Hospitality Glossary
Explore the most relevant hospitality words from A to Z
Discover the ultimate resource for hospitality professionals: Our comprehensive glossary boasts over 350 essential terms, meticulously curated to enhance your industry expertise. Whether you’re refining your hospitality lexicon or seeking a definitive reference, our expansive, free online glossary is the quintessential tool to elevate your knowledge. Dive into the depths of hotel and hospitality jargon and emerge with a commanding understanding that sets you apart in the competitive landscape. Perfect for industry veterans and novices alike, this is your go-to dictionary for all things hospitality.
A
Accommodation
1) Service or area made available for use by a guest 2) Measures implemented to facilitate the involvement of individuals with disabilities in events.
Accountant
Oversees the handling of financial accounts, including debts and credits.
Act of God
A natural disaster that was unpredictable when a contract was agreed upon. Such occurrences are beyond the jurisdiction of the involved parties, thus releasing them from their contractual duties.
Adjusted Gross Operating Profit (AGOP)
An index of operational earnings after the deduction of the hotel management base fee from the total revenue.
ADS
Stands for the Alternative Distribution System, encompassing the web and other electronic networks apart from the General Distribution System (GDS), also identified as IDS (Internet Distribution System).
Advance Rates
Preferential pricing offered to encourage consumers to make reservations ahead of time.
Affinity Groups
A prevalent mode of group travel, such groups could involve familial gatherings, nuptial celebrations, or educational excursions. Participants of an affinity group share a collective interest or objective for their journey. Typically, there is an acknowledged coordinator or a person who assumes the role of the main organizer. Even if not all members are acquainted, each person has a link to the collective. E.g. a wedding travel group where the married couple serves as the group’s coordinators.
Agenda
A compilation or sequence of activities that form the checklist or timetable for an event.
Agent
An individual appointed to perform tasks for someone else, granted the authority to do so (e.g., a third-party planner).
Agent (Console Agent)
In the context of HiJiffy’s platform, an agent is a user of our Console. Agents can have different permissions that determine the scope of actions and features available to them in the Console.
Agreed (AGR)
Rooms that have been reserved under a contractual agreement for a group.
Allocation
Often pertains to the ‘assignment of rooms’ (such as a set number of rooms reserved for a conference at a special rate).
Allotment
A specified quantity of hotel rooms set aside for commercialization by a representative or a provider.
Alternative Availability
Proposing different accommodations when the initially sought property is unavailable.
Amenity
An item or service offered at no extra cost by the hotel for guests or groups (for example, personal care products).
Analytical Market Segmentation
A systematic approach for creating revenue management segments from booking data, aimed at providing a solid foundation for forecasting and optimization, as well as supporting essential company reporting and analytical intelligence.
Ancillary Revenue
Income derived from non-core sources such as parking services, spa facilities, golf courses, and entertainment venues. These supplemental income streams can be tailored to both group and individual visitors.
Aplysia AI
Aplysia AI is the first Guest Communications Operating System. It is powered by our proprietary AI, the most advanced one in the hospitality industry. Aplysia AI has a self-learning NLP, a powerful sentiment analysis, and much more. Read all about Aplysia on a dedicated page.
ARI
Acronym representing Availability, Rates, and Inventory in the hospitality context.
Arrival
Arrival refers to the moment a guest reaches the hotel and completes the check-in process. This phase encompasses engagement with staff such as doormen or porters, completion of check-in formalities, allocation of rooms, distribution of keys, and management of luggage.
ARR (Average Room Rate)
Stands for Average Room Rate, which is the mean rate for rooms sold over a specific timeframe. It is usually calculated by dividing the accumulated room revenue by the number of rooms sold.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be defined as computer systems that are able to perform various tasks that would usually require human intelligence to be performed. At HiJiffy we continuously develop our bespoke conversational AI, Aplysia AI, which has powerful capabilities such as understanding emotions, a self-learning NLP, syntax and semantic analysis, and much more. Learn about our Artificial Intelligence on a dedicated page.
Assistant Food and Beverage Manager
Supports the oversight of food and beverage service operations.
Assistant General Manager
Provides assistance to the General Manager and oversees operations in their absence.
Assistant Front Office Manager
Involved in supervising front desk operations, including the arrangement of work schedules and conducting staff training.
Assistant Housekeeper
Contributes to the management of housekeeping responsibilities and may be responsible for particular areas.
Attendee Density
The ratio of the actual number of event participants to the maximum capacity that the venue can accommodate.
Attrition
A contractual term in hotel agreements that holds an organization accountable for meeting its booking commitments.
Attrition Fee
These fees are calculated as the financial difference between the actual number of rooms filled, and the minimum number required, as stated in the attrition clause of a hotel contract. For instance, if a contract stipulates a reservation of 100 rooms with an 80% attrition rate, the entity is obligated to book at least 80 rooms.
Automated Conversation
A fully automated conversation is any conversation where human intervention is not required.
Automation
Automation can be defined as an application of AI technology to various processes so that they be performed without human input. One of the examples of automation is the use of our conversational AI to guide hotel website visitors through the online booking process and answer any questions the guests may have.
Automation Rate
One of the metrics that you can see in the Console or in our case studies is automation rate. In this context, it refers to the percentage of requests automatically solved by the AI-powered virtual agent (i.e. without any human agent interaction).
Average Bed Rate (ABR)
The Average Bed Rate is the total amount that is charged for beds divided by the total number of beds sold. In the hospitality industry, ABR is a useful metric for revenue managers.
Average Booking Value per Available Room (ABVPAR)
The ABVPAR is a metric in the hospitality industry that can be calculated by multiplying the number of occupied rooms by the difference between the Average Daily Rate (ADR) and the Cost Per Occupied Room (CPOR).
Average Daily Rate (ADR)
The Average Daily Rate is a metric in hospitality calculated by dividing daily revenue by the total number of rooms sold.
Average Length of Stay (ALOS)
The ALOS metric in the hospitality industry refers to the number of days guests are at a hotel during a specific period. This metric varies a lot depending on the season and type of accommodation, for example, holiday resorts will have a higher ALOS compared to city hotels that tend to be popular for weekend getaways.
Average Published Rate (APR)
An average price for various types of hotel accommodations, calculated over the year and factoring in peak and off-peak seasons.
Average Rate Index (ARI)
This index reflects the relative price of a hotel’s accommodations compared to its market competitors, usually determined on a monthly basis.
Average Room Rate (ARR)
The ARR can be calculated by dividing the total room revenue by the total number of rooms occupied. Unlike ADR, this metric is used to measure KPIs for longer periods of time.
B
B&B
Rates that cover both bed and breakfast.
Back of House
The sections of the hospitality establishment inaccessible to guests, such as the kitchen, administrative offices, and storage areas.
Banquet
A formal, often celebratory, meal prepared for numerous guests.
Banquet Captain/Manager
The individual who oversees the execution of service for catering and events.
Banquet Round
A circular table designed for dining that accommodates up to 12 individuals, generally measuring either 60 or 72 inches across.
Banquet Setup
An arrangement involving the collective placement of circular banquet tables to optimize the efficiency of meal service.
Bartender
Responsible for crafting both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for guests.
Base Fee
A prearranged fee that the hotel’s management company pays to the hotel operator, usually amounting to two to four percent of the hotel’s gross monthly revenue.
Bed Tax
A supplementary charge added to the cost of a hotel stay, levied by municipal or national authorities based on the hotel’s location.
Bellhop/Bellman
Provides assistance with guest luggage and acquaints guests with their accommodations.
Benchmarking
The process of evaluating your hotel in comparison to its competitors, which can span various aspects such as product, pricing, and service quality.
BEO
Short for Banquet Event Order.
BEO Guarantees
The confirmed number of participants that informs the planning for staff allocation, meal preparation, and expected revenue.
Best Available Rate (BAR)
Also known as the Best Flexible Rate (BFR), this refers to the lowest booking rate available to all guests, i.e. not-restricted rate. The Best Available Rate can change depending on the time of day, week, or season.
Best Rate Guarantee (BRG)
The Best Rate Guarantee is a sales and marketing tactic promising that the rate offered on the hotel or accommodation provider’s website is better compared to the other websites (for example, OTAs) for the same booking.
Bid-Ask Spread
The pricing gap between what buyers are prepared to pay (bid) and the minimum sellers are willing to accept (ask).
BKG
Abbreviation for booking.
Blackout Dates
Specific dates when discounted rates are unavailable at a hotel, often due to peak demand periods.
Blocked
Rooms held in reserve and awaiting a deposit or confirmation.
Boardroom Setup
A seating configuration designed for executive meetings, where attendees are positioned around a long table and the leader or president sits at the head.
Booking
The act of securing accommodations at a hotel, hostel or flat/apartment.
Booking Agent
An individual responsible for managing accommodation reservations for individuals, groups, or travel intermediaries.
Booking Assistant
HiJiffy’s Booking Assistant is an omnichannel communications solution powered by conversational AI. It guides hotel website visitors through the booking process and answers their questions instantly. Learn all about our Booking Assistant.
Booking Channel
A booking channel is any sales channel or communication platform where guests can book their stay. It can be a hotel website, an OTA, social media, partners’ websites, and direct offline bookings.
Booking Curve
A graphical representation of reservation accumulation as the date of arrival approaches.
Booking Engine
A booking engine is an online system that can be used by prospective hotel guests to check room availability and make reservations and bookings. It can be made available through various online booking channels and integrated with other hotel systems. See the list of booking engine integrations with the HiJiffy conversational AI.
Booking Pace
The speed of reservation confirmations, extending from the initial booking to the date of check-in. It is measured by the ratio of reservations secured a specified number of days before arrival.
Booking Patterns
The trends and habits observed in a hotel’s confirmed bookings.
Booking Pixel
A booking pixel (also known as a conversion pixel) is a JavaScript code that tracks specific actions that users on your website are taking. To keep track of the bookings generated with the help of our conversational AI, we provide a conversion pixel which you can install on your booking engine to register successful bookings.
Booking Window
The period between when a reservation is secured by guests or a group and their actual date of arrival.
Boutique Hotel
Intimate, upscale hotels that distinguish themselves from larger chains through personalized service and unique offerings.
Breakout Rooms
Supplementary rooms adjacent to a main ballroom designed for smaller groups to meet separately.
Breakfast Included
A hotel rate that includes the cost of breakfast.
Business Mix
The composition of different market segments contributing to hotel occupancy, quantified by percentage.
Business Guest/Traveller
Individuals travelling for work-related purposes.
Butler Service
A hospitality service where servers provide guests with light bites directly from serving trays.
Buyer
An individual in the tourism industry responsible for booking blocks of hotel rooms.
C
C&B
Refers to Conference and Banqueting services.
C&E
Refers to Conference and Events services.
C&I
Refers to Conferences and Incentives.
Cabaret Set-up
A room arrangement consisting of round tables and seating oriented towards a performance area, with no seats facing away from the stage.
Cabaret Table
Small tables used for cocktail parties or happy hours that are generally only 40–80 centimetres in diameter.
Call to Action (CTA)
A CTA is a prompt that encourages taking a specific action, for example, a “Book Now” banner on a hotel website, a “Read More” hyperlink in a newsletter, or a “Call Now” button in a mobile app.
Central Reservation System (CRS)
A software application used to manage hotel room reservations across an online network of various distribution channels, from direct bookings on the hotel website, through phone bookings with a reservations team, to bookings made through external networks such as OTAs.
CDP
Chef de Partie, the cook responsible for a particular area in the kitchen.
Chain Code
A two-character identifier used in reservation systems for recognizing a hotel’s chain affiliation. Inclusion in a GDS requires an association with a chain code, overseen by HEDNA.
Channel Management (CM)
Channel management is a practice of controlling hotel room rates and inventory across different distribution channels, including the hotel website, third-party networks, OTAs, and more.
Charter Group
A pre-arranged group travelling together on a personalized itinerary.
Chatbot
A chatbot is a software designed to simulate a conversation with a human agent. Within the context of the hospitality industry, a hotel chatbot is a communication channel between a hotel and its current and prospective guests. Chatbots powered by conversational AI allow for a high level of personalisation and automation, reducing or eliminating completely the need for a human agent intervention as guests can have their queries answered instantly.
Check In
The procedure where a guest officially registers at a hotel and receives their room key or key card.
Check Out
The act of a guest finalizing their hotel bill and returning the room key or key card upon departure.
Chief Engineer
Manages the upkeep and functionality of the hotel’s critical systems, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical, and plumbing.
Children’s Policy
The guidelines a hotel sets regarding accommodations and amenities for guests under the age of 18.
Closed Conversation
In the context of HiJiffy’s Console, a closed conversation is one that is resolved after a human intervention was requested by the conversational AI or a guest.
Complete Meeting Package (CMP)
An all-inclusive rate charged per person, typically at conference centres, covering lodging, meals, beverages, and a share of other costs like room hire and technology services.
Commis Chef
An entry-level cook, often fresh from culinary training or currently in apprenticeship within larger kitchens.
Competitive Set
A collection of comparable hotels used as a benchmark to measure a property’s overall market performance.
Commission
A fee paid to an entity for referring business to a hotel, typically a percentage of the revenue generated from the referral. e.g. an Online Travel Agency.
Commissionable Rate Commitment
An agreement that allocates a portion of the room rate as a commission to a partnering group or third-party, such as an event organizer.
Complimentary Ratio
The proportion of free rooms provided relative to the number of rooms booked, typically used as a negotiating point for group accommodations.
Component Rooms
Modular hotel accommodations that can be reconfigured into various layouts to create customized lodging options for guests.
Concierge
A hotel staff member who assists guests with obtaining services and information about external attractions and amenities.
Confidential Tariff
Special reduced rates provided exclusively to travel industry professionals such as wholesalers, tour operators, and travel agents, not disclosed to the general public.
Console
The HiJiffy Console is a single powerful platform that centralises, automates and measures your communications and customer care. Learn all about the Console here.
Console Agent
A user within our Console. The agents can have different permission settings which change the scope of features and actions available to them in the Console.
Constrained Demand
The potential quantity of room bookings, limited by the hotel’s capacity or booking restrictions.
Continental breakfast
A type of breakfast offering that usually includes beverages like coffee and tea, along with baked goods and fruits.
Convention Services Manager (CSM)
A hotel staff member responsible for coordinating the logistical aspects of events and conferences.
Conversation Channel
Within HiJiffy’s platform, a channel is the communication platform used by your guests to interact with you (for example, Facebook Messenger).
Conversational AI
Conversational AI refers to a set of technologies enabling human-like interaction through automated messaging (or speech). It is able to detect text (and speech), interpret the intent, understand different languages, and reply providing answers to posed questions in a chat-like manner. Conversational AI relies on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning. Learn about HiJiffy’s proprietary conversational AI here.
Cooperative Partner
An entity that collaborates with a tourism board, contributing resources to amplify the reach of the tourism office’s marketing initiatives.
Corkage
A fee for consuming beverages on hotel premises that were sourced externally. This fee may extend to other services, such as audiovisual equipment, not procured through the hotel.
Corporate Planner
An event organizer focused on arranging and managing events for business entities, often involving large-scale and corporate functions.
Corporate Rate
A discounted rate offered to business travellers based on an agreement negotiated between the hotel and the company.
Cost of Sale
The total expenses incurred by a hotel to generate income, encompassing labour, supplies, and other operational costs, usually calculated as a percentage of the hotel’s revenue.
Cover
Indicates the number of guests served in a restaurant. For instance, a hotel’s dining establishment served 30 covers, meaning 30 guests were seated.
Cost of Walk
Expenses incurred when a guest must be turned away because their reserved room is unavailable, potentially including the price of alternate accommodation, transportation, meals, and the loss of future business due to dissatisfaction.
CPOR
A metric that calculates the average expense for each room filled, used to assess and manage daily operational costs.
Crescent-Round Setup
A seating arrangement where only part of the circular table is used, allowing all seated guests to face the speaker, often employed for seamless transitions between conferences and banquets.
Central Reservations Office (CRO)
Central Reservations Office – The centralized department that processes reservations for a hotel or a group of hotels.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
A system used by hotels to store information about their guests to improve customer care, communications, sales, and more. See the list of CRM integrations with the HiJiffy conversational AI.
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
Short for “Customer satisfaction,” the CSAT score is an important metric that measures how satisfied guests are with hotel services. Common ways to measure CSAT are simple direct questions asking guests to rate their overall satisfaction on a scale of 1-5 or using symbols of frowning, neutral and smiley faces. In the HiJiffy Console, you can monitor the CSAT score to see how satisfied guests are with the AI-powered conversations they had.
Cut-off Date
The deadline after which any unreserved rooms in a block will become available for general booking.
D
Day Guests
Individuals who utilize hotel services during the day but do not stay overnight.
Day Parts
The segmentation of the day into distinct periods, each capable of hosting different meetings or events within a venue (e.g., morning, midday, afternoon, and evening sessions).
Days to Arrival
The count of days remaining until the guest’s scheduled check-in, a metric relevant to evaluating booking trends, hotel operations, and forecasting.
DBB
A pricing option that includes an overnight stay with dinner, bed and breakfast included.
DDR
A per-person pricing for meeting room rental that typically includes the room hire, refreshments, and catering services for conferences or events held during the day.
Decision Tree
In the context of guest communications, a decision tree is something that guests can encounter in a chat with conversational AI. They can be presented with a tree-like pattern of decisions and corresponding outcomes. The decision tree in the chat involves decision points, actions, and specific choices from a decision point. Instead of following the decision tree, guests can choose to ask open-ended questions.
Decor
Elements such as lighting, table arrangements, and thematic props used to enhance the visual appeal of an event space.
Dedicated Bandwidth
Internet bandwidth reserved exclusively for a specific group’s use.
Definite Booking
A reservation confirmed through written communication.
Demand
The expected volume of business for a future specified timeframe.
Demand Forecast
The process of using predictive analytics to estimate future consumer interest and product needs.
Destination Management Company (DMC)
An entity providing assistance to event planners through their specialized knowledge and local connections.
Destination Marketing Organization (DMO)
A non-profit entity supported by accommodation taxes aimed at boosting a city’s travel, tourism, and event profile.
Direct Booking
Direct bookings are those made on a hotel website, as opposed to reservations made through OTAs, travel agencies and other third-party networks.
Director of Sales and Marketing (DOSM)
Responsible for formulating strategies to increase revenue from room sales, meetings, and special events.
Displacement Analysis
A method of calculating the potential revenue loss when rooms are allocated to group bookings that could potentially displace higher-revenue transient guests.
Distressed Inventory
Rooms offered at a discounted rate close to the stay date to maximize occupancy.
DMP
An acronym for Data Management Platform, which aggregates and manages data to provide a holistic view of customers for hospitality and travel businesses.
DND
An acronym for ‘Do Not Disturb,’ which is a sign displayed by guests to request privacy.
Domestic Travellers/Tourism
Individuals travelling within the borders of their home country.
Double Occupancy (DBL)
A room rate structured for two guests.
Double Room
An accommodation option featuring two beds for duo occupancy.
Dynamic Pricing
Adjusting the cost of services or rooms in response to real-time market demand fluctuations.
E
Early Arrival
A pre-arranged understanding permitting guests to check into their hotel accommodations ahead of the conventional check-in schedule.
Early Bird
A term used to describe promotions and discounts related to advance bookings within a specific range of dates.
Eco-friendly
Pertains to goods or services designed to have a reduced impact on the environment.
Ecotourism
Travel that is environmentally responsible to natural regions, contributing to ecological conservation and benefiting the well-being of local inhabitants.
En-suite
A private bathroom directly accessible from a bedroom.
English Service
A self-service style where vegetables are placed in communal bowls and the main course is presented to the host at the table.
Enterprise Planner
A corporate event organizer who plans and manages events specifically for a large business entity, ranging from internal meetings to large-scale conferences.
EPO/IPO
Each Pays Own/Individual Pays Own. Acronyms indicating that each individual is responsible for their own payments.
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival. The anticipated time at which someone or something is expected to arrive.
ETD
Estimated Time of Departure. The predicted time at which someone or something is expected to depart.
European Plan (EP)
A lodging rate that excludes meals, commonly referred to as “room only.”
Event Coordinator
A role supporting the planning process, sometimes taking charge of smaller functions or components of larger events.
Event Manager
A professional responsible for the planning, organization, and execution of events and conferences.
Executive Chef
The culinary leader who is responsible for menu creation and oversees all aspects of kitchen operations.
Executive Housekeeper
The individual overseeing the housekeeping staff, responsible for the overall cleanliness, maintenance, and visual appeal of accommodation.
Exposition
A term sometimes used instead of exhibitions or trade shows.
Extranet
A secure online platform that enables hotels to manage their rate, inventory information and restrictions.
F
F&B
An abbreviation commonly used in the hospitality industry for food and beverage.
F&B Minimum
The lowest set amount that must be spent on food and beverages for an event, specified within the catering agreement and varying by service provider.
Familiarization Tours (FAM)
Specially arranged trips for travel industry professionals, aimed at acquainting them with specific tourist destinations.
Family Room
A spacious hotel room designed to accommodate families or groups, typically larger than a standard room.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is a group of the most popular questions and answers for a specific context. As an example, they can be regarding the check-in and check-out times, available parking or recommendations for nearby tourist attractions. Conversational AI solutions can be implemented to provide automatic answers to guests and in turn, relieve reception teams from the repetitive workload.
Feeder City
A term for smaller cities that provide travellers to larger hub or gateway cities, indicating the origin of tourism flow. This is often assessed by the volume of international visitors and the economic impact of their spending.
Fenced Rates
Rates available to guests if they accept specific conditions. Hotels often offer a series of rate options that are determined by accepting “fences,” for example non-refundable, partially refundable, or available only for advance bookings.
Financial Controller
Responsible for managing the financial activities of the hotel, including budget management and financial reporting.
Financing Gateway
A payment system (or payment processing gateway) enabling seamless, fast and secure transactions for all payments taken by a hotel. See the list of Financing Gateways integrations with the HiJiffy solutions.
First-tier City
A major urban centre known for drawing substantial event-related business due to its superior infrastructure, including direct flights and extensive public transport systems.
Fitness Centre
An amenity within a hotel offering guests access to gym equipment and workout facilities.
Fitness Center Manager
The individual in charge of overseeing the fitness centre and any related recreational amenities.
Flow
In the context of AI-driven conversations, a flow is a process guiding guests through sequential steps allowing for collecting information in a structured manner.
Folio
In the context of AI-driven conversations, a flow is a process guiding guests through sequential steps, allowing for collecting information in a structured manner.
Food and Beverage Manager
Manages all hotel operations related to dining and drinking establishments.
Forecast
A method of estimating potential revenue for a forthcoming time frame.
Forecasting Model
Techniques or tools utilized for projecting key performance indicators (KPIs).
Freesale
A pricing strategy that allows for the unrestricted sale of hotel rooms at a special rate until the rate code is closed.
Front Office Manager
The individual in charge of front desk operations, including managing reservations, guest services, and the concierge team.
Full Board
An accommodation pricing option that includes a bed and all main meals.
Full Pattern Length of Stay Restriction
A rule limiting the number of nights a guest can book, for example, permitting stays of 1, 2, 4, or 7 nights, but not 3, 5, or 6 nights.
Full-service Hotel
A hotel providing comprehensive amenities, including but not limited to a pool, fitness centre, and dining options.
Function-only Business Restrictions
Policies enacted by hotels to reserve facilities primarily for scheduled group events or functions.
Function Space Utilization
The measure of how event space is used, derived from multiplying the area of the space by the number of times it’s used during different parts of the day.
G
Gala Dinner
A formal evening event, often featuring speakers or entertainment.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
A legal framework set by the European Union (EU) for collecting and processing the personal data of individuals in the EU. Learn about GDPR here.
General Manager (GM)
The executive responsible for the overall operations and strategy of the hotel.
Geo-Coding
A method to pinpoint the precise geographical coordinates of a hotel in terms of latitude and longitude degrees.
Global Distribution System (GDS)
A reservation system offering a platform where various services can be purchased form different providers in a comprehensive manner. Travel agents use GDS to book flights, car rentals, hotel reservations and other services for their customers. OTAs can also use data from GDS to feed into their platforms.
Government Planner
An organizer who arranges government-related events across municipal, state, or federal levels.
Green Hotels
Refers to accommodations that actively pursue sustainability and aim to minimize their ecological footprint.
Groundskeeper
Responsible for the upkeep of the property’s external greenery, including gardens and lawns.
Gross Operating Profit (GOP)
The financial outcome derived from subtracting a hotel’s total operational expenses from its gross operating income.
Gross Operating Profit Per Available Room (GOPPAR)
Term used in revenue management to describe value of a difference between room revenue and expenses, divided by the number of rooms available.
Gross Operating Revenue (GOR)
The cumulative income generated from a hotel’s operational activities.
Group Demand
Anticipated business from groups for a hotel within a specific timeframe.
Group Rate
A specially negotiated price for accommodations reserved for attendees of an event.
Group Wash
The discrepancy between the number of rooms actually used by a group and the initial reservation estimate or block.
Group Wash by Group
An assurance provided by a group that certain minimum requirements, like a specified number of rooms, will be met or penalties will apply.
Guarantee
A function in reservation systems showing group booking details, such as date, room blocks, anticipated reductions, and options for manual adjustments of projected numbers.
Guest Communication Hub
A comprehensive collection of communication solutions driven by HiJiffy’s conversational AI, Aplysia OS, empowering hotels to increase revenue and boost guest satisfaction.
Guest Journey
The guest journey can be described as mapping out various touchpoints between guests and hotels. The top-level stages of the guest journey are pre-stay, in-stay, and post-stay. More detailed stages include asking FAQs before the booking, the booking process itself, pre-stay upselling and room upgrade campaigns, check-in, in-stay requests, guest review and retention campaigns. See an example of a hotel guest journey.
Guest Relations Officer/Guest Services Manager
The individual tasked with handling guest feedback and addressing any concerns or grievances.
Guest Services
The array of services and conveniences offered by a hotel to ensure a pleasant stay for guests. Examples of guest services might involve complimentary in-room tea and coffee facilities, or the provision of daily newspapers.
H
Half-Board
A lodging option that includes accommodation, breakfast, and one main meal, typically either lunch or dinner.
Half-Pension
Similar to half-board, where the package includes accommodation, breakfast, and specifically dinner as the second meal.
Head Chef
The culinary leader responsible for overseeing the kitchen brigade, which includes Sous Chef(s), Chef de Partie(s), and Commis Chef(s).
High Season
Peak periods of travel activity when accommodation prices are generally at their highest.
Holdover
A hotel’s policy to retain a room across non-consecutive nights (e.g. reserving a room for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, with the room kept available on Wednesday). This term may also pertain to guests who stay beyond their scheduled departure (referred to as squatters).
Holidays
Periods during the year, such as Christmas or Easter, when travel is most frequent.
Hollow Circle Setup
A seating configuration where tables and chairs are arranged in a circle, with participants facing each other.
Hollow Square Setup
A seating format where tables and chairs form a rectangle or square, with participants facing each other.
Hospitality/Hotel Chatbot
A hotel chatbot can be described as conversational software specially designed for the hospitality industry. It simulates a conversation with a human agent, empowering hotels to offer instantaneous and personalised customer service. Thanks to automation, especially if powered by conversational AI which removes the necessity for the involvement of a human agent (unless requested), it alleviates hotel staff, such as reception and reservation teams, from repetitive tasks. Advanced hospitality chatbots can integrate with different communication platforms and social media channels.
Host/Hostess
The individual who coordinates reservations and manages the seating plan in a dining establishment.
Hostel
A cost-effective lodging option for travellers, typically providing communal sleeping quarters and shared amenities. It caters to those seeking social interaction and often includes common areas such as kitchens and lounges. Hostels are known for their informal atmosphere and opportunities for guests to connect.
Hot Buttons
Contentious issues or highly sensitive topics in hotel contracts that often lead to intense discussions or disagreements between event planners and property vendors.
Hotel Manager
The professional overseeing the entire range of operations within a hotel, sometimes with specific departmental responsibilities.
Hotel Marketing
An essential strategy for attracting travellers and optimising the success of a hotel. Access a free guide to hotel marketing on our blog.
Hotel Star Rating
An established system for categorizing hotels, ranging from one to five stars, based on quality and service.
Hotelligence
A compilation of historical data extracted from Global Distribution Systems (GDS), detailing booking patterns, stay durations, sources of business, and competitive analyses for specific hotels.
House Count
The total number of guests staying in a hotel at any given time.
House Manager
A managerial role directly below the General Manager, responsible for the operations of a single hotel, as opposed to the General Manager who may oversee multiple properties.
Human Resources Manager
The executive responsible for hiring, training, and managing staff welfare and relations within the hotel.
I
Icon
A renowned symbol or landmark that is emblematic of a particular destination.
Inbound Tourism
The influx of international visitors whose expenditure contributes to the destination country’s economy.
Individual Booking
A reservation made by a single individual, as opposed to a group reservation.
IDS
Internet Distribution System. This encompasses the totality of non-GDS channels for hotel electronic distribution, including the internet, websites, intranets, extranets, and online service providers. It’s also known by another term, ‘ADS’ (Alternate Distribution System).
Inbox
In the context of HiJiffy’s platform, users can access the omnichannel inbox centralising, automating and measuring customer care in a single powerful platform – the Console.
Incentive Fee
A performance-based management payment awarded to the manager for incremental profitability through their operations management.
Incidental Charges
Additional expenses beyond the basic hotel room rate, such as for parking, internet access, and in-room entertainment.
Independent Hotel
An accommodation enterprise that operates autonomously without any ties to a branded chain or franchise.
Integrations
An integration of hotel systems is a process of linking together different systems so they can interact with each other allowing for a seamless and streamlined flow of information. For example, HiJiffy’s Guest Communications Hub integrates with Booking Engines, Property Management Systems, Maintenance Management Systems, CRMs, Payment Gateways, Service Automation Tools, Marketing and more.
Intranet
A restricted-access network that employs Internet protocols to disseminate and communicate information internally within an organization.
Inventory (relative to hotel distribution)
The total count of rooms a hotel has available for sale across various booking platforms.
Island Booth/Stand/Exhibit
An exhibition space surrounded by aisles on all sides.
IT Manager
Oversees and ensures the functioning of all computer systems and network services within the hotel.
IT Support Technician
Assists with and resolves technical issues pertaining to the hotel’s information technology systems.
J
K
Key Card
A plastic card embedded with a magnetic strip or chip, used as a modern means to unlock hotel room doors.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
An objectively quantifiable metric used to measure and evaluate the level of success in meeting objectives. It can range depending on specific areas of hotel management, but it is likely to include metrics such as RevPAR, ADR, Occupancy Rate and more.
L
L2B/L2B Ratio
Look to book – The proportion of individuals who look up the hotel on your website or through the Central Reservations System against those who actually make a booking.
Lanai
A hotel room that features a veranda or ground-floor patio, often with scenic views of a body of water or landscaped gardens.
Last Room Availability (LRA)
A rate strategy that allows for the hotel’s final room to be booked at a predetermined rate, blending both negotiated and group pricing.
Last Room Value (LRV)
The maximum revenue that a hotel can make from selling the last available room. It is calculated by RM teams using dynamic pricing. Rates for the last available room tend to be above the average level to make the most of the high demand on the market.
Late Arrival
Guests who notify the hotel that they will be checking in later than the established arrival time.
Late Charge
Expenses incurred during a guest’s stay that are billed after their departure, such as for telephone usage or minibar items not accounted for at check-out.
Late Check-Out
An option for guests to vacate their rooms after the customary check-out time.
Late Show
A guest who turns up after the scheduled arrival time stated in their booking.
Laundry Manager
Directs the day-to-day operations of the hotel’s laundry services.
Lead
A prospective booking indicating interest but not yet confirmed, commonly associated with group or event planning.
Lead Conversion
The process of transforming a potential lead into an established account, contact, or sales opportunity.
Lead Time
The interval from when a reservation is booked to the actual date of the guest’s arrival, with hotels favouring a longer lead time for better planning of availability and pricing.
Leisure Guest
Individuals who travel for non-business reasons, primarily for relaxation or enjoyment.
Length of Stay (LOS)
The cumulative number of nights a guest is booked to stay at a hotel.
Limited Service
A type of hotel that does not provide a full spectrum of amenities, such as on-site dining facilities.
Linen Room Attendant
Responsible for overseeing and distributing linens and related supplies to support the hotel’s housekeeping department.
Low season
A period during the year when travel demand is at its lowest, often resulting in lower hotel rates.
Loyalty Programme/Scheme
An incentive plan offered by hotels to reward guests for repeated stays by offering points or benefits that can be exchanged for discounts or complimentary services.
M
M&IT
Acronym for Meetings and Incentive Travel, typically involving business-related travel for events or motivational purposes.
Machine Learning
Machine learning can be defined as AI technology capable of self-learning from data it processes and applying the learnings without intervention from a human. Read about the self-learning capacity of our conversational AI.
Maintenance Management System (MMS)
This computerised management software allows hoteliers to control all maintenance tasks, from keeping a log of reported issues, to scheduling maintenance and regular checks and replacements. See the list of Maintenance Management System integrations with the HiJiffy solutions.
Maintenance Technician
An individual tasked with conducting routine upkeep and addressing repair needs throughout hotel properties.
Market Parity
The practice of comparing your service or product offering to those of competitors to establish a competitive market price.
Marketing Manager
The professional in charge of creating and executing strategies to increase guest interest and bookings for the hotel.
Market Segments (MS)
Specific categories within the broader market that are targeted based on their unique response to certain services or marketing efforts, particularly in the hospitality sector.
Market Segment Group (MSG)
A classification where similar market segments are grouped to analyse patterns and pricing strategies.
Mattress Run
The act of booking several hotel stays, often in a short period, with the aim of accumulating reward program points.
Maximum Length of Stay (Max LOS)
A policy used to control room inventory that restricts the duration of a guest’s stay starting on a specific date.
MCI
An acronym for Meetings, Conventions, and Incentives, which are key components of business travel and event planning.
Meal Plan
A pre-arranged option that includes dining within the hotel stay, often offered at a discounted rate.
Merchant Rate
A pricing structure where Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) add a margin to the base rate provided by hotels to determine the final rate offered to travelers. The defining feature of this model is the upfront payment by the guest to the OTA, followed by a subsequent payment from the OTA to the hotel post-stay, based on the discounted net rate provided by the hotel.
Metasearch
A metasearch engine is a system that aggregates information from different search engines to offer the most complete answers to a search query.
MICE
An acronym for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions, which refers to a specialized sector of tourism dedicated to planning, booking, and facilitating conferences, seminars, and other events, which is a significant segment of the global travel industry. Also known as Business Tourism or Business Events.
Minimum Acceptable Rate (MAR)
The lowest price point at which a hotel is willing to offer rooms to a group, arrived at through displacement analysis, which weighs the potential revenue from the group against what could be earned from other guests.
Minimum Length of Stay (Min LOS)
The shortest stay a hotel requires guests to book for certain dates.
MOD
An abbreviation for Manager on Duty, also known as Duty Manager, who is responsible for operational management during a particular shift or period.
Motel
A roadside hotel designed primarily for motorists, typically offering parking directly outside the guest rooms.
MPI
Market Penetration Index, a performance metric used by hotels to assess their market share.
Mystery Guest
An assessment tool where a person disguised as a guest covertly evaluates the service quality and operations of a hotel.
N
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
This subcategory of AI deals with helping machines to understand and process human language. Read about how self-learning NLP works in practice.
Net Rate
A wholesale rate offered to travel intermediaries such as agents and tour operators, which can be marked up for resale to the end traveller.
Night Auditor
The hotel employee responsible for overseeing and reconciling all financial transactions from the day during overnight hours and managing late check-ins.
Note
In the context of Hijiffy’s Console a note is a short record of points or ideas that can be added to any conversation.
No-Show
A reservation status when the guest fails to arrive and does not provide prior cancellation notice.
O
Occupancy Rate (Occ)
A metric that calculates the percentage of occupied rooms by dividing the number of rooms sold by the total number of available rooms.
Occupancy Forecast
An estimate of future room occupancy over a given timeframe, which is instrumental in strategic planning and setting performance targets for hotels.
Off-peak
A period during which there is reduced demand for hotel rooms, often resulting in lower prices and promotional offerings.
Off-site
Any business-related gathering or activity that is conducted away from the company’s premises, requires the use of external facilities.
Online Check-in
A process where guests have the option to complete their check-in procedures over the internet before their arrival at the hotel, with some systems allowing bypassing the front desk altogether or using an express line to simply collect their room key.
On-site Restaurant
A dining establishment that is situated within the hotel’s property.
OOO
Acronym for Out of Order, indicating that a room or service is temporarily unavailable.
Opaque Model
A pricing strategy in which the customer purchases a product or service without knowing the specific brand or product until after the sale is complete. This model is also used when the cost of individual elements within a package is not disclosed to the consumer, especially in dynamic packaging where various travel services are bundled together.
Operator
Typically refers to the entity responsible for managing a hotel property under a contractual management agreement.
Optimization
The strategic process that combines analysis of forecasts, available inventory, pricing, configuration, and customer interactions to determine the most profitable pricing and room inventory decisions for a hotel. It encompasses setting optimal prices, using last room value assessments, creating accurate forecasts, and managing overbookings to maximize revenue.
Online Travel Agency (OTA)
Third-party online platforms that allow customers to book accommodation and/or other travel services. OTAs examples are Expedia, Booking.com, or Airbnb.
Other Revenue
A term for any income generated by a hotel from sources other than room blocks and food and beverage sales, often associated with group business.
Outbound Tourism
The activity of residents travelling from their home country to an international destination.
Outside Vendor
A third-party supplier or service provider that is not directly affiliated with or internally operated by the hotel.
Overbooking
The practice of selling a higher number of rooms than the hotel can actually accommodate, based on expected cancellations and no-shows.
Owner’s Priority
A fee structure within hotel management contracts that grants a manager an incentive fee only after the property owner has received a specified return on their investment.
Owner’s Total Investment
The cumulative amount expended on the acquisition, development, construction, and financing of a hotel property.
P
Parity
A commitment to ensure uniformity across all sales channels, which may relate to rates, room types, content, and other sales terms and conditions.
Pax
Slang for “passengers” or “guests,” referring to the count of individuals.
Payment Gateways
A payment system (or payment processing gateway) enabling seamless, fast and secure transactions for all payments taken by a hotel. See the list of Payment Gateways integrations with the HiJiffy solutions.
Payroll Specialist
The professional responsible for overseeing employee wage, compensation and benefits programs.
Peak Night
Refers to the night during an event when the highest number of rooms are blocked or booked.
Peak Season
The time period when a hotel experiences its maximum level of occupancy.
Pitfalls
Hidden or unanticipated dangers or problems.
Porter
An employee at a hotel who assists guests by carrying their luggage.
Positive Space
A reservation that is guaranteed.
PPL
People.
PP
Per Person.
PPPN
Per Person Per Night.
PRPN
Per Room Per Night.
Predictive Analytics
Techniques that analyse current and historical data to forecast future events.
Press Trip
Travel undertaken primarily for the purpose of reviewing and writing about the destination.
Preferred Rate
A special rate established through negotiation between a hotel and a particular client.
Price Sensitivity
The degree to which a customer’s willingness to purchase is affected by price changes, often measured by how demand fluctuates with price variations.
Programme
An outline detailing the events and timing of an agenda.
Property Management System
A property management system (PMS) is a software platform that streamlines the management of bookings and operational duties within a hotel. Its key features encompass management of the front desk, booking systems, distribution channels, room cleaning schedules, pricing, room availability, and transaction processing. While PMS solutions predominantly handle booking and monetary exchanges, they also provide functionalities for overseeing housekeeping duties and managing staff resources.
Protected
A commitment by a supplier or wholesaler to refund an agent’s commission and the client’s prepayment if a confirmed booking is cancelled.
Public Area Cleaner
An individual dedicated to maintaining the cleanliness of a hotel’s communal spaces such as the lobby, restrooms, and hallways.
Public Relations Manager
The professional responsible for cultivating and maintaining the hotel’s public image and handling interactions with the media.
Purchasing Manager
The individual in charge of acquiring all necessary goods and services required for hotel operations.
Q
Qualified Rate
A special price offered only to customers who meet certain criteria, such as belonging to a particular business or purchasing a promotional offer.
Qualifying Questions
Specific inquiries posed by hotels to evaluate the viability of potential business.
Quick Set
A standardized configuration that minimizes the time and labour needed for setting up between events, leading to cost savings for the organizing group.
Quin
A designation for a hotel room designed to fit five guests comfortably.
R
Rate
The price assigned to a hotel room, generally quoted on a per-night basis.
Rack Rate
The standard, full price of a hotel room before any discounts or special offers being applied.
Rate Parity
The practice of maintaining consistent pricing for a hotel room across various marketing and distribution channels, given the same conditions.
RDR
A metric measuring revenue share in the market, by comparing a hotel’s RevPAR to the average in the market.
Receiving Fee
A charge that may be imposed by a hotel for accepting and handling parcels received on behalf of guests or event groups.
Receptionist/Front Desk Agent
The hotel employee who serves as the initial contact for guests, responsible for managing check-ins and check-outs, assigning rooms, and responding to primary guest requests.
Reception
The area within a hotel where guests are greeted and where room bookings are arranged. This central point also handles the check-in and check-out processes, in addition to responding to guest inquiries.
Receptive Operator
An entity specialized in organizing services for incoming tourists, which may include coordinating local transportation, dining, and accommodation arrangements. They act as facilitators for group tours, providing detailed, personalized plans and support that might not be available through general tour operators.
Refundable Deposit
A security payment returned to the payee if the supplier’s specified conditions are fulfilled.
Repeat Booking/Repeat Business
Securing a reservation or event booking from a client who has previously used the same services.
Reputation Management System
A platform for managing guest reviews for a hotel.
Request for Information (RFI)
A preliminary inquiry sent to hotels or venues seeking detailed information about their facilities and services.
Request for Proposals (RFP)
A formal document sent when soliciting bids for services from hotels or venues for hosting an event, outlining the event’s specific needs and services required.
Resident Manager
An individual residing on the hotel premises tasked with the comprehensive oversight of hotel operations during non-peak hours or overnight.
RDR
A metric measuring revenue share in the market, by comparing a hotel’s RevPAR to the average in the market.
Restaurant Manager
The individual responsible for the operational management and daily running of the hotel’s restaurant facilities.
Revenue Generated Index (RGI)
A metric measuring revenue share in the market, by comparing a hotel’s RevPAR to the average in the market.
Revenue Management (RM)
In the context of hospitality, this discipline focuses on optimising room availability and rates to maximise revenue. It aims to match the right product with the right target customer base through the most effective channels, time and price.
Revenue Management System (RMS)
A business platform used to control and carry out revenue management tasks. It combines hotel data with market data to provide hoteliers with the most useful information to make decisions related to revenue management.
Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR)
A metric in hospitality that can be calculated by dividing the average daily room revenue (ADR) by the number of rooms available at the hotel.
Revenue Per Available Square Foot (REVPAS)
An efficiency metric that measures a hotel’s revenue generation from its event spaces, calculated by dividing the total revenue from space rentals by the total square footage available.
RevPAR Index (RPI)
A measure used to assess a hotel’s revenue per available room in comparison to a set of competitor hotels (compset).
Room Block
A group of rooms held in reserve for a specific set of guests, such as those attending a conference or event.
Room Class
A categorization of hotel rooms based on similar attributes that determine their value. E.g. Categorization by occupancy (single, double, etc) or by bed (queen, king, twin, etc.).
Rooms Management Module
A component of a hotel’s property management system that keeps track of room statuses, assists with room assignments at check-in, and coordinates guest services.
Room Nights
The total number of hotel rooms occupied, multiplied by the duration of their stay.
Room Rack
A physical or digital system that displays the current status of all the rooms in a hotel.
Room Service
An amenity provided by hotels allowing guests to order food and beverages to be delivered directly to their room.
Room Service Attendant
The individual responsible for delivering food and beverages to guests in their rooms.
Rooms to Space Ratio
The relationship between the number of guest rooms utilized and the amount of meeting space being used.
Rooms Yield
A metric calculated by taking the average revenue from all available rooms, then dividing by the total number of rooms, and again by 365 days.
Run Of House (ROH)
A term referring to the general inventory of hotel rooms that are booked without guaranteeing specific room features or amenities.
S
Sales Manager
A professional tasked with promoting and selling the hotel’s services to both individual and corporate clients.
Sales Yield
The revenue or profit derived from sales efforts.
Second Tier City
Also known as a mid-sized city, it’s a city chosen for events which, while popular, lacks the extensive infrastructure of larger, ‘first-tier’ cities.
Security Guard
An individual charged with patrolling the hotel property and addressing security concerns and emergencies.
Security Manager
The person in charge of maintaining the safety and security of the hotel, its staff, and its guests.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
This digital marketing technique aims to get website pages to rank as high as possible in search engine results such as Google, Bing or Yahoo! The end objective is to increase organic traffic to the website and boost brand awareness.
Self-learning AI / NLP
A technology that can learn new expressions and topics and apply them to previously presented issues. Read our article exploring how AI self-learning works.
Sentient Chatbots
A conversational AI technology or a machine driven by such technology capable of making judgments of its own rather than following a set of instructions.
Sentiment Analysis
This powerful AI technique analyses the language and content of each conversation to determine whether it has a positive, neutral or negative emotion behind it. Read more about the capacities of our AI.
Service Automation Tools
Hotel service automation tools allow hoteliers to automate many of their services in order to make them more efficient and reduce operational costs. See the list of Service Automation integrations with the HiJiffy solutions.
Shoulder Nights
These are the evenings that see lower hotel bookings compared to the busiest nights.
Shoulder Season
This term denotes the time frame around the high season, which experiences somewhat reduced hotel occupancy, but not the lowest annual rates.
Short Lead
This pertains to reservations made very close to the check-in date, possibly on the same day or a few days before.
Single Room
A hotel accommodation designed for individual occupancy, featuring a single bed.
SIT
Special Interest Travel refers to travellers who pursue particular passions or hobbies and seek experiences tailored to their specific interests and expertise, that often need specialized services or amenities.
Site Inspection
The process where an event planner visits and assesses a hotel and its facilities in person for potential use.
SMERF
An acronym categorizing group travel markets into social, military, educational, religious, and fraternal groups.
Smith Travel Research (STR) Rate
This refers to a collection of periodic reports that monitor and analyse the hotel industry’s supply and demand statistics.
Snag List
A compilation of defects or issues to be resolved, typically identified during the final stages of a hotel’s construction or refurbishment.
Soft Launch/Opening
The initial, limited opening of a hotel, often with limited services, intended to fine-tune operations before a full-scale opening.
Software as Service (SaaS)
A way of delivering applications online to its users. Instead of a software package to be installed and maintained, it is accessible online where it is available in its most up-to-date version. Usually, SaaS is available via subscription.
Sommelier
A trained and knowledgeable wine professional who curates the wine selection and oversees wine service at a restaurant or hotel.
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure(s), which are established procedures to be followed in carrying out a given operation or in a given situation.
Source of Business
The categorization used by hotels to identify and classify where their business is sourced and through which channels.
Sous Chef
The deputy chef in the kitchen hierarchy, acting directly under the Head Chef.
Spa Manager
The individual responsible for overseeing all aspects of a hotel’s spa operations, including staff management.
Squatters
Individuals who remain in a hotel room after their reservation has expired, typically without making further payment.
SRP
Special Rate Plan, offering specific rates under particular conditions or to certain groups.
Stay Pattern Management
This involves strategic acceptance of reservations to create the ideal combination of arrival dates and duration of stays, aiming for revenue maximization rather than simply filling the hotel each day.
STLY
Same Time Last Year. Refers to a comparison with the corresponding period in the previous year.
Stop Sell
This occurs when a hotel halts accepting reservations through its distribution networks due to full occupancy for a specific timeframe.
Suite
A more spacious and luxurious accommodation option in a hotel, typically including additional facilities and a distinct living space apart from the bedroom.
Sustainable Tourism
Pertains to practices in travel and hospitality that are mindful of environmental impact, with travellers or hoteliers often inquiring about a hotel’s ecological footprint. Corporates may prefer hotels that demonstrate eco-friendly operations.
Syntax & Semantic Analysis
Capability to address a variety of human language challenges, from the grammatical arrangement of words in a sentence, to understanding the meaning and interpretation of words. Read more about the capacities of our AI.
T
Total Revenue per Available Room (TRevPAR)
A KPI used in hospitality to indicate the total revenue that the room can generate, including services such as hotel restaurants and bars (unlike RevPAR which is limited to the room rate only).
Tourist Season
The part of the year characterized by a surge in visitors, which can lead to increased accommodation rates.
Trade Show
A specialized market event where businesses exhibit their goods or services within a particular industry, not intended for the general public.
Training Manager
Responsible for the development and implementation of educational programs for hotel staff.
Transient Business
A market segment that includes individual travel bookings, as opposed to group reservations.
Transient Demand
The expected volume of individual guest bookings for a hotel in the near future.
Transient Occupancy Tax
An additional tax imposed on hotel room charges by local governments.
Travel Agent
A travel agent’s fundamental responsibility involves assisting individuals in planning their travels, encompassing the reservation of airfare, accommodations, guided excursions, and providing suggestions for eateries. They evaluate the specific requirements, tastes, and financial considerations of each client to facilitate a seamless travel experience.
Travel Agent Commission (TAC)
The fee paid to travel agents for selling a hotel’s accommodations or services.
Turn
The task of rearranging or resetting a meeting space for different events in succession.
Two-pack Hotels
Two distinct hotel entities that operate independently while sharing certain facilities or operational functions.
U
UGC
Material created and published by consumers or guests, such as online reviews or social media posts.
Unconference
A participant-driven meeting where attendees determine the agenda and focus spontaneously, encouraging dialogue and interaction.
Unconstrained Demand
The total market desire for hotel rooms without considering any limitations in availability or capacity.
Uniform Attendant
Oversees the distribution and maintenance of hotel staff uniforms.
Unoccupied
Describes a hotel room that is currently vacant.
Unqualified Rates
Room prices offered to guests without any specific conditions for booking.
Upgrade (Room)
The act of providing a guest with a superior room category than what was originally reserved.
Upselling
Upselling is a sales technique encouraging guests to spend more money on purchasing upgrades and premium versions of what they already booked. Examples include room upgrades, hotel spa treatments, special breakfasts, or tickets for local attractions.
U-Shape Setup
A meeting room configuration where seats are arranged in the form of a ‘U’, with seating typically on the outside facing inwards.
V
Vacancy
Refers to a hotel room that is ready and available for booking.
Valet
An individual who is responsible for parking and retrieving vehicles for guests.
Very Important Person (VIP)
A guest who is afforded extra attention and privileges due to their significance or relationship to the hotel or event.
Virtual Concierge
Also known as a digital concierge, this guest-facing technology powered by AI offers assistance to hotel guests from the moment they book their stay. Conversational AI can automatically answer FAQs, such as breakfast time or directions for a car park, book additional services, and more. Learn about HiJiffy’s Virtual Concierge here.
Voice
The act of securing a hotel booking through a telephone conversation.
W
Waiter/Waitress
Staff members who attend to guests, serving them food and beverages.
Walk
The action of relocating guests to a different hotel if the original hotel is overbooked.
Walk-In
A guest who arrives without a prior reservation and books a room, often at a higher rate.
War Room
Informal term used for a space designated for staff meetings and coordination during events.
Wash
The expected reduction in initially reserved room blocks, indicating the number of rooms the hotel predicts will not be used by the group.
Weekend Rate
Special hotel room rates that apply to weekend stays and are typically lower than weekday rates.
Wholesale
The sale of hotel rooms in bulk, often at a reduced rate.
Wholesaler
A company that purchases hotel rooms in large quantities to resell them through various distribution channels.
WTM
World Travel Market.
WTO
World Tourism Organization.
WTTC
World Travel & Tourism Council.
X
Y
Yield Management
The strategic control of inventory to sell it to the right customer at the right time for the right price to maximize revenue; also known as Revenue Management.
Z
