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When planning your travels or buying your airline tickets, you have probably come across definitions and terms that might have seemed strange to you. Granted, many of the definitions and terms become more understandable as you become familiar with the industry as a frequent flier. While there are many terms for hotel room types, car types, and travel amenities, the area that we shall attempt to define would be tours.
Tour operators try to make their brochures and websites as attractive, informative and understandable as possible; however, in reading this information you will undoubtedly encounter some terminology that is new and unfamiliar. To assist you, here's a glossary covering some of the terminology you will most most frequently find in brochures, fliers, and on websites.
Accommodations:
* Single Room: A room with one bed for one person.
* Twin Room: A room with two beds for two people.
* Double Room: A room for two persons with a double bed.
* Triple Room: A room for three persons, usually consisting of twin beds (or double beds, plus a rollaway bed.
* Ocean Front: A room directly facing the ocean. Usually it is on the first floor with a door that exists onto the beach.
* Ocean View: A room from which it is possible to view the ocean, whether the room is on the first floor, the 12th floor, or on a hillside.
* Service Charges/Taxes: Service charges are a fixed percentage automatically added to room and meal charges. The city, state or federal government sets taxes.
Air Transportation:
* Add-on Fare: The cost of air travel from a domestic city to another domestic city from which the tour/vacation package originates and vice versa.
* Baggage Allowance: The weight or volume of baggage that may be carried by a passenger without additional charge.
* Connecting Flight: A segment of an ongoing trip, which requires a change of aircraft, but necessarily a change of airline.
* Direct Flight: A flight on which passengers do not have to change planes, but may involve one more stops enroute.
* Non-stop Flight: Service between two points with no scheduled stop enroute.
Car Rental:
* Drop-off Charge: Fee charged by a car rental company to defray the cost of returning the vehicle to its original location.
* Value Added Tax (VAT): Tax imposed by governmental authority.
Charter Travel:
Thanks to improved Federal regulations and
a new generation of operators, air charters
have become the preferred way to reach many
of the world's most popular vacation destinations
for reasons of value and convenience. Here's how they work: The tour operator rents an airplane and
sells the seats, often in combination with
a hotel package and perhaps other ground
components. The result is a substantial savings.
Conditions:
* Force Majeure: An event or effect that cannot be reasonably
anticipated or controlled (such as storms
or war).
Consular Information Sheets: Governments issue Consular Information Sheets
for every country of the world. They include
such information as location of the U.S.
embassy or consulate in the subject country,
unusual immigration practices, health conditions,
minor political disturbances, unusual currency
and entry regulations, crime and security
information, and drug penalties. If an unstable
condition exists in a country that is not
severe enough to warrant a Travel Warning,
a description of the condition(s) may be
included under an optional section entitled
Safety/Security.
Documents:
* Passport: An official government document certifying
identity and citizenship and granting permission
to travel abroad (overseas).
* Visa: An official authorization appended to a
passport permitting travel to and within
a particular country.
Escorted Tours:
The most traditional tour product is also
the most misunderstood. The options are so
varied that it's easiest to identify the
few elements they share: Group travel, usually
by motor coach but sometimes by ship, or
train; a set itinerary, with lodging, activities,
and most meals included and a tour director
to coordinate, guide, and manage the trip.
Traveling on an escorted tour provides a
measure of security and peace of mind. And
today, more tour operators build in free
time on group tours, giving travelers the
best of both worlds.
Independent Travel:
There's no group on these trips, no guide
and no fixed itinerary, unless the client
wants one. The sole difference between this
and fully independent travel is that by booking
through a tour operator from its available
inventory, your clients get the advantage
of group buying power, without the group.
Package Travel:
Like group tours, packages tend to have fixed
itineraries, with ground transportation and
hotels booked in advance. But like independent
travel, there's no organized group; clients
are on their own, free to do as they please
at each destination, but they still have
the convenience and reliability that come
with booking through a tour operator.
Public Announcements:
Public announcements (PAs) are a means to
disseminate information about terrorist threats
and other relatively short-term and/or trans-national
conditions posing significant risks to the
security of American travelers. The PAs are
made when there is a specific threat that
cannot be countered. In the past, Public
Announcements have been issued to deal with
short-term coups, violence by terrorists
and anniversary dates of specific terrorist
events.
Tours:
A group of people traveling together who
follow a pre-planned itinerary. Most tours
include accommodations, a number of meals,
sightseeing, land transportation, and/or
other transportation, plus the services of
a professional tour manager or escort who
accompanies the group.
Travel Warnings:
Travel warnings are issued when the State
Department decides, based on all relevant
information, to recommend that Americans
avoid travel to a certain country. Countries
where avoidance of travel is recommended
will have Travel Warnings as well as Consular
Information Sheets. You may also want to
review specific country Background Notes.
Vacation Packages:
Vacation packages are designed for those
traveling independently. They include a combination
of two or more travel services (e.g. hotel
accommodations, car rental, air transportation)
that are offered at a package price. Many
vacation packages offer a choice of components
and options, thereby enabling you to customize
the package to your tastes, interests and/or
budget.
Vouchers:
Documents issued by tour operators to be
exchanged for accommodations, sightseeing
and other services.
© MMIV, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW
About the Author
Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, Management Consultant
and Trainer, conducts lectures,
seminars,
and writes articles on his theme:
... helping you maximize your potential. For more information visit www.executiveandgrouptravel.blogspot.com.
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