Vocab: Hospitality and Tourism

A
Aesthetic Pollution- The spoiling or contamination of the natural beauty and features of an environment, due to poor planning and design of tourism projects.

Average Daily Rate (ADR)- A rate based on total sales for the day divided by the total number of sold rooms.

Amtrak- A company that operates a railroad system with combined passenger and rail service throughout the continental United States.

Apprenticeship- And educational, hands-on experience working in an established business under the guidance of a skilled worker.

Amateur Sports- Athletic activities and competitions for athletes who do not get paid.

AIDA Model- A framework for creating an advertising message that gets Attention, holds Interest, stimulates Desire, and achieves Action.

Advertising- Any paid promotion of an idea, good, or service by an identified sponsor.
B
Bed-and-Breakfasts (B&B's)- Small unique inns that offer a full breakfast with a night's stay.

Business Travel- Travel for the sole purpose of conducting an individual's or company's business.

Back of The House- The area in a hospitality establishment that guests usually do not view, including all areas responsible for food quality and production, such as the kitchen and receiving, office, and storage areas.

Back of The House (lodging)- The area in a lodging facility where support services take place, which guests usually do not view.

Behavioristics- Statistics about consumers based on their knowledge, attitudes, use or response to a product.

Benefit- A feature advantage of a product.

Business-to-Business Selling- The type of selling whereby one business sells goods or services to another business.

Buying Signals- Verbal or nonverbal sighs of a customer's readiness to buy.
C
Changeability- A condition of being subject to change or alteration.

Chain- A type of business that has more than one location with the same name under the same ownership.

Commercial Site- An establishment, such as a restaurant, where a food-and-beverage business competes for customers.

Concierge- A hotel staff member who helps guests make arrangements for transportation, restaurant reservations, event reservations, and entertainment tickets, and advises guests about activities in the area.

Charter Tour- A tour in which a tour operator buys all the seats on an airplane, train, or bus and resells them to travelers.

Customized Tour- A tour that is more expensive than a package tour and is designed specifically for an individual tourist.

Channel of Distribution- The path a travel product takes from the producer to the consumer, or traveler.

Commission- A fee or payment for services based on a percentage of products sold.

Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)- An organization that works with meeting planners to provide tourist information services to business and leisure travelers.

Commercial Recreation- Any recreational activity for which a guest pays a fee.

Consumer Show- A single- or multi-day exhibition held at a convention or civic center arena.

Competitive Advantage- An advantage over competitors due to greater value to consumers through lower prices or more benefits.

Core Product- The main product that the customer is buying.

Customer Loyalty- The customer's faithfulness to a business and its product, demonstrated by the customer purchasing the product again.

Customer Satisfaction- A positive feeling or reaction customers have when a business or product meets their needs.

Cost-Plus Pricing- Pricing products by calculating all costs and expenses and adding desired profit.

Cross-Selling- The method of selling the customer additional related products tied to one name.

Consolidator- An agent who buys unsold products in bulk from suppliers and then resells the products at a discount to intermediaries or to consumers.

Compensation- A form of payment that may include wages, benefits, and/or incentives in return for work.

Career Plan- A written statement of career goals and the necessary steps to achieve them.

Certification- An authorization stating that one has fulfilled the requirements for  practicing in a field or career.
D
Diversity- Ethnic variety as well as socioeconomic and gender variety in a group or society.

Dependables- Travelers who prefer familiarity and creature comforts and seldom try anything new or different.

Disposable Income- The money left from a person's gross income after taking out taxes.

Destination- The final stop of a journey, or the goal for travelers.

Destination Marketing- The process of developing, promoting, and distributing specific locations to satisfy travelers and maintain appeal as long as possible.

Destination Resort- A resort property in a specific location with a concentration of resources or facilities.

Distribution- The process of getting the product to the consumer.

Demographics- Statistics that describe a population in terms of personal characteristics, such as age, gender, income, ethnicity, or education.

Demand- The amount or quality of goods and services that consumers are willing to buy at various prices.

Direct Channel- The path a product takes without the help of any intermediaries between the producer and consumer.

Direct Mail- Any advertising message sent directly to customers via the mail.
E
Ecotourism- A branch of tourism encompassing adventure tourism and sustainable development of regions for future generations.

Economic Multiplier- The process of how money filters through a local economy and is spent and re-spent, creating income for other businesses.

Experimental Method- A research method whereby a researcher observes the results of changing one or more marketing variables.

Elasticity of Demand- The variation of consumer demand due to a change in price.

E-Tail- The sale of goods or services to the customer by means of the Internet.

Empowerment- The granting of authority or power to front-line personnel for handling and solving guests' problems.

Ethics- An expression of the standards of right and wrong based on conduct and morals in a particular society or a system or theory of moral values and principles.

Exemplary Guest Service- Consistent hospitality service that exceeds guest expectations.

Entrepreneur- A person who organizes, manages, and takes the risk of owning and operating a business.

Entry-Level- The position of an employee at the beginning level of a particular career.
F
Franchise- A type of business that is set up through a franchise agreement, which is a contract between a franchisor and franchisee to sell a company's goods or services at a designated location.

Full-Service Restaurant- A restaurant where a customer sits at a table, gives an order to a server, and is served food at the table.

Front of The House (lodging)- The area in a lodging facility that guests view, such as the lobby.

Frequent-Flyer Program- A program in which an airline offers free travel, upgrades, and discounts to program members.

Facilitating Products- Goods or services that aid the use of the core product.

Feature- A basic, physical, or extended attribute of a product or purchase.

Follow-Up- A phone call or thank-you note from the interviewee to the interviewer after the interview takes place.
G
Globalization- The increasing integration of the world economy.

Guest or Uniformed Services- Staff members in uniforms, including the bell staff, valets, security officers, concierge, and door or garage attendants.

Guest Service Agent (GSA)- A hotel staff member who performs all of the functions of a desk clerk/agent, concierge, and valet.

Goal- The eventual desired outcome.

Geographics- Statistics about where people live.

Guest Satisfaction- The fulfillment of guests' needs and wants regarding receiving quality hospitality products.
H
hospitality industry- A group of businesses composed of establishments related to lodging and food-service management.

Hub-and-Spoke System- an effective network for an airline formed by a hub, or a large airport, connected to other smaller airports called spokes.

Hallmark Event- A local or regional event with national or possible international appeal that occurs once or annually.

Hospitality-Specific Traits- Professional characteristics needed in the hospitality industry, including a positive personal attitude, good work ethics, maturity, and good personal appearance, as well as leadership and time-management skills.
I
Intangibility- A state of being abstract, as are things that cannot be touched.

Infrastructure- The physical components of a destination, such as hotels, restaurants, roadways, and transportation, that support tourism.

Intermediary- An agent who does not work directly for a travel provider but sells his or her products for a fee.

Indirect Channel- The path a product takes using intermediaries between the producer and consumer.

Institutional Advertising- Advertising with a goal of developing goodwill or a positive image.

Incentive- A reward that is usually in the form of money but may be stock options, profit-sharing privileges, a company vehicle, and/or a bonus program.

Informational Interview- A formal or informal interview with a professional to help the job seeker learn more about a specific career field or company.
J
Job Application- A document that job seekers fill out to help employers screen applicants.
K
L
Leakage- Tourist dollars spent on imported goods so that revenue ends up in foreign economies.

Leisure Travel- Travel for the sole purpose of enjoyment.

Leadership- The ability to influence others to work toward the goals of an organization or group.

Loyal Customer- A returning customer or guest who refers friends, family, and colleagues to an establishment.
M
Market Segmentation- A way of analyzing a market by specific characteristics to create a target market.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs- A theory that explains what motivates people to act in certain ways or make certain decisions.

Meeting and Incentive Travel- Business travel by employees to attend a business meeting or a reward for having met or exceeded company goals.

Meeting Planner- A person who organizes and plans a meeting.

Meal Plan- A room rate that includes meals; some choices of meal plans are European Plan, Continental Plan, Bermuda Plan, Modified American Plan, and American Plan.

Mega-Event- The largest type of event, which is a unique, "must-see" happening that has international appeal.

Marketing- The process of developing, promoting, and distributing products, or goods and services, to satisfy customers' needs and wants.

Marketing Concept- The idea that an organization needs to satisfy its customers while also trying to reach its organization's goals.

Marketing Mix- A combination of four basic marketing strategies, known as the four P's-product, price, place, and promotion.

Marketing Environment- The internal and external factors that influence marketing decisions and the ability of the marketing plan to reach its goal.

Mission- A business's purpose or goal.

Marketing Plan- A written document that provides direction for the marketing activities of a company for a specific period of time.

Market Research- The systematic gathering, recording analyzing, and presentation of information related to marketing goods and services.

Markup- The difference between the retail or wholesale price and the cost of an item.

Motivation- The force that moves a person to action.
N
Night Auditor- The hotel staff member who does the night audit and balances the guest's accounts each evening.

Niche Market- A new market in tourism that bases travel on specific interests, such as ecotourism.

Nonverbal Communication- The process of giving and receiving a message without words, via eye contact, hand gestures, and body posture.
O
On-Site Facility- An institutional or noncommercial establishment, such as a hospital or corporation, that provides meals for people involved with the property.

Occupancy Percentage (OCC%)- A percentage calculated daily and based on the number of rooms sold as a percentage of the total number of available rooms.

Objectives- The steps that lead to the goal.

Observation Method- A research method that involves watching people and recording their actions by audio, visuals, or writing.

Operations- The functions of a business that focus on the daily procedures necessary to maintain a business or establishment.
P
Perishability- The probability of a product ceasing to exist or becoming unusable within a limited amount of time.

Production- An assembly-line process by which food is prepared, plated, and expedited by teams at various food stations, such as salad, cooking line, prep, and dessert.

Package Tour- A prearrange tour that offers value, guaranteed sightseeing, and a quality product.

Paralympics- Competitions in which the world's best athletes with physical disabilities showcase their talents.

Public Recreation- Free or paid recreation that takes place on state and federal lands and in city, state, or national parks.

Performing Arts- A segment of the entertainment industry that includes the exhibition of live presentations by artists, such as actors in theaters or performance artists in other venues.

Positioning- The creation of an image for a product in the minds of customers, specifically in relation to competitive products, including services.

Psychographics- Studies of consumers based on social and psychological characteristics, such as attitudes, interests, and opinions.

Primary Research- Original research conducted for a specific marketing situation.

Product Mix- The total assortment of products that a company makes or sells.

Products- Goods and services that have monetary value.

Product Life Cycle- The various stages that a product goes through during its existence, from development, introduction, growth, and maturity to decline.

Price- The value place on goods or services being exchanged.

Prestige Pricing- Pricing based on consumer perception.

Personal Selling- The type of selling that involves direct interaction between sales associates and customers.

Promotion- Any form of communication used to persuade people to buy products.

Promotional Advertising- Advertising with a goal of selling an item being promoted.

Promotional Mix- Any combination of advertising, sales promotion, public relations and publicity, and personal selling.

Press Release- A newsworthy article that provides the basic information to answer questions such as who, what, where, when, and why.

Public Relations- An activity designed to create a favorable image of a business, its products, or its policies.

Publicity- A type of public relations that involves the free mention of a product or company in the media.

Portfolio- A collection of work samples designed to highlight strengths, skills, and competencies.

Professional/Trade Organization- A group or an association dedicated to a specific trade or profession.
Q
Quick-Service Restaurant (QSR)- A restaurant offering speedy basic services, convenience, and consistent quality at low prices.
R
Return on Investment (ROI)- A calculation used to determine the ability of a product to generate profits.

Revenue Per Available Room (revPAR)- A rate that reflects a hotel's revenue per available room.

Resort- A destination that provides entertainment, recreation, leisure activities, accommodations, and food for guests.

Relationship Marketing- Building relationships with customers by adding value to the interaction that will lead to long-term customer satisfaction and retention.

Resume- A brief summary of a job seeker's personal information, skills, work experience, education, activities, and interests.
S
Service- An intangible thing that is a task performed for customers by a business.

Sustainable Tourism- Tourism that allows a destination to support both local residents and tourists without compromising future generations.

Seasonality- The concept that certain destinations appeal to travelers at certain times of the year, based on climate and geography.

Sample- A number of people who are representative of a study's population.

Secondary Research- Published data that have been collected for some other purpose.

Survey Method- A research method that involves gathering information from people through the use of surveys or questionnaires.

Supporting Products- Extra goods or services that accompany the core product to add value or to differentiate it from the competition.

Supply- The amount or quantity of goods and services that producers provide at various prices.

Selling Up- Offering a more expensive or upgraded version of the original recommendation.
T
Tourism Industry-A group of businesses that encompass travel/transportation vendors for air, rail, auto, cruise, and motor-coach travel, and promote travel, and vacations.

Transient Guest- An individual traveler with a reservation, staying in a hospitality property for a maximum of 30 consecutive days.

Therapeutic Recreation- Any recreation that includes activities to help a person's emotional, mental, or physical health.

Target Market- A specific group of consumers that an organization selects as the focus of its marketing plan.

Tour Operator- An intermediary who negotiates special rates and blocks space with transportation services, cruise lines, and hotels, and packages multiple components of a vacation for resale to the public or another intermediary.

Time Management- The ability to plan, track, and accomplish tasks efficiently within a designated period of time.
U
Utility- The concept of conveying the value of products through appropriate and convenient placement, adequate information, and easy exchange.
V
Variables- Factors that can cause something to change or vary.

Venturers- Travelers who tend to be the first to discover a new, unspoiled destination.

VFR Travel- Travel for the purpose of visiting friends or relatives.
W
Windjammer- A sailing ship that offers passengers the opportunity to sail privately and work with a crew.

Work Ethic- A belief in work as a moral good, demonstrated by a willingness to perform to the best of one's abilities.
X
Y
Yield Management- A system of maximizing revenue through adjusting room rates according to demand.
Z