dabble agent. Derogatory term for
a part-time travel agent. Sometimes applied to any outside
agent or independent contractor as a slur on their professionalism.
daily program. On a cruise ship,
a listing of the day's activities.
dais. Raised platform in a room or
hall on which a speaker's lectern or table for VIPs
is situated.
DAPO. CRS. Do all possible.
database. 1. Any collection of information
on a specific subject or area. Specifically, a computerized
collection of such information. 2. A computer program
designed to store such information.
DATAS II. A computer reservation
system which is now part of Worldspan.
Davey Jones' locker. Slang. The bottom
of the ocean.
davit. A crane on a ship that's used
to raise and lower anchors, lifeboats, and cargo.
day rate. 1. In hotels, the fee charged
for a stay of limited duration, typically during daylight
hours. 2. A fee charged for the use of a facility during
a twenty-four hour period.
day tripper. Brit. A person whose
round-trip travel will be completed on the same day.
On a longer leisure trip, a day tripper will make a
series of one-day excursions to different locales to
avoid changing hotels.
daylight savings time. An artificial
forward adjustment of the clock in the Spring. Instituted
to increase business by adding more hours of daylight
in the evening.
d.b.a. Abr. Doing business as (qv).
dbl. Abr. Double (qv).
DBLB. CRS. Double room with bath.
DBLN. CRS. Double room without shower
or bath.
DBLS. CRS. Double room with shower.
DC. Abr. Direct current.
DCSN. CRS. Decision.
DEA. Drug Enforcement Agency.
dead ahead. Straight in front of
the ship's bow.
dead calm. No wind. Zero on the Beaufort
scale (qv).
dead reckoning. In navigation, a
way of calculating a ship's or plane's position without
reference to sun or stars, based on speed, direction,
and drift.
deadend booking. A booking that is
completed on a CRS but never ticketed. Deadend bookings
can result from training new hires, forgetfulness, or
fraud on the part of the travel agent.
deadhead. v. To return without paying
cargo, whether freight or passengers. Used of commercial
vehicles.
deadlight. A ventilated porthole
cover that prevents light from entering.
DEAF. CRS. Deaf passenger.
debark. To get off a plane or ship.
debit memo. An informal invoice (qv)
from a supplier showing an additional amount due. ARC
(qv) will issue a debit memo when it feels the agency
has made an error.
debug. A computer term meaning to
identify and correct mistakes in a computer program.
By extension, to correct mistakes in other contexts.
deck. The floor of a ship. A level
on a ship.
deck chair. On a cruise ship, a reclining
chair designed for lounging.
deck plan. Drawing or "map" that
shows the layout of a ship's decks, cabins, and other
areas.
deck steward. Member of a ship's
crew who provides passengers with drinks, towels, deck
chairs, etc.
decode. Translate from code into
ordinary language.
decommission. To remove a ship from
active service.
dedicated line. A telephone line
that is used for ("dedicated to") a single purpose,
such as a fax machine. May also refer to an electrical
line.
deductible. 1. n. In insurance, the
amount the customer must pay before the insurance kicks
in. 2. adj. Used to describe business and other expenditures
that you may subtract from your gross income in figuring
your income tax liability.
deep six. Slang. To throw overboard.
By extension, to throw away anything, usually with the
motive of concealing its existence.
default. 1. v. To fail to supply
contracted goods or services or refund the money paid
for them. 2. n. In a computer program, a pre-programmed
setting, which can sometimes be changed or modified
by the user.
deluxe. Fr. Literally, "of luxury."
Room or hotel in an excellent location with luxurious
furnishings or accommodations.
demi-pension. Fr. Half pension (qv).
demo. 1. Slang. Demonstration. 2.
Video or other visual or hands-on unit used in a sales
demonstration.
demonstration effect. The phenomenon
of local residents adopting the styles and manners they
have observed in visiting tourists.
demographics. Age, income, marital
status, ethnicity, and other statistical characteristics
of populations. Used in marketing to analyze and identify
markets.
denied-boarding compensation. Payment
given passengers who've been bumped from a flight, cruise,
or land-tour. May be a free trip, money, or accommodations.
dep. Abr. 1. Departure. 2. Deposit
(qv).
DEP. CRS. 1. Scheduled departure
time. 2. After departure, the time the flight departed.
departure tax. Tax levied on travelers
when they leave a country.
deplane. v. To get off a plane.
deplate. v. Withdraw the right of
a travel agency to issue tickets for an airline.
deposit. Payment made to hold space
on a tour or accommodations. May be fully or partially
refundable if the passenger cancels with enough advance
notice.
depot. 1. Bus or train station. 2.
Storage place for goods or motor vehicles.
depreciable asset. Any property owned
by a business that is subject to depreciation (qv) for
tax purposes.
depreciation. In taxation, a deduction
taken to account for the decline in value of assets,
such as machines used in a business, over a period of
time. Used to offset the cost of acquiring the asset.
See also expensing.
dereg. Slang. Deregulation (qv).
deregulation. Elimination of regulation.
Usually used to refer to the U.S. government's elimination
of restrictions on airlines' fares, routes, etc. Enacted
in 1978.
designated driver. Member of a group
who refrains from drinking alcoholic beverages in order
to drive the group home safely.
designator, designator code. A two-
or three-digit alphanumeric code uniquely identifying
airlines and airports throughout the world. Administered
by IATA (qv).
destination. Place to which a person
is traveling or a thing is sent.
destination management company. A
local company that handles arrangements for tours, meetings,
transportation, and so forth, for groups originating
elsewhere.
destination marketing organization. A
company or other entity involved in the business of
increasing tourism to a destination or improving its
public image.
destination specialist. A person
who has passed a test administered by an accrediting
body certifying that he or she possesses an expert level
of knowledge about a specific tourist destination or
region.
destination wedding. A wedding that
takes place in a location other than the bride and groomÕs
home, typically a popular tourist destination.
DET. CRS. Domestic escorted tour.
A packaged tour, with guide, that takes place in your
own country.
detached interface. A computer configuration
that allows additional functions (such as accounting)
to be performed while primary functions (such as ticketing)
are in progress.
detente. Fr. A state of lessened
tension or hostility between nations.
devaluation. The decrease in value
of one currency in relation to another, usually by action
of the government. When a currency is devalued, it buys
less in foreign markets.
DEW Line. Abr. Distant Early Warning
line. A line of radar stations set up to give advance
warning of enemy air attack.
differential. 1. The difference in
price, quality, etc. between comparable products or
services. 2. The amount of the
difference. 3. Amount owed or credited
due to a change in the class of service.
dig. Slang. An area of archeological
excavation.
digs. Brit. slang. Living accommodations.
dine-around plan. Prepaid plan (such
as a modified American plan) that allows guests to choose
among a number of restaurants. Typically, the restaurants
will all be owned by the same company.
diner. 1. The restaurant car on a
train. 2. A small, usually very informal restaurant.
3. Person eating in a restaurant.
dinghy. A small oared boat.
diplomatic immunity. A provision
of international law which exempts the diplomats of
one country from the laws of a country to which they
are assigned.
diplomatic plates. Automobile license
plates, usually of a distinct design, issued to the
vehicles of accredited diplomats.
direct access. System or program
that gives the user the capability of tapping directly
into a vendor's computer system to get last-minute information
about seat or product availability.
direct billing. System in which a
corporation's travel agency bills employees for their
business travel. The employee must then submit an expense
accounting and be reimbursed by the corporation.
direct flight. Any flight between
two places that carries a single flight number. Unlike
a nonstop, a direct flight will make one or more stops
between the two places. The passenger may have to change
planes or even change airlines. This is a change in
meaning. In the past, direct flights made stops but
required no change of plane.
direct mail. 1. A form of marketing
in which sellers offer their products or services to
buyers by mail, instead of (or in addition to) through
agents or stores. 2. A form of advertising in which
sellers promote their products or services by mail.
Many recipients consider direct mail ads "junk mail."
direct spending. In the tourism industry,
any money that goes directly from a touristÕs pocket
into the local economy. See also, indirect spending.
directional selling. Booking with
suppliers with whom the agency has a preferred supplier
relationship.
directional tariff. A lower fare
for one segment of an itinerary, usually requiring round-trip
travel or available only during certain time periods.
dirigible. A blimp (qv).
dis. Abr. Discontinued.
disburse. To pay out (money).
disclaimer, disclaimer of liability.
A formal denial of legal and financial responsibility
for monetary losses or other injury incurred as a result
of advice given or products or services sold. Example:
A travel agent would use a disclaimer to ward off claims
for injuries or losses a client might incur while traveling,
as a result, say, of a charter cancellation or an accident
while white-water rafting.
disclosure. The act of making something
known. Example: By law, airline ads must disclose all
the restrictions on the special fares they advertise.
discontinued date. The date on which
a fare, or other offer, expires.
discotheque. Nightclub for dancing.
discount fare. A special fare, usually
offered for a limited time and in a limited quantity.
discretionary income. The amount
a person has left to spend, save, or invest after paying
all bills.
disembark. To get off a plane, ship,
or train.
disk. A magnetic file used in computers.
display bias. A discontinued practice
in which a CRS (qv) would display it's owners' flights
first. See also architectural bias.
distribution. 1. The process of delivering
products or services to customers. 2. The full extent
of a supplier's distribution network.
district sales manager. The individual
responsible for managing sales at the district level
for a hotel, airline, cruise line, or other supplier.
Depending on the company, may be primarily a salesperson
or a manager of salespeople.
DIT. CRS. Domestic Independent Tour/Traveler.
dive boat. A small vessel outfitted
for the needs of scuba divers. May or may not have accommodations.
divestiture. The compulsory transfer
of title or disposal of interests (for example, in a
corporation or real estate) upon government order, often
to satisfy antitrust legislation and ensure competition.
Example: In the early eighties, the federal government
required the divestiture of the regional telephone companies
by AT&T.
DLX. CRS. Deluxe room.
DM. Abr. 1. District manager. 2.
Deutschemark.
D-Mark. Abr. Deutschemark.
DMC. 1. CRS. Directional Minimum
Check. The check a travel agent must make to be sure
that the fare (charged) isn't lower than the minimum
applicable fare (in either direction). 2. Destination
management company (qv) or consultants.
DMO. Abr. 1. Destination marketing
organization. 2. District marketing office.
DO. CRS. Drop-off.
docent. A guide in a museum or art
gallery.
dock. 1. n. The waterway between
piers (qv) for the reception of ships. 2. n. A place
for loading or unloading cargo or other materials. 3.
A berth, pier, or quay. 4. v. To come into dock; to
become docked.
docs. Slang. Documents.
docs rec'd. Abbr. Documents received.
dog and pony show. Slang. A derogatory
term for a sales presentation.
doing business as. A phrase indicating
that a corporation has registered with the state to
conduct business under a name other than its official
corporate name. Typically abbreviated dba. A corporation
might have several dba's.
dom. Abr. Domestic.
dome car. A train car with a domed
plexiglass top for sightseeing. Also called a bubble
car (qv).
domestic airline. An air carrier
that provides service within its own country. Also called
a domestic carrier.
domestic escorted tour. Escorted
tour (qv) for traveling within one's own country, typically
used to refer to U.S. tours.
domestic fare. Fare charged for travel
within a country.
domicile. Place of residence, home.
dormette. An airline seat that reclines
to sleeping position. Used on some carriers for long-distance
runs. Also called a sleeperette.
DOT. Department of Transportation.
dot-matrix printer. A printer, used
with a computer, that forms letters and numbers with
a series of ink dots. Dot-matrix printers produce a
lower print quality than laser printers.
double. A room designed to be shared
by two people. It may have one double (or larger) bed,
two twin beds, or two double (or larger) beds. Rooms
with two double beds are sometimes called a "double
double."
double booking. The practice of booking
and confirming two or more reservations when only one
will be used.
double-double. A hotel room with
two double beds, sometimes called a twin double.
double occupancy rate. The rate charged
when two people will occupy a room, suite, apartment,
etc. For example, a hotel might charge an individual
$100 per night for a room (single occupancy) but charge
two people only $130 for double occupancy of the same
room.
double-decker. A bus, or other conveyance,
with two levels; used as public transportation in some
cities, and exclusively for sightseeing and other special
uses in other areas.
down. Slang. Inoperable (as in "The
computer is down."). Often used of computers and computer
networks when they shut down as a result of power failures,
system crashes, operator errors, quirks in the system,
or downtime (qv) on networks or reservation systems.
Down East. Slang. Extreme northeast
New England. Maine.
Down Under. An affectionate term
for Australia and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand.
downgrade. To move to a lower grade
or quality of services or accommodations.
downline. 1. All segments, legs,
or cities listed below the originating or headline city
(on a schedule or CRS). 2. The members, in rank order,
of a multi-level marketing program.
download. v. To transfer a file or
files from a remote computer to a local computer electronically.
downsizing. A corporate restructuring
aimed at making the organization smaller, more efficient,
and more profitable by selling ("spinning off") various
product lines and/or business units and permanently
eliminating many jobs.
downtime. 1. Time during which production
is stopped for repairs or alterations to a system, network,
machine, or program. 2. Slang. Time a person spends
sleeping or vegging out.
downtown. The business district of
a city.
DPLX. CRS. Duplex (qv).
DPP. Default protection plan. An
insurance policy that protects the holder against a
supplier's failure to deliver products or services or
refund the money paid for them.
DPST. CRS. Deposit.
dptr. Abr. Departure.
draft. (Brit. draught) Measurement
in feet from a ship's waterline (qv) to the lowest point
of its keel (qv).
drag. The aerodynamic force that
slows a plane in flight.
dram shop legislation. Any law regulating
the sale of alcoholic beverages in bars and restaurants.
draw. An amount paid to a salesperson
on a regular basis and deducted from his or her commission
earnings. Also referred to as a "draw against commission."
drayage. The charge assessed for
transporting goods.
dress circle. The mezzanine (qv)
or first balcony of a theater, especially an opera house.
drill. A practice exercise, as a
lifeboat drill on a cruise ship.
drive-away company. A company that
transports automobiles and other vehicles by finding
people who will drive them to their destination.
drive-in. 1. n. An outdoor movie
theater where people watch from their cars. 2. adj.
Any service designed to be provided to customers in
their cars.
drop-off charge. An add-on fee that
may be assessed when a rental car or other rental vehicle
is dropped off at a location other than the one where
it was rented. Usually a flat amount.
DRS. CRS. Direct reference system.
dry dock. 1. n. Dock (qv) that can
be emptied of water while a ship is being repaired.
2. v. To put into dry dock.
dry lease. The rental of a boat,
or other vehicle, without a crew or supplies.
DSM. Abr. District sales manager
(qv).
DSO. Abr. District sales office.
May also be called a DMO (qv).
DSPL. CRS. Display.
DTIA. Dive Travel Industry Association.
dual designated carrier. Air carrier that uses another
airline's code in flight schedule displays. See also
code sharing.
duck boats. World War II-vintage
boats that are sometimes used for river tours.
DUI. Abr. Driving under the influence
(of alcohol or another drug).
dumbwaiter. A small, hand-operated
elevator system used to transport food and dishes from
one level to another, as between the kitchen and dining
room.
dump store. In a theme park, a shop
so located that everyone exiting a ride or attraction
must pass through it.
dungeon. A prison or chamber that's
dark and usually underground.
duplex. 1. A two-family house. A
house that contains two separate dwelling units. 2.
An apartment with rooms on two floors. 3. Separate accommodations
that share walls.
dutiable. Subject to duty (qv).
duty. A tax; most often applied to
imported goods.
duty-free. adj. Being exempt from
import tax. Most often applied to goods bought in special
airport shops just before boarding for a trip to another
country.
DWB. CRS. Double (qv) room with bath.
DXA. CRS. Deferred cancellation area.
|