FO Terminologies

American Plan (AP)

A billing arrangement under which room charges include the guest room and three meals. Also called a full board / full pension.

European Plan (EP)

A billing arrangement under which meals are priced separately or room only plan.

Modified American Plan (MAP)

A billing arrangement under which the daily rate is including room and two meals, generally Breakfast and dinner.

Continental Plan (CP)

One of the most common/preferred billing arrangements which includes room and continental breakfast.

Rack Rate

The published tariff for each room type/category in a hotel.

Log Book

Located at reception containing instructions/information/ happenings/handover of the day to know of.

Registration Card

A printed form for a registration record, In most countries, the guest's signature on a registration card is required by law.

Reservation Status

An indicator of a room's long-term availability for assignment.

Room Rate

The price of hotel charges for overnight accommodations.

Skipper

A guest who leaves with no intention of paying the room charges.

Scanty Baggage

A guest who checks in to the hotel with very little or no luggage.

Walk-in

A guest who arrives at a hotel without a reservation.

Walking the guest

Turning away a guest who has a reservation because of a lack of room availability.

Due outs

Guests expected to check out on a given day who have not yet done so.

Long Stay

A Guest who stays more than a certain number of days, Eg: More than 7 days, etc.

Overbooking

Accepting more reservations than there are available rooms.

Wash down

Blocking fewer rooms than the number requested by a group, based on previous group history.

Credit limit/house limit

A limit assigned by the hotel to guests or company accounts.

Upselling

A sales technique whereby a guest is offered a more expensive room than what he or she reserved or originally requested, and then persuaded to rent the room based on the room's features, benefits, and his or her needs.

Block

An agreed-upon number of rooms set aside for members of a group planning to stay in a hotel.

Book

To sell or reserve rooms ahead of time.

Confirmation Number

A code that provides a unique reference to a reservation record and assures the guest that the reservation record exists.

Confirmed Booking

When Reservation is guaranteed with a Credit card, Deposit, Company / TA voucher, etc.

Tentative Booking

When the reservation is waiting for the booker's confirmation.

Waitlisted Booking

Reservation kept on hold due to the hotel being overbooked.

No-Show

A guest who made a room reservation but did not register or check-in.

Cut-off date

The date agreed upon between a group and a hotel after which all unreserved rooms in the group's block will be released back to the general availability.

Cancellation date

Indicates the date when the reservation was manually canceled.

Late Charge

A transaction requiring posting to a guest account that does not reach the front office for posting before the guest has checked out or done the final settlement.

TA

Travel Agent who receives the commission for the bookings given to the hotel.

Global Distribution System (GDS)

A distribution channel for reservations that provides worldwide distribution of hotel reservation information and allows the selling of hotel reservations around the world, usually accomplished by connecting the hotel reservation system with an airline reservation system. It is a computerized network system that enables travel agencies, airlines, hotels, and other service providers to access and book travel-related services, such as flights, hotel accommodations, and rental cars.

Example of GDS

Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport (Galileo, Worldspan). These systems help streamline the booking process and facilitate communication between service providers and travel agents