Uniquely Texas: Glossary of Tourism Terms (H-R)

Glossary of Tourism Terms
A - G | H - R | S - Z

Head in Beds - Industry slang referring to the primary marketing objective of accommodations and most destinations - increasing the number of overnight stays.

Hospitality Industry - Another term for the travel industry.

Hub - An airport or city which serves as a central connecting point for aircraft, trains or buses from outlying feeder airports or cities.

Hub and Spoke - Air carriers use of selected cities as ÒhubsÓ or connected points for service on their systems to regional destinations.

Icon - A facility or landmark which is visually synonymous with a destination.

Incentive Travel - Travel offered as a reward for top performance and the business that develops, markets and operates these programs.

Inclusive Tour - A tour program that includes a variety of feature for a single rate (airfare, accommodations, sightseeing, performances, etc.)

International Marketing - Marketing a destination, product or service to consumers and the trade outside the of the United States.

Leisure Travel - Travel for recreational, educational, sightseeing, relaxing and other experiential purposes.

Market Share - The percentage of business within a market category.

Market Volume - The total number of travelers within a market category.

Mission (Sales) - A promotional and sales trip coordinated by a state travel office, conventional and visitors bureau or key industry member to increase product awareness, sales and to enhance image. Target audiences may include tour operators, wholesales, incentive travel planners, travel agents, meeting planners, convention and trade show managers and media. Missions often cover several international or domestic destinations and include private and public sector participants. Mission components can include receptions, entertainment representatives of the destination, presentations and pre-scheduled sales and media calls.

Motorcoach - Deluxe equipment used by most tour operators in group tour programs. Amenities include reclining seats, bathrooms, air conditioning, good lighting and refreshment availability.

Net Rate - The rate provided to wholesalers and tour operators that can be marked up to sell to the customer.

No Show - A customer with a reservation at a restaurant, hotel, etc. who fails to show up and does not cancel.

NTA - National Tour Association, comprised of domestic tour operators.

Occupancies - A percentage indicating the number of bed nights sold (compared to number available) in a hotel, resort, motel or destination.

Package - A fixed price salable travel product that makes it easy for a traveler to buy and enjoy a destination or several destinations. Packages offer a mix of elements like transportation, accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, cultural activities, sightseeing and car rental.

Peaks and Valleys - The high and low end of the travel season. Travel industry marketers plan programs to build consistent year-round business and event out the Òpeaks and valleys.Ó

Person Trip Visit - Every time a person travels more than 100 miles (round-trip) in a day or stays overnight away from their primary domicile, whether for business or leisure purposes, they make one Òperson trip visit.Ó

Pow Wow - The largest international travel marketplace held in the United States, sponsored by the Travel Industry Association of America.

Press/Publicity Release - A news article or feature story written by the subject of the story for delivery and potential placement in the media.

Press Trips - Organized trips for travel writers and broadcasters for the purpose of assisting them in developing stories about tourism destinations. Often, journalists travel independently, though with the assistance of a stateÕs office of tourism of a DMO.

Property - A hotel, motel, inn, lodge or other accommodation facility.

Rack Rate - The rate accommodations quote to the public. Group rates, convention, trade show, meeting and incentive travel rates are negotiated by the hotel and program organizers.

Reach - The percentage of people within a specific target audience reached by an advertising campaign.

Receptive Operator - Specialists in handling arrangements for incoming visitors at a destination including airport transfers, local sightseeing, restaurants, accommodations, etc. Receptive operators can be a travel agent or tour operator.

Repeat Business - Business that continues to return, thereby generating increased profits.

Reservation Systems (Automation Vendors) - Computerized systems leased to travel agencies offering airline, hotel, car rental and selected tour availability and bookings. Systems are affiliated with major carriers, including American (Sabre), United (Apollo), Eastern (System One), TWA (PARS), and Delta (DATAS II) and feature flight schedules of the sponsoring and other carriers, plus additional travel products.

Retail Agent - A travel agent.

Retailer - Another term for travel agents who sell travel products directly to consumers.

Room - Double: No guarantee of two beds; Double Double: Two double beds (or two queens or kings); Twin: Two twin beds (or two doubles or queens)

Room Blocks - Several rooms held for a group.