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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.
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