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Travel Industry Terms And Their Meaning (N-Z) Go Back Button

N

NATURAL ATTRACTION

A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure, adventure and amusement.

NATURE CRUISE?

A tourist activity that takes visitors by boat to view natural sights, such as waterfalls, lakes, sunsets, rivers and jungle areas.

NET RATE?

The minimum amount payable to a vendor or tour operator for a product, before any commission or markup is added.

NICHE MARKET

The segment of a market that covers only specific product type.

NO SHOW

When a client does not appear for a confirmed reservation.

NON – REFUNDABLE

When a purchased reservation or travel voucher can only be used by the original name on the reservation.

NON – STOP

A flight that travels from one destination to the next without a layover or stopover.

 

O

OCCUPANCY RATE

The percentage of total availability that is expected to be occupied for a given time period.

OFFLINE CONNECTION

A connecting flight that incudes changing both aircraft and carrier.

OFF PEAK

The period of time where total occupancy is at it’s lowest and reservations are less expensive.

ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY (OTA)?

Online travel agencies or OTAs are travel resellers that provide all their travel products and services for sale on a website. Online Travel Agencies allow customers to search for pricing and book directly without any human intervention.

ONLINE RESERVATION SYSTEM

An online reservation system is a software that manages reservations and provides auto-invoicing for bookings made directly online.

OVERBOOKING?

Overbooking is when a vendor or tour operator accept more bookings than there is room for.

OUTSIDE SALES REPRESANTITIVES (OSR)

Commission based travel agents that work under the umbrella of a host agency but are responsible for finding their own customers.

 

 

P

PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE (PFC)

An additional fee charged for the use of an airport.

PASSENGER MANIFEST?

A list of customers that are participating to your tour. ideally printable and mobile friendly.

PASSENGER NAME RECORD (PNR)

The profile in a computer reservation system that contains the name, contact information and reservation details of a passenger.

PASSENGER WEIGHT?

An helicopter or a plane might not be able to carry it’s full seat capacity due to weight limitations or fuel requirements. In some countries or industry, it is a legal requirement to ask the exact weight of your passengers (sorry ladies) and to have it onboard in your passenger manifest. Specialized reservation system integrate this constraint to avoid overbookings.

PAYMENT GATEWAY

?A software used to charge customers credit card and send money directly to your bank account. See MERCHANT ACCOUNT.

PAYMENT OPTIONS?

The options that a business makes available to its customers in order for them to make a payment.

POINT TO POINT

This term is normally used to reference the fare between two cities.

PRIVATE RATE?

An exclusive rate available to all Agents.

PUBLISHED RATES

The rate made available for the public to view and book directly.

PREFERRED RATE?

An exclusive rate available to travel agencies or other distributors that has special relationships with particular vendors.

 

Q

QUOTE?

The estimated price provided to a client by a vendor or a reseller for a product they are interested in purchasing.

 

R

RACK RATE

The cost of a reservation prior to any discounts being added.

 

RECONFIRM

To double check a confirmed reservation

RECORD LOCATOR

A unique number assigned to a reservation that can be used to easily find a client booking.

RED-EYE FLIGHT

Any flight taking place between 9:00pm and 7:00am

RETAIL RATE

The amount the customer pays for a tourism product.

REVIEWS WEBSITE

Review websites are online outlets for customers to post their experience of a particular travel product or business.

REAL-TIME BOOKING

The process in which a rate is shown to a customer online and the can purchase and have the confirmation done right away.

RESELLER

?Someone who markets and resells tours and activities in exchange for commission fee, also know as agents.

 

S

SCHEDULED CARRIER

An airline that provides regularly scheduled flight options between destinations.

SHOULDER SEASON

The season between peak and off-peak season, also known as mid-season. Rates are normally at an average during this time.

SPECIAL PRICE

Normally a discounted price available for a limited time or though certain supplier. 

SIGHT SEEING

The activity of travelling around a destination to visit natural and historic wanders.

SPECIALIST

This is a travel agent that focuses strictly on selling only a particular product type or destination

SPECIAL REQUEST

An inquiry made by a client for special consideration by the vendor, in order to accommodate a certain desire or need while travelling.

STOREFRONT TRAVEL AGENCY

A traditional travel agency that operates out of a physical location where clients are allowed to walk-in and make travel plans.

SUPPLIER

A Company that provides travel products and services for sale to the public.

 

T

THINGS TO DO

Events, activities, and services provided in a particular tourist destination.

THROUGH PASSENGER

The passengers that remain on a flight during layovers and will not get off until the final destination.

TOURISM ORGANISATION?

An organization that helps travelers plan trips while at the same time promoting businesses in a particular area.

TOUR OPERATOR?

A tour operator is a travel agency that specializes in packaged vacations. These packages normally include air and hotel.

TRADE ASSOCIATION?

A trade association supports and regulates fair trade of good and services within a particular industry.

 

TRAVEL AGENCY

An establishment that is licensed to resell travel products and services.

TRAVEL AGENT

An individual that resells travel products and services under the license of a travel agency or host agency.

TOUR GUIDE

An individual that is trained to lead a tour and provide insight and information at a given destination.

 

U

UNRESTRICTED FARE?

A fare with no restrictions, that is normally fully refundable and has no blackout period.

 

V

VISITORS INFORMATION CENTRE

A location at a destination where tourist can go to get free travel information and local knowledge.

VOUCHER?

A document with a defined monetary value that can be redeemed for purchase of goods and services.

 

W

WHOLESALER

A wholesaler offers net pricing to travel agents that they can markup and resell to the end user or customer.

 WAIVER

A written and signed acknowledgement that something was offered to and declined by the client.

 

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