Glossary of terms in the hospitality & tourism

The most important terms and abbreviations in hospitality & tourism from A – Z

In my individual glossary for the hotel and tourism industry, I share a personal selection of 300 terms and abbreviations from the world of travel. These include aspects of airlines, travel agencies, hotels and other tourism service providers that I have found particularly important in the industry over the years. The list is my subjective collection of terms and does not claim to be exhaustive, but offers an insight into the key terms used in the tourism industry.

All | # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
There are currently 38 names in this directory beginning with the letter C.
C
Cabin Crew
the collective group of flight attendants providing safety and full comfort to the airline passengers on board ;
Cancellation policy
the set of rules that the hotel applies in case of cancellation of a reservation.
Carbon Footprint
the amount of greenhouse gas emissions directly or indirectly associated with an activity or organisation.
Central reservation system (CRS)
also known as computer reservations system.
Chain code
an identifier code of two characters, used by global distribution systems (GDSs) to identify hotel chains.
Chalet
a type of building or house, made of wood ,with wide eaves, common in Alpine regions, having a particular architectural style.
Channel Management
controlling of the allocation of hotel inventory and rates across all distribution channels including website, third parties and global distribution systems.
Charter
to hire the exclusive use of any aircraft, motorcoach, or other vehicle.
Check In
the process by which guests register upon arrival at a hotel and receive their key.
Check Out
the process by which a guest settles their bill and hands back any key.
Coach Class
the “economy ” section of an aircraft
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.
Commercial Rate
a special rate agreed upon by a company and a hotel. Usually, the hotel agrees to supply rooms of a specified quality or better at a flat rate to corporate clients.
Commission
that percentage of the selling price that a travel agency or OTA receives from a supplier (hotel, airline,..) for selling accommodation, flights or other services.
Competitive Set
Comparable hotels in a hotel’s vicinity that compete for guests.
Complimentaries (Comps)
Items provided free of charge, such as rooms, meals, tickets, airfare, etc.
Concierge
provides additional advice, and services to guests, such as restaurant reservations.
Confidential Tariff
wholesale rates (net rates) distributed to travel wholesalers, tour operators and agents.
Confirmed Reservation
a written statement by a supplier that he has received and will honor a reservation.
Connecting Room
two adjacent rooms that are connected to each other by a door.
Constrained Demand
the quantity of rooms that are expected to be sold for a date.
Continental breakfast
a light breakfast, typically consisting of coffee and bread rolls with butter and jam.
Corporate Rate
hotel rate negotiated by companies designed to appeal to the needs of the business traveler.
COS
Cost of Sales (as a percentage of the revenue, e.g. cost of food, cost of beverage).
Cost of Walk (COW)
the cost of turning away a guest when the hotel is unable to provide the promised accommodation, which may include the cost of a hotel room, transer, and probable lost future business.
Cost per occupied room (CPOR)
The formula for CPOR calculates the average cost per occupied room. (Total, gross operating profit divided per number of rooms sold).
Cottage
a small, modest house at a lake, mountain resort, etc., owned or rented as a holiday home.
Couchette
the sleeping compartment of a train that can contain up to 6 beds.
Coupon
See voucher.
Cover
the number of seats for dining sold in a restaurant
Cover Charge
a fee, usually a flat amount per person, charged to cover the cost of music and entertainment
CRO
Central Reservations Office, that handles bookings of behalf of a hotel (or chain).
CRS
Central Reservations System.
Cruise
a voyage on a ship or boat taken for pleasure or as a vacation and usually docking at several port destinations.
Culinary Tourism
is defined as the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences.
Cultural Tourism
Travel for the purpose of learning about cultures or aspects of cultures.
Customer Satisfaction Survey
a survey used to assess customer satisfaction with a service or product.
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.

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