Dictionary

This Glossary is provided to help guests understand more about the rental of inns, resorts and vacation rentals. It is not comprehensive but serves as a primer for terms guests may encounter in renting specialty lodging. Not all terms apply to all properties or managers.

To help everyone understand more about the topic, this glossary is provided for reference. It is not comprehensive but serves as a primary for terms readers may encounter in browsing this website or participating in the industry. Not all terms apply to this website or company.

Tourist

Traveler how moves from place to place to enjoy and experience different locations. Differs from business travel who comes for business purposes.
See also: Traveler Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Towels

Fleece based materials used for bath towels, hand towels, wash clothes, bath mats
See also: Textiles, fleece, bedding Origin: May, William

Transient

A Guest who arrives without an advance reservation or pre payment. Contrary to representations to those opposed to Lodging, guests with reservations are NOT transients.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Travel

Leisure and other travel including travel for business, medical care, education, etc. All tourism is travel, but not all travel is tourism.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Travel Agent

An individual who arranges travel for individuals or groups. Travel agents may be generalist or specialists (cruises, adventure travel, conventions, and meetings.) The agent receives a commission form accommodations, transportation companies and attractions for coordinating the booking of travel. They typically coordinate travel for their customers at the same of lower cost than if the customer booked the travel on his/her own.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Travel Insurance

Purchased from a carrier who agrees to reimburse guests for some expense if they are forced to cancel their plans due to certain reasons. Usually these include death in the family, personal injury or flight delays. Highly recommended.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Travel Product

Refers to any product or service that is bought by or sold to consumers of trade including accommodations, attractions, events, restaurants, transportation, etc.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Travel Seasons

Travel industry business cycles including:
Peak - Primary travel season
Low - Period when business is slowest
Shoulder - period between peak and low periods when business is stronger, but has room from growth.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Travel Trade

The collective term for tour operators, wholesalers, and travel agents.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Traveler

Any person who travels either for leisure or business purposes more than 100 miles (round-trip) in a day or who stays overnight away from his other primary domicile.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Trip Cancellation

Provides reimbursement for certain unused, non-refundable expenses due to cancellation of your trip caused by a covered reason.
Origin: CSA Travel Protection

Unauthorized Guest

Property occupants who were not pre-approved by the lodging manager and for whom additional charges will apply. Also referred to as Undisclosed Guest.
See also: Undisclosed Guest, Maximum Occupancy, Normal Occupancy, Sleeps Occupancy, Disclosed Guest, Drop-In Guests Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Undisclosed Guest

Property occupants who were not pre-approved by the lodging manager and for whom additional charges will apply. Also referred to as Unauthorized Guest.
See also: Unauthorized Guest, Maximum Occupancy, Normal Occupancy, Sleeps Occupancy, Disclosed Guest, Drop-In Guests Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Unilateral Termination

When one party terminations a contract prior to the term of the contract, the other party may delcare it a unilateral action and access termination fee.
See also: Termination, Termination for Breach, ,Mutual Termination Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Unit

May refer to a room, suite or living area (such as a condo, cabin or home) which is offered to Guests for lodging use and rent. The unit includes all amenities described and associated with the unit including the grounds upon which it rests.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Unwelcomes

When a guest or tenant misuses a property, misbehaves, fails to pay as agreed or violates other conditions of the owner or manager's terms they are referred to as unwelcome and not allowed to rent the property again.
See also: Industry Origin: Vacation Rental Association Link: Unwelcomes.org

Use Fee

A proper term for the cost of renting a lodging property. May include rent, housekeeping and other charges.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Usual and customary charge

Those charges for necessary treatment and services that are reasonable for the treatment of cases of comparable severity and nature. This will be derived from the mean charge based on the experience in a related area of the service delivered and the MDR (Medical Data Research) schedule of fees valued at the 100th percentile and the Anesthesia Relative Value Guide.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association

Vacation Rental

A house, condo or other living unit used for short-term rental, usually in a resort or recreational area and having sleeping quarters, bath and kitchen. Also known as a Holiday let., Holiday Home, Holiday Cottage, Holiday Villa, Guest house or (in France) a Gite.
See also: Holiday Let, Holiday Home, Holiday Cottage, Holiday Village, Guest House, Gite Origin: Vacation Rental

Vacation Rental Angels

Voluntary program from Vacation Rental Association. Members who regularly donate vacation home use to charitable causes are listed on VacationRentalAngels.com website and display the VRIA Angel Icon.
Origin: Vacation Rental Association Link: VacationRentalAngels.com