TOURISM DICTIONARY – ADAPTED

MISCELLANEOUS
4X4 A vehicle like a Landrover, which is designed for off-road travel.
A
A A la Carte A menu, showing a variety of meal options from which one can
choose. Each item is priced individually.
A Ablution Toilet and Bathroom facilities.
A Abroad Another word for Overseas
A Accommodation This is a place where a tourist will stay overnight.
A Activity The act of participating in something.
A Advertising The process of marketing your products and services via different
platforms (E.g. on-line advertising)
A Aesthetic This is to do with beauty or a particular style or appearance of a
destination/venue, etc.
A Airline Code A distinct or unique code given to an airline for identification
purposes (E.g SAA)
A Airport Tax A fee collected by a local or national government for departure from
an airport
A Airport Surcharge An amount of money added to your vehicle rental cost, when hiring a
vehicle from the airport.
A Alien (people) A person/persons living in a country of which he/she is not a citizen.
They may be regarded as an immigrant.
A Alien (fauna/flora) Plants or animal species that are transported to an environment that
is not their own.
A Amenities The facilities and complimentary items available t tourists at different
destinations.
A American Breakfast Similar to an English breakfast, this is a large breakfast that can
include cereal and cooked food, such as eggs with ham
A Airline A company that mages air transport for passengers and
goods/cargo.
A Airport This is a place where an aircraft can land, load passenger or cargo
and then take off again.
A Airside The area of an airport only accessible to passengers and airport staff
A Attraction A site that a tourist will visit during their stay in another place.
B
B Biodiversity The variety of life forms in a specific area.
B Biome A region with a specific type of flora and fauna
B Boarding Pass The detachable part of ones airline ticket that allows a passenger to
get onto an aircraft. It contains the passengers travel details and
seating space.
B Branding The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol/design that
identifies and differentiates a product from other products.
B Brochure A small book or magazine containing pictures and information about
a destination, goods and services available.

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B Bank Selling Rate This is the rate at which the bank will exchange the local currency for
the foreign currency (i.e. the bank sells foreign currency to the
tourist).
B Bank Buying Rate This is the rate at which a bank will purchase foreign currency in
exchange for the local currency. (i.e. the tourist sells back unused
foreign currency to the bank)
B Buffet A variety of food placed on display table where one can dish up and
eat as much as they like. The person will pay a set buffet price.
B Business Class The service on a flight designed for business people offering services
required by business people. These tickets are more expensive than
the economy class tickets.
B Budget The amount of money that a tourist has to spend on their travel
plans.
B Buying Power This is the amount of foreign currency that one can purchase with
Rands.
C
C Cabin A passenger compartment on an aircraft.
C Canyon A very deep, narrow valley usually with water flowing through it.
C Carousel A circular conveyer belt found in transportation terminals which are
sued to carry baggage for passengers to claim.
C Code of Conduct This is a set of rule and common standards used to guide staff
behaviour and the decisions regarding duties and ethical situations.
C Corporate Image This is what people are supposed to see when a business is
mentioned
C Currency Money being used when making financial transactions.
C Career The specific area that you choose to work in in order to make a living.
This includes working in a permanent professional environment and
is often dependent on specific qualifications.
C Cockpit The area on the aircraft where the pilot will sit during the flight.
C Communal Facilities that are shared by more than one person.
C Communication The sending and receiving of information between two or more
people using a medium (e.g. sound waves).
C Community A group of people who live in a common environment.
C Compartment Bedroom on a train with 2/4/6 bunks depending on the class of
accommodation.
C Complaints A statement or announcement of a customer’s dissatisfaction due to
his/her expectations not being met.
C Concierge A person employed in a hotel who I sin charge of porters. Keeping
guests keys, dealing with guests messages as well as helping guests
make bookings for shows etc.
C Concourse Another name for airside of an airport.
C Conference A formal meeting of people who get together t discuss a common
shared topic of interest. Conferences typically take place over a few
days.
C Conglomerates A group of companies who work together and general pride
themselves on five star, international standards.
C Connecting Flight A flight where you stop at a destination and change your aircraft to
your destination.

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C Conservation The utilization of the environment in such a way that the environment
can support the present generation as well as remain intact for future
generations.
C Customer Meeting the preferences, needs and expectations of a customer.
Care/Service
C Customer Feedback The process of collecting information from customers2 regarding
their satisfaction or dissatisfaction about service or products that they
have paid for.
C Customs The point at an international gateway where a tourists goods an
baggage are examined against customs regulations.
C Crater A large bowl shaped cavity in the ground caused by an explosion or
the impact of a meteorite hitting the ground. (E.g. Vredefort Dome)
C Corporate Social The time, money and other resources that a business will spend on
Investment (CSI) improving the standard of living of a community within which the
business operates.
C Corporate Social The way in which a business conducts its operations – ethically,
Responsibility (CSR) morally regarding the use of human, physical and financial resources
C Carbon Footprint Our carbon footprint is the actual impact that our daily activities are
having on the environment and on climate change. The idea is to
reduce our carbon footprint.
D
D Daylight Savings A process where countries set their clocks forward by an hour in
Time (DST) order to make maximum use of the sunlight hours for tourist
activities.
D DBB Dinner, Bed and Breakfast
D DBL Double sharing rates – a room where two people share a double bed
D Delegate A person attending a conference or summit.
D Direct Flight A flight that travels from its departure point to its arrival point with no
change of passengers or aircrafts but it may stop to refuel. No
change in flight numbers.
D Diversity The different kinds of elements.
D Domestic Tourism The DTGS is plan used by the South African government to improve
Growth Strategy domestic tourism.
D Duty (Tax) This the name for an import tax charged on certain goods brough into
a destination.
E
E Economy The process or system by which goods and services are produced,
sold and brought into a country or a region – determines the wealth
of that country or region.
E Economic Growth When the country or region is growing and doing well.
E Economy Class The type of transport ticket that one purchases (least expensive),
where one will receive standard or basic services.
E Ecosystem An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other
organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to live
in harmony.
E E-Hailing Intermediation business also known as e-hailing is a service provided
to book public transport services through electronic applications (E.g.
Bolt, Uber, etc)

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E Endemic Species that have originated in and are only found in a particular
area.
E Epidemic A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at
a particular time
E Ethnobotanical The study of a regions plants and their practical uses through the
traditional knowledge of a local culture and its people.
E Evolution The development of life forms from its original existence on Earth
E Excess Any charge or amount that is in excess of the required amount (E.g.
excess baggage charges)
E Exchange Rate The value of one currency when compared to that of another
currency for the purpose of currency conversions.
E Excursionist A person who travels to another place for less than 24 hours.
E Extinct Species which no longer exist on Earth.
F
F Facilities Buildings, rooms, equipment or services that are provided for a
particular purpose.
F Fare A fee paid by a customer in exchange for a service rendered (E.g. an
airline ticket)
F Fauna All the animals in a particular area.

F Fax Abbreviation for a facsimile- a document provided using the medium

of a telephone and a printer (fax machine) to send documents from
one person to another.
F Ferry A boat that transports passengers and goods across a stretch of
water, such as a river.
F Festival An event celebrated by a group of people/community centralising
around a particular aspect – may be culturally or religiously
motivated.
F First Class The type of transport ticket that affords one the best service during
their journey including seating, meal options, etc.
F Fluctuations These are the changes in the currency values in relation to another
country due to internal or external impacts
F Fossil These are preserved remains of plants, animals or humans whose
bodies may have been buried underground or in waterways.
G
G Game Another term used to describe wild animals found in their natural
environments.
G Game Ranger A person who will accompany tourists during a game drive/safari and
who is well trained in how wildlife behave and how to manage them
in a natural environment.
G Gate An area of an airport concourse where passengers enter or exit in
order to start or complete their air trip.
G Gateway An entrance or exit point into or out of a destination.
G Greenwich Meridian Also known as the Prime Meridian, this is the central Line of
longitude from which time is calculated.
G Gross Domestic The total value of goods and services produced in a country in one
Product (GDP) financial year.
G Global Anything that involves the whole world participating.

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G Global Warming The increase in the surface temperature of the Earth caused by a
blanket of harmful gases trapped heat in the Earths atmosphere.
G Grooming Maintaining a neat appearance (E.g. trim a beard, cut/paint
fingernails)
G Grievance An expression of ones dissatisfaction with a colleague/if they are
treated unfairly.
H
H Habitat An area where a particular species of plants, animals or insects live.
H Heritage Something of value that is passed on from one generation to another.
H Heritage Site A place that holds special significance or importance in the history of
the physical or cultural aspects of the area.
H High Season Peak Season which is the busiest tourist visiting times. The prices of
services are generally high during these periods of time.
H Host Community The community that provides that space and services required by a
particular tourist.
H Hot Air Balloon A large flexible bag filled with hot gas to make it rise in the air,
carrying a basket for passengers.
H Hominid Refers to any species which are believed to have originated from the
Great Ape family as per evolutionary science suggests.
H Housekeeping The department in an accommodation facility responsible for
cleaning rooms, providing clean linen etc.
H Human-made These are attractions which have been created by people.
H Health Certificate A document to prove that a traveller has taken the nececessary
recommended or compulsory vaccinations/mediation required to
enter/leave a destination.
I
I Icon A tourist attraction that defines a destination. It becomes the
attraction that the country is best known for.
I Immigration The section at and airport or port where a tourists travel
documentation is checked for validity.
I Inbound Travelling into a destination
I Indigenous A species that has originated in a particular area.
I INDADA A conference or consultation of people. (E.g. Africa Travel Indaba)
I Insubordination When employees disregards instruction
I Itinerary A comprehensive detailed document outlining a tourists daily
activities/plans during their trip.
J
J Jetlag The tiredness that one’s feels when crossing time zones during their
flight.
K Jet Fatigue The tiredness that one feels from being confined in a small space for
a long period of time.
K
K Khoi-Khoin Indigenous group of people who live a nomadic pastoral lifestyle in or
close to desert areas.
L
L Lodge An accommodation facility found in natural environments.

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L Longitude A imaginary line on the Earths service that divides the Earth into the
Eastern and Western hemispheres
L Latitude A imaginary line on the Earths service that divides the Earth into the
Northern and Southern hemispheres.
M
M Marketing The different ways in which a business uses to spread word about its
products and services
M Meridian Another name for a longitude.
M Meteorite A rock that falls to Erath, from Space.
M Misconduct The inappropriate behaviour by employees in a work environment,
ranging from sexual harassment to alcohol and drug abuse, etc.
M Multiplier Effect This is how many times money spent by a tourist circulates through a
country's economy and how it benefits the local people of that
country.
M Multi-entry visa A visa that will allow a tourist to enter more than one country during
their visit to a specific region.
N
N Natural An environment that has not been created by people but rather by
the forces of nature.
N Natural Disaster The forces of nature have a negative impact on the environment by
destroying it and killing people and animals.
N Niche Market Small specialised market of a larger market found in an area.
N Non-stop Flight A flight that does not stop en-route to its destination.
N Non-Governmental Organisations that work independently of the government and are
Organisation (NGO) non-profit organisations.
O
O One-Way (O/W) A trip from the point of origin to the destination with no retrun
transport arranged.
O On-Line A booking or sale done using the internet. Can be done without
leaving the comfort of ones home.
P
P Palaeontological The study of fossils to determine the structure and evolution of
extinct animals and plants
P Passenger A person travelling with others.
P Promotion The marketing of ones products and services using different
methods.
P Passport A valid legal document which allows one to cross the borders of a
country.
P Pandemic A widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over a whole
country or the world at a particular time
P Personal Hygiene Keeping oneself clean (removing dirt or smells from ones body)
Q
Q Qualifications Formal training that one engages in in order to be proficient in their
career – generally requires studying over a period of time.
Q QR Code A QR code (quick response code) is a bar code that is used to
provide easy access to online information through the digital camera

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 on a smartphone or tablet.
R
R R/O Room Only. Tariff is for the room with no meals included in the price.
R Rack Rate Normal/ Walk In rates or prices which have been advertised for a
room.
R Rare (species) Species which have a very small population globally.
R Remuneration Money earned for a service rendered or a product sold.
S
S SADC Southern African Developmental Community is a group of 16
countries in Southern Africa who promote integration, socio-
economic, political and security development and co-operation.
S Safety Ensuring that a tourist is not harmed in any way.
S SAHRA South African Heritage Resource Agency – the organisation
responsible for declaring and managing national heritage sites.
S Sangoma Traditional practitioner of herbal medicine and counselling.
S SATourism The national body responsible for marketing South Africa as a
preferred tourist destination.
S Stopover This is where a flight will land and allow passengers to embark or
disembark between the original and final destinations/A place where
one can stop between attractions listed in an itinerary.
S Suite A accommodation area consisting of one or more rooms with an
interconnecting sitting room.
S Summit A meeting held with Heads of State.
S Sustainability The use of resources in a way that we provide for the present
generation while saving for future generations.
T
T Time Zone Lines of Longitude from which time is taken for the different countries
in the world.
T Tourism The temporary short term movement of people away from their
places of work or stay including all the activities that they engage in.
T Tourist A person who travels away from their place of work or stay for a
period of time.
T Tourist Profile An overview of the tourist’s characteristics. Personal information and
wants and needs.
T Tour Guide A trained person who will accompany the tourist on their journey in
order to tel them about attractions and they area that they are
visiting.
T Trend An established pattern that will guide the performance of an area.
T Triple Sharing A room suitable for three people sharing.
T Twin (TWN) A room with two single beds accommodating two people
T Twin Double A room with two double beds, suitable for four people sharing.
U
U Unaccompanied Children over 2 years old but younger than 12 years old who travel
Minor alone without an adult accompanying them.
U UNESCO United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation –
responsible for declaring and managing world heritage sites.

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U Uniform Clothes that are worn by employees as per the business that they
represent.
U Universal Access Universal access refers to the ability of all people to have equal
opportunity and access to a service or product from which they can
benefit, regardless of their social class, ethnicity, ancestry or physical
disabilities
V
V Visa A legal document allowing one to be in another country for a specific
reason and a specific period of time.
V Vulnerable This is when a country is exposed in such a way that they can be
attacked if hey relax their forces
W
WHO World Health Organisation is the body who do research on
communicable diseases that could be spread across borders.
W Word of Mouth Marketing done by people talking to each other about their
experiences.
World heritage Site A place that is identified and listed by UNESCO as being of special
cultural or physical significance, globally.
Wi-Fi Wireless internet connection.
NEW TERMS

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