folio - A detailed account of a guest's expenses and credits that is kept at the front desk until check-out and is also known as a guest bill or guest statement

Food cover - A portion of food service offered to a client. The phrase is not synonymous with a meal.

Front office - An office located in a hotel's lobby that: - control/sale of guest rooms, - providing keys, mail, and information, - keeping guest accounts, rendering bills/payments, - providing information to other departments

Full house - A hotel with fully booked guest rooms.

Full-service restaurant - A restaurant featuring a variety of menu options and table service.

Function room - Commonly known as a banquet room, it is a space used for events.

Function - A planned, catered activity for a group that is typically held in a private room or space.

G

Ground operator - An organisation or person that offers accommodations, transportation, sightseeing, and other group-related activities. Synonymous with a receptive operator.

Ground package - Usually represented as a percentage (e.g., 100% or 110%) of the lowest planned normal fare for the flight.

Group rate - A group-specific discounted price. It could be the agreed-upon price for a hotel stay, convention, trade exhibition, meeting, or excursion.

Group tour - A pre-planned trip which gathers together tourists on the same agenda.

Guest account - An itemised list of a visitor's fees and credits.

Guest house - A guest house is a type of lodging where a traveller stays in a local person's home (sometimes called a "guesthouse"). Compared to hotels, they are often less expensive, more individualised, and less formal.

Guide - An expert that is leading a tour.

H

Head tax - Certain foreign countries demand a fee for arriving and departing travellers.

High season - A particular season of the year when travel to a specific location is popular. The prices are higher as a result of increasing demand. It is also known as peak season.

Hotel - Hotels are buildings with different room types, centralised management and offer multiple amenities such as pools, gyms and restaurants.

Hotel amenities - The facilities, provided by the hotel. Business travellers have different requirements than regular tourists, so you need to be careful what type of accommodation you book.

Hostel - Hostels are usually aimed towards the younger generation and are known as an affordable location to stay while travelling overseas. To save money, a lot of people share a room with strangers.

Hub and spoke tours - Itineraries that combine a main destination with shorter or longer side visits to other locations nearby.

I

Impromptu travel - An unplanned trip. (An additional term for FIT travel).

Inbound tour operator (ITO) - An inbound tour operator specialises in offering tours to international visitors to a location, either directly or through existing agreements with local vendors.

Inbound tour - A group of tourists whose trip's beginning was in another city or country.

Incentive tour - A trip given as a prize to increase employees' or sales representatives' productivity.

Incidentals - Costs that tour participants must pay separately from the tour fee.

Inclusive tour - A tour that offers a range of amenities for a set price, such as transportation, lodging, and activities.

Independent tour - An independent trip offered to people by brokers. The customer was promised air travel, a hotel room, tickets to attractions, and (often) a rental car for a single payment.

Industry event organiser - A person or business in the tourist sector with expertise in planning events for lodging facilities, dining establishments, and other hospitality businesses.

Intermediate carrier - A transporter that conveys a person or item of luggage as part of an interline transfer, but on which neither the origin nor the destination are placed.

Intermodal tour - A tour employing a variety of modes of transportation, including trains, motorcoaches, cruise ships, and airplanes, to put up a well-rounded and effective trip package.

Itinerary - The schedule that a tour operator or travel agent has prepared for a client. A suggested or early itinerary could be somewhat general or highly detailed. The entire itinerary, including aircraft numbers, departure timings, and other pertinent information, is spelled out in the final itinerary.

J

Joint fare - When a passenger boards an aircraft that makes use of multiple airlines, they are required to pay this fee. For example, if someone is taking a flight with a connector, the subsequent flight may be operated by a different airline. The total price of the flight is the combined fare.

K

Keycard - To enter the room they are renting at a particular hotel or bed & breakfast, travellers typically use a keycard device. Since the keycard is usually electronic, they can use it to enter the room by just swiping it like a credit card. While taking part in local events, visitors are recommended to keep their keycards in a safe and secure position.

L

Lanai - In Hawaii and other tropical locations, a lanai is a balcony, porch, or patio. As many guests desire a private lanai to take in the breathtaking views, it is frequently referred to as a luxury amenity at the hotels and resorts that have it.

Land operator - A business that offers local services; often called a ground or receptive operator.

Lead time - The period between the start of a tour and its departure.

Leg - The part of the trip between two scheduled stops.

Leisure travel - A trip that is not for business but for pleasure. The majority of people who follow leisure travel advice will want to reserve several different tours and excursions throughout their trip to fully experience the sights, sounds, and culture of the location they are visiting.

Length of stay - The nights spent at a single location. Most tourist organisations look for strategies to lengthen visitors' stays.

Low season - A less popular time of year to travel, usually, during the months with bad weather. That is why prices are typically low as well. (Also known as off-peak)

Luxury travel experience - Exclusive and elite chances that go above and beyond the typical tour or activity experience make up luxury travel experiences. For instance, a lavish city tour could include a bottle of champagne, a private driver, and a limousine.

M

Manifest - The final verified list of all people and/or goods on a ship or vehicle used for transportation.

Master account - The guest account for a specific group or event that the sponsoring company will pay for.

Master bill - Everything the operator and supplier have agreed to and for which the operator will be responsible.

Minimum charge - The price that each consumer is required to pay, regardless of what they have eaten. For instance: a club's two-drink minimum.

Mode of travel - The means of transportation utilised to travel between an origin and a destination; includes all modes of mechanical transportation, as well as walking and cycling.

Motorcoach tour operator - A business that designs tours where group members are transported by motorcoach along a predetermined route with stops.

Motorcoach - A spacious, cosy, and powerful bus capable of carrying parties and their goods over long distances.

Mystery tour - A journey to a secret location where visitors are surprised.

N

Natural attraction - A natural phenomenon that draws visitors to a specific location. Oceans, beaches, lakes, mountains, hiking paths, and waterfalls are examples of popular natural attractions. A lot of tour operators organise specialised trips to local natural features.

Nature cruise - A trip that takes people out on boats to see natural wonders, including waterfalls, lakes, sunsets, rivers, and jungle regions.

Net rate - The lowest price at which tour operators can still turn a profit on a tourism offering.

No show - A visitor or client with scheduled reservations who doesn't show up but doesn't cancel.

No-frills - A budget-friendly scheduled travel package that bases its cheap price on limiting operator service and operating expenses.

O

Occupancy - A metric used to determine the availability rate for a specific time frame.

Online booking system - A reservation system that enables customers to make direct online bookings with your business.

Online travel agency (OTA) - A traveller can use an online travel agency to make all of their reservations for their vacation in one spot. For instance making hotel, flight, and on-site reservations for tours, attractions, and activities.

Option date - The date set when a provisional agreement will turn into a binding commitment from the buyer.

Outbound operator - A business that transports groups from one city or country to another.

Outbound tour - Any group excursion that departs from a specific city or state; opposite of an inbound tour.

Outfitter - A company that offers products or services to recreational facilities.

Overbooking - When you have more visitors than you can reasonably accommodate, your excursions are overbooked. Airlines have been using overbookings for decades because it is commonly known that a tiny number of passengers may miss their flights. Overbookings typically result in a lot of labour to cancel, reschedule, and refund disgruntled consumers in the tours and activities industry. Overbookings are undesirable; a clear cancellation procedure is preferred.

Override - A commission above the customary base commission rate.

P

Pacing - The scheduling of activities within an itinerary to make for a realistic operation and give a certain balance of travel time, sightseeing, events and free time.

Package tour - A collection of several travel-related elements, offered by various suppliers and sold to the user as a single item at a single cost.

Passenger manifest - A list of the clients taking part in your trip; usually, it is mobile-friendly and printable.

PAX - Abbreviation for "passengers," used in the travel business.

Port of entry - A country's border where customs and immigration services are available.

Pre- and post-trip tours - Before or after a conference, trip, or convention, optional extended packages.

Pre-formed group - A group of travellers that have been together before the trip and have the same goals and destinations.

Property management system - Vacation companies use this software to manage their rental units. For instance, this system can be used to manage room availability for someone who owns several beach cottages that can be rented out.

Private rate - A special price, made available to all agents.

Preferred rate - Tour operators have a preferential relationship with and can offer agents an exclusive rate.

Q

Quarantine-free travel - The ability to travel domestically or abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic without being required to quarantine or isolate is referred to as quarantine-free travel.

Quote - The approximate cost a company might give a potential customer so they can plan for the services they desire when they get there. A lot of inbound tour operators will give large groups who might like to visit their region price quotations.

R

Rack rate - The normal price of a hotel or other travel service as published.

Real-time booking - An option for travellers to make real-time travel arrangements. It is especially helpful for businesses since it gives management or operator the freedom to decide when and where to accept reservations.

Resort - A hotel, motel, or condominium complex is in a location known for leisure and pleasure, such as the mountains or the coast. Often provide spaces for sports and leisure activities.

Responsible tourism - The sort of tourism that is engaged in by travellers who select responsible vacations. These decisions demonstrate responsible attitudes towards limiting the potential societal and environmental effects that their vacation may have.

Retail rate - The price a tourist purchases goods for.

Revenge travel - Repressed desire to travel as widely as possible despite COVID constraints.

Risk monies - Cash that an agency wouldn't recover if a tour didn't happen, like nonrefundable deposits, advertising fees, and printing costs.

Room rates
- day rate: typically 50% off the standard fee for a hotel from 9 am to 5 pm; - flat rate: a pre-arranged, particular accommodation rate between the hotel and the group; - group rate: rate, often known as a flat fee, that is determined by the minimum number of rooms utilised; - net group rate: a wholesale rate for groups (often between 10 and 15 persons), to which an operator may choose to apply a markup; - net wholesale rate: when a hotel is particularly featured in a tour packet, a cost that is typically less expensive than the group rate and applies to groups or individuals; - published rate: a full rate that is accessible to or promoted to everybody.

Room service - Meals or drinks supplied to visitors in their rooms.

Rooming list - The passenger list, provided to a hotel or motel by a tour operator or other group travel programme. The names are listed room by room, not alphabetically like on a flight manifest, to show who is rooming with whom. Single, double, and triple rooms are typically listed in different categories.

Run-of-the-house rate - Any available rooms at a hotel or motel will be made accessible to a group for a set price. The hotel has the last say on the room assignments.

S

Seasonality - A phenomenon brought on by seasonal variations in the supply or demand of travel (or both).

Series operator - A travel agent, wholesaler, tour operator, or broker who reserves space in advance for many movements during a specific period, although not always back-to-back.

Service - Work performed for someone else's advantage.

Service charge - (1) A set portion of the daily tariff charged to the guest (often 10% or 15%), in exchange for which they are absolved of the obligation to tip; (2) a cost that a travel agent charges a client on top of the commissions received from the principals.

Short haul - 1-3 hour flight

Shoulder season - A time when demand for a place is neither strong nor low, typically in the spring or autumn for most regions.

Single supplement - A fee was added to a tour that was purchased with single accommodations.

Sightsee - A location or landmark that draws tourists and is frequently recommended in the region.

Site destination selection company - A business that researches and recommends prospective meeting locations to satisfy the demands of corporations or associations.

Souvenir - An item that a traveller buys to remember their trip.

Special event tour - A tour, planned around a specific occasion, like Mardi Gras.

Special interest tour - A tour created to pique customers' interest in or concern over a certain topic. The majority of special interest tours include a knowledgeable tour guide and frequently visit locations and/or activities that are only pertinent to that interest.

Step-on guide - An impartial tour guide who boards a motorcoach to provide a thorough description of the destination or attraction being visited.

Sustainable tourism - Tourism that has the potential to last a long time because it has a positive impact on the locality's social, economic, environmental, and cultural conditions.

T

Tour basing fare - A discounted excursion ticket is exclusively offered to people who purchase tours or packages in advance. Inclusional tours, group inclusion tours, incentive tours, contract bulk inclusion tours, and group round-trip inclusion tours are all included in tour-basing fares.

Тour consultant - Аn employee of an agency that sells and counsels clients on tours. Sometimes the consultant is a salesperson with a focus on selling escorted tours.

Tour operator - Аn individual or business that conducts tours for visitors. The operator frequently informs guests about noteworthy local landmarks and responds to their inquiries. The word is widely used in the sector and can refer to many types of activity providers, including diving shops, surf schools, bike rentals, and others.

Tour vouchers - Those are coupons provided by tour operators to be redeemed for tour components.

Tour Wholesaler - Tour wholesalers never make sales to customers directly. Instead, they serve as a conduit between independent tour operators and retailers, offering travel, lodging, and tour options. Targeting both consumers and retail travel agencies in their advertising campaigns, they offer trip programmes that they believe will appeal to particular markets. The cost for tour operators to take part in each wholesaler's programmes varies.

Trade association - A group that aids in promoting businesses in a certain industry. For instance, a tourism trade association is created to assist all enterprises in the sector in improving, collaborating, and bringing about positive change.

Trade show - A location where professionals from a particular industry gather to form connections, present the latest news and discoveries in their sector, network, offer products and services and meet with the public.

Traditional travel agent - A travel agent who operates from a physical location and is accessible locally to help travellers with their trip arrangements.

Transit visa - A visa that enables the holder to transit through or pay a quick visit to a country.

Transit - A method of switching aeroplanes without passing through customs or security.

Travel Bubble - An exclusive pact between nearby nations that permits travel across each other's borders during the COVID-19 epidemic is known as a travel bubble.

Travel guide - A manual that provides information on the numerous activities to accomplish in a specific location. They frequently provide excursions, lodging, dining, entertainment, and other nearby locales that are worth visiting.

Travel photographs - High-resolution pictures of a specific location, used to promote a person's business on their website.

Travel product - Consumers can purchase travel-related goods such as flights, lodging, auto rentals, cruises, activities, and packages.

Trip Advisor - One of the most well-known online review platforms. Users can discuss their experiences travelling with particular tourism-related businesses.

U

Unrestricted fare - A cost that an airline will tack on to a ticket devoid of any connected discounts. When discounts are applied to the final price, this is used as a point of reference for the base price of the flight.

Unrestricted rate - Businesses in the tourism sector refer to their base price using this phrase. In essence, the unrestricted rate is the cost of service without any further discounts. It is also referred to as the rack rate on occasion.

Upgrade - To switch to a better room or level of service.

V

Value season - A season of the year when costs are lower than they are at their highest.

Variable cost - A fee that fluctuates depending on how many tourists participate in a tour, such as motorcoach costs.

Visa waiver - A programme to remove the need for visas for specific countries.

Visa - A passport stamp indicating permission to enter a country for a specified reason.

Visitors information centre - A place in most tourist areas where visitors can get information and their inquiries answered. Brochures and other service information are normally available here.

W

Waiting list - In the event of last-minute cancellations, a waiting list is a record, either online or offline, that enables you to have a backup plan for your excursions. You'll be able to use your resources more effectively as a result of this.

Waiver - A technique for risk management in which the participant assumes responsibility for the risk by a signed contract and voluntarily accepting the perceived danger.

Walking tour - A specific tour where a visitor strolls beside a street or path with a tour guide to acquire a sense of the neighbourhood.

World heritage area - Land designated as a World Heritage Site because of its cultural and/or natural value.

World heritage site - A location that UNESCO has classified as having exceptional historical, cultural, or ecological significance

Y

Yield management - It involves raising or lowering the price in response to demand. For instance, travel costs increase at the end of December. Tour operators may charge a different rate during peak or low season or a greater rate on weekends than on less crowded weekdays. Modern software for making online reservations includes yield management, which makes it simple to boost sales.

It is important to stay up-to-date with the latest terminology and trends, as the travel industry continues to evolve. By staying informed, you can take advantage of emerging technologies, innovative travel services, and new destination offerings, enhancing your travel experiences and creating lasting memories.

So, whether you're embarking on a business trip, planning a family vacation, or exploring new horizons for leisure, let this travel industry glossary be your compass. With each term you master, you will enhance your ability to communicate effectively, understand the nuances of travel-related concepts, and make well-informed decisions that align with your travel goals.

Embrace the language of travel, empower yourself with knowledge, and embark on unforgettable journeys with confidence. The world is waiting to be explored, and armed with this comprehensive glossary, you are ready to embark on your next adventure and make the most of every travel opportunity that comes your way. Safe travels!